"Comfort ye my people." The opening words of Handel's Messiah are a familiar sound at this time of year. Yet for many of us anticipating and preparing for holiday celebrations, the need for comfort is somehow overlooked. Others are well aware of that need as they struggle through the increasing physical darkness that leads to the winter solstice, our longest night. That physical darkness is sometimes reflected in the dark, lost feelings we have as we contemplate Christmas without loved ones, a holiday made uncertain by economic concerns, or the brokenness in our lives that separates us from others.

On December 21 at the 5:45 p.m. service in Monteith Hall, we will gather to acknowledge this darkness, to share our hurts with God, and to open our hearts to the light God has promised us in Jesus. Stephen Ministers, whose ministry is one of compassionate Christian presence, will participate in the service with the pastoral staff and the Rev. Melissa Anne Rogers, preacher for the evening. If you know those whose Christmas joy is mixed with pain, please invite them to join you at the "Longest Night" service. Come for prayers, scripture, music, communion, candlelighting, and fellowship, that we, the people that walked in darkness may also be the people who have seen a great light. Childcare will be provided for this service. — Kathy Wirstrom, Stephen Ministry Leadership Team

• ‹ previous
• 1080 of 1163
• next ›