|
Dear friend,
The holiday season can be a difficult time for many of us. While it is often portrayed as a season of joy and celebration, it can also be a season marked by grief, loss, and uncertainty. For some, it is a time of remembering loved ones who are no longer with us. For others, it is a time of navigating anxiety about the future and finding hope amidst change.
Each year, Allendale offers a special service to hold space for these emotions—a time to honor the difficult realities of the season while seeking comfort and hope. This year, join us for Blue Christmas: A Worship Service of Endings and Beginnings, on Wednesday, December 18, as we come together to share a meal, reflect, and worship in community:
- 5:00 PM – Potluck Dinner in the Community Center. Bring a side dish or dessert to share, or simply bring yourself. Everyone is invited.
- 6:00 PM – Worship Service in the Sanctuary. This simple service will make space for grief around endings and anxiety around new beginnings, offering a place of quiet reflection and collective support.
For those unable to attend in person, the service will be live-streamed on our Facebook page and YouTube channel.
This Blue Christmas service is an opportunity to acknowledge and embrace the full range of emotions the season can bring, and to find hope in the midst of it all. Whether you are carrying grief, searching for peace, or simply seeking a space to be present, you are welcome.
We hope to see you there, and please feel free to extend this invitation to anyone in your circle who might benefit from a service like this.
Seasons:
For the seasons past that brought us joy,
The ones we miss, longing in our hearts,
Let our memories cradle us gently,
Comforting, not piercing with pain.
For the tender seasons marked by ache,
The chapters that left us raw and bruised,
May we find release, a healing tide,
And bury what no longer serves.
For the fresh starts that spark delight,
New paths that shimmer with promise bright,
Let us step forward, steady and sure,
Embracing the unknown with open hearts.
For the shifting times that stir unease,
The future cloaked in uncertain haze,
May we walk with peace, calm and steady,
Charting our course with courage renewed.
All that we feel—our grief, our pain,
Our joy, our fears, our anxious brain—
Is the tapestry of human life,
Woven with love, hope, and sometimes strife.
(Poem inspired by the Endings and Beginnings liturgy by Rev. Anna Strickland, A Sanctified Art LLC).
|
