Longest Night-Blue Christmas Service of Lament

Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.

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There’s an Advent tradition within Western Christianity of inviting people to come together for the Longest Night, a night around the time of the winter solstice when there are more hours of darkness than light. It’s a time to come together for prayers and laments, to mourn the losses and griefs of the year, to let the tears flow for the hurting places in our own lives, as well as for our country and our world. Also known as “Blue Christmas,” a Longest Night Gathering is a safe and sacred space to share anguish, to plead with God to remember us, to pray for justice and restoration, even to hope against hope, through our doubts and tears and fears, that “God will set things right all over the earth.” (1 Samuel 2:10, The Message Translation.)

Each year at this time, our culture expects us all to be joyful and carefree. Every year, many people struggle silently with the expectation to be festive when they themselves are grieving or struggling in the holiday season. 2020 has brought a great deal of grief and hurt to all of us individually and communally. This service of lament will be a place where we can raise up our hurt, grief, fear, doubt, and even anger to God. Our gathering will be a sacred space (even though that space is virtual) to acknowledge the pain in a season where we place much pressure on ourselves and one another to be joyful. Our welcome of the Christ Child at Christmas will be all the more meaningful as we lay all of our gifts—both the blessings and the griefs—at his manger.