The church was festooned with a green wreath above the altar cross and rows of red and white poinsettias. But the lights were dim and the candles were ready, along with small packets of tissues placed strategically in each pew.
The Blue Christmas service at First Baptist Church of the City of Washington, D.C., was just what Charles Pugh, who worshipped alongside a couple of dozen others, needed that cold night in the nation’s capital.
Pugh, a Washington musician who visited the church for the special service, is estranged from his family.
“I miss my family very much and my father passed away a month and a half ago and I was unable to see him,” he said before the liturgy began.
The service was one of several events in the Washington area and many more across the country that have marked one of the longest nights of the year. They are acknowledgments that — despite the mall music and tinseled trees — the season can also be the darkest time of year for those who are grieving, no matter the source of their grief.
Pugh was the first to arrive for the Wednesday (Dec. 13) service. It featured gentle piano music, the opportunity to light a candle to commemorate his loss, and the offer of a private prayer with a member of the clergy.
“For many people who are feeling some kind of loss, Christmas can be the hardest season of all,” said the Rev….
… Read More
Click here to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Christian Headlines.