Churches Offer Comfort With Special Services
Many churches across the U.S. are hosting “Blue Christmas” services to support individuals struggling with personal loss during the holiday season. These services, which often take place throughout the Christmas period, are particularly scheduled around the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year, which falls on a Saturday this year.
One such service will be held on Saturday evening at Second Congregational Church in Manchester, Connecticut. Pastor Jim Mercurio, who is leading the service, explained that while this is his first year with the congregation, it will be his 12th time overseeing a Blue Christmas event. Mercurio, who is also a hospice chaplain and a doctoral candidate in grief ministry, started these services following the death of his mother in 2012, using it as part of his own healing process.
Mercurio described the service as a space for people to grieve during a season often associated with joy and celebration. He emphasized the importance of providing a supportive environment for congregants to mourn and embrace their faith while dealing with their losses. According to Mercurio, offering such services is vital as it addresses an underserved need for mental health support during the holiday season.
Rev. Mandy North, pastor at Manassas Church of the Brethren in Virginia, shared that her church began holding Blue Christmas services after one of their deacons lost a child. Now, in its eighth year, the church offers a service that includes the lighting of candles in remembrance of grief, loneliness, anger, or despair. Other opportunities, such as anointing, receiving a worry stone, and expressing burdens symbolically, are also part of the service.
North pointed out that during the holidays, when the pressure to celebrate is high, people who are facing loss or health challenges often struggle to find a way to express their pain. She emphasized the significance of creating a space for individuals to acknowledge their sorrow and find comfort during a time of year that may otherwise feel isolating.