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Date: 12/27/2023
WESTFIELD — United Church of Christ Second Congregational Church hosted an ecumenical Blue Christmas service Dec. 20, for people grieving and struggling to find joy during the holiday season.
Several churches partnered for the service, such as First Congregational Church of Westfield, First United Methodist Church, Episcopal Church of the Atonement and the Albert and Amelia Ferst Interfaith Center at Westfield State University. The service was a mixture of scripture, meditative music and poetry, geared toward those who are finding the holidays difficult to handle.
“This is the seventh year we’ve done the Blue Christmas service. Last year we opened it up to other churches and their parishioners, and we had 44 people,” said Pastor Barbara Hesse of UCC Second Congregational Church. “The whole purpose of the service is to let struggling people know that they’re not alone. Not only are other people struggling, the service lets them know that God is with them. With all the angst in the world, it’s a place for peace and quiet.”
Blue Christmas services are often scheduled for the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, to offer comfort and hope at a time when the light seems furthest from reach. Hesse was called to serve the UCC Second Congregational Church in August 2017, and the church hosted its first Blue Christmas service that year. As Hesse recalled, since few knew what it was all about, there were more people conducting the service than they had in the pews.
“That was OK,” Hesse said. “For those in the pews, it was a meaningful experience. Each year it’s grown, and several people return every year.”
Several churches in Westfield have been coming together to offer ecumenical services throughout the year. In June, which is Pride Month for LGBTQ+ communities, First United Methodist Church hosted an ecumenical pride service. In September, the Episcopal Church of the Atonement hosted an ecumenical recovery service. Last month, First United Methodist Church joined First Congregational Church for an ecumenical Thanksgiving service.
First United Methodist Church Pastor Benjiman Durfee remarked, “This is the second year FUMC has participated in the Blue Christmas service. It’s been wonderful to bring folks together throughout the year at each of our churches. I believe that ecumenism and interfaith traditions make our community safer and stronger.” He went on to say, “I hope that those who come to this year’s service will find comfort and a warm, welcoming space to collectively bring our grief, struggle, and pain.”
The Blue Christmas service offers time for prayer and reflection, intentional silence, readings, music and candle lighting. It is a quieter, more contemplative service than a normal Sunday morning. It is open to anyone, of any faith or no faith, who is struggling during the holidays. The Rev. Sandi Albom, interim rector at Episcopal Church of the Atonement, said she hoped the service could be a place where people can come, be with others and to feel a bond of community.
“Our faith holds us together as a community and to know that God is with us in the midst of all things in life,” Albom said. “Being together is a way for us to acknowledge that some of us may be blue during this time of year, to acknowledge that we need each other and that community is always the cure for loneliness and sadness. If five people or 500 people come, it’s a blessing no matter what.”
Durfee added, “Everyone experiences grief and depression in different ways, but the most important thing to remember is that you are not alone. I believe that finding a community where you feel seen, heard, and validated can be a transformative path to healing.”
UCC Second Congregational Church is at 487 Western Ave., Westfield, near the university campus. For more information, contact Hesse at Pastor@SecondChurchWestfield.org.