GRAND RAPIDS – Community Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids has a “Blue Christmas” service Wednesday, Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m., with an optional soup dinner beforehand at 5:45. Pastor Jason Schiller joined Jennifer Barr on the KAXE Morning Show.
“Expect a quiet service, with a lot of time built in to listen to music,” Schiller said. It will be a shorter service, around 30 minutes.
Blue Christmas services are meant to provide space for those who are struggling with grief and other difficult feelings during the holidays. However, anybody can attend, “Even if you are the most joy-filled person this time of year, come and sit by someone who’s hurting. Everyone can benefit from it,” Schiller said.
Even in midst of being joyful, there can be elements of loss lingering in the background. A variety of feelings can coexist.
“When we’re struggling with grief or old hurts, things like that may be magnfified this time of year. Sometimes we tend to isolate ourselves, which unfortunately can feed those things,” Schiller said. He thinks one of the lost arts in our modern culture is the ability to just be with one another in hard times. It can make us feel uncomfortable.
We may have the impulse to make things better. Schiller said, “I've been with a lot of families at the end of life. The things they remember are the people who showed up. They don't remember what they talked about. They don't remember all the cards they got, necessarily. They remember the people who were there, so take the pressure off yourself to say the right thing or to be the right way. There is no right way. Just be there.”
The Blue Christmas service at Community Presbyterian Church will be live-streamed on the church’s YouTube channel, or available for future viewing.
