Blue Christmas: A Service of Remembrance and Hope
Today’s service begins in silence and dimmed lights so all may participate in a time of reflection and centering down in preparation for this special worship.
Please refrain from talking as you enter.
THE GATHERING OF THE MEETING
Beth: Welcome to this “Blue Christmas” service. We know that Christmas can be a painful time for some. It may be the first Christmas without a loved family member who has recently died; it may be a time that has always been difficult. The constant refrain on the radio and television, in shopping malls and public spaces, about the happiness of the season, about getting together with family and friends, reminds many people of what they have lost or have never had. The anguish of broken relationships, the insecurity of unemployment, the weariness of ill health, the pain of isolation - all these can make us feel very alone in the midst of the celebrating and spending. So we have set aside this special time to acknowledge our sadness and concern and acknowledge that we are not alone.
Let us begin this morning with standing and singing the first two verses of “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”
Opening Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel,*
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Opening Prayer
Bob: Around us, O God, the singing can be heard: ‘Joy to the world…let heaven and nature sing.’ This is to be a season of hope to ease our minds, peace to soothe our hearts, love to warm our souls, and joy to come new each morning.
But there are many who do not feel this joy. Some might try, others have given up trying. ‘Where is this joy for us?’ they ask. The world has found joy but some feel as if it has passed them by. Our minds are not at ease…we feel too much doubt. Our hearts are not at peace…there is too much to do. Our souls are not warmed…the chill of death is too troubling. Where, O God, can joy be found? We ask this as we come before you in prayer, opening ourselves to the possibility that hope, peace, joy, and love might still come to us.
We pray for the lonely, that they might find comfort in another’s touch.
We pray for the downtrodden, that they might find relief from their burdens.
We pray for those wrestling with depression, that a light of calm might bring them peace.
We pray for those dealing with stress, that they might find the courage to let go.
We pray for the grief-stricken, that they might experience the newness of life that you bring.
May joy come to the world, O God, and may we grasp some of that. We do not pray for joy that is temporary or fleeting, but a joy that runs deep and sustains us even in moments of despair. We seek this joy in a season that can be less than joyful. May we experience Your love this morning in new ways as we in turn love each other. Amen.
Choir “Love Can”
Offering/Offertory (Children dismissed for Children’s Church)
Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:28-30
Bob: ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’
Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel,*
O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Lighting of the Four Candles
First Candle
Beth: The first candle we light to remember those persons whom we have loved and lost. We pause to read their name, remembering their voice, their face, the memory that binds them to us in this season. We hold them before God, giving thanks for their lives in ours.
(The Leader will then read the names of those who have died within our meeting this past year and ask for people to speak out any names we have missed.)
Prayer: God, each of us takes our loved one by the hand and leads them to you, the God of love, Here we present them to you. Accept our love and thanksgiving as we entrust them to your loving care. We ask that you fill us with motivation and energy in the days ahead when we feel like giving up. Help us to find joy in the people, events and the beauty of nature which surrounds us. Thank you for the gift each of these people has been in our lives. Take our sad and aching hearts and comfort us. Comfort us, for we only feel hollowness and emptiness. God of sorrowing, draw near! Amen.
Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel,*
O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Second Candle
Bob: The second candle we light is to redeem the pain of loss; the loss of relationships, the loss of jobs with the security they bring, the loss of health in ourselves or in family members, the loss of joy and peace in our lives from the stresses which surround us, the loss and loneliness we experience when our loved ones don’t understand us. As we gather up the pain of the past we offer it to you, O God, asking that into our open hands you will place the gift of peace.
Please take a moment to remember the losses. I invite you to name them, aloud or in the silence of your hearts….
Prayer: God of mystery, we turn our hearts to you. We come before you in need of peace, grateful for the mystery of life and ever keenly aware of your promises of guidance and protection. We want to place our trust in you, but our hearts grow fearful and anxious. We forget so easily that you will be with us in all that we experience. Teach us to be patient with the transformation of our lives and to be open to the changes which we are now going through. Amen.
Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel,*
O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Third Candle
Beth: The third candle we light for those who experience a loss of direction in their lives.
God of the Exodus, you led Moses and your people through the wilderness to a new land. We want so much to have a sense of direction, to know where we are and where we ought to be headed. But the darkness and the questions stay. You ask us to be full of faith, to believe deep within that you are our signpost, that you are our wisdom and our guide, and to trust in your presence. Your words to us are clear: “Do not fear, I go before you.” Let us reflect upon God’s direction in our lives in a moment of silence.
[Silent Reflection]
Prayer: God of our depths, we cry out to you to be our guide. Help us to have a strong sense of inner direction and grant that we may have the reassurance of knowing that we are on the right path. Take our lives and use them according to your will. Take all that is lost in us and bring it home with you. Amen.
Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel,*
O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Fourth Candle
Bob: The fourth candle we light as a sign of hope, the hope that the Christmas story offers to us. We remember that God, who shares our life, promises us a place and time of no more pain and suffering. Let us reflect upon the hope that Christmas brings.
[Silent Reflection]
Prayer: O God whose spirit is known by those whose hearts are thankful, and who makes cheerfulness a companion of strength, lift up our hearts, we pray, to a joyous confidence in your care. Guide us when we cannot see the way. Teach us to know that a shadow is only a shadow, because the light of eternal goodness shines behind the object of our fears. Where there is love in life, teach us to find it; help us to trust it and enable us to grow in the power of love. So may our lives bring comfort and encouragement to others. Amen.
Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel,*
O come, thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
an ensign of thy people be;
before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.
Prayer for the Season
Beth: In the spirit of this Christmas season may the Light of Christ help us as we participate as special people coping with our many different losses. For our families and friends, that they may continue to help and support us. For any person we have loved who has died, for all the losses we know in our lives. For our family and friends, that you may bless them with love, peace, and joy. For peace throughout the world as proclaimed by the Christmas angels on that faraway hillside. For a greater understanding of the lessons of love and acceptance as modeled by Jesus. God of great compassion and love grant to all, especially the bereaved and troubled ones this Christmas, the blessing of true peace. Amen.
Lighting of Individual Candles
Bob: Each of us comes bearing our own hurts, sorrows, broken places. I want to invite each of you to offer your personal wound to God who loves each of us deeply and wants to carry our pain. God waits patiently, gently calling out: “Give me your pain, come to me… all who labor and are heavy laden, I will refresh you!”
Remember that these lights in their brightness are only symbols, but as they burn and finally go out, we remember that suffering passes, though memory remains forever.
I invite each of you to come forward and light a candle. As you light the candle, remember that it is God who lights a candle in our darkness and holds us close until we are able to shine.
As you return to your seats, we will enter into our time of Waiting Worship in the Manner of Friends. Today, we ask that this time be kept silent and people not speak out of the silence to honor this time.
Waiting Worship in the Manner of Friends
Greeting One Another
Hymn: O come, O come, Emmanuel,*
O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel
Benediction and Rise of the Meeting
* Note: The hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel” is a song of people in darkness longing for God’s light. It is not calling us to rejoice in the worldly form of the word, but calling our spirits and souls to reflect the true hope and joy that only God can give.
This service was adapted from the “Blue Christmas Service: When Christmas Hurts” developed by Heather Hill.