Dec. 21 marks the Winter Solstice and the longest night in the Northern Hemisphere, and there is a tradition of offering a Longest Night or Blue Christmas service around this time to mark the grief that often accompanies the holidays. This year, our reasons for grief and lament are many, and our ability to gather is hampered; Advent itself resembles a Longest Night. We are embracing our particular needs in this season by holding four Longest Night Liturgies, one during each week of Advent. The first three will be 20 minute-long, physically distanced outdoor services, and they will culminate in a longer outdoor service, though each service can stand alone. (Update: These services will no longer be in-person). There will also be ways of engaging the liturgies of lament between the services.
How to participate:
Save the dates of the in-person liturgies: Wednesdays, Dec. 2, Dec. 9, and Dec. 16, and Monday, Dec. 21, location info to come (Update: These services will no longer be in-person).
All of these short services will begin at 5:30 pm.
Join the work: We are looking for cloth preparers, candle lighters, musicians, readers, and prayer station creators. Contact cassidhe.p.hart@gmail.com with interest.
Photo credit: Michelle MacPherson
Comentarios