By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Christmas can be a cruel time for people experiencing loss. The music is cheery. Stores are full. Spirits are high.
All of that happiness can be overwhelming for those feeling the weight of losing a loved one or a job. And places where they have experienced Christmas joy in the past may now feel foreign.
So First Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green is offering a Blue Christmas Service for those people going through grief and sadness.
“When people have lost somebody, or lost a job that they have grief over, they need to have a service where they can come and express that grief,” said Michelle McDonald, interim Christian education director at First Presbyterian Church.
“It’s difficult when you have people around you who are so excited about this time of year – when you have pent up grief,” she said.
The Blue Christmas Service will be held Sunday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m., in the church at 126 S. Church St., Bowling Green. All in the community are welcome to attend.
“Blue” services are held near the winter solstice – when daylight is fleeting and darkness lingers.
“For those who find themselves in a long, dark night of the soul, such services can offer a glimmer of light,” McDonald said.
“The room is going to be dimly lit for the service to respect the somber mood,” she said. “We want to let them know we are feeling their pain with them.”
During the service, people will be invited to light candles to commemorate the lives of lost ones.
The homily will be given by Pastor David Montgomery. The message will respect the losses and reflect on hope.
“There will be carefully chosen hymns. They are not bleak in nature. They are hopeful in nature,” McDonald said.
“I think this is a really holy and sacred time of year,” she said. “People are coming from difficult journeys. We need to respect that this is not a happy time for everybody.”
The service will also work to relieve the guilt that some people feel when holiday happiness creeps into their time of mourning.
McDonald is hoping those attending find peace during the service and beyond.
“There are people in the community who don’t have people to talk to,” she said. “This is a safe place to come and share those feelings. We want you to know you are welcome here. We want to let them know there is hope in their path, and let them know they can seek refuge here. This is a church that welcomes all.”
