People were invited to come and bring our deep concerns and prayers, and then also to go out again to work, struggle, and care, offering through our words and deeds the healing and peace that comes from the God we know in Jesus. We sang “O Come, O Come Emmanuel.” and prayed the age-old prayer, “Come, Lord Jesus”.
This was another dimension and perspective we don't always acknowledge during this season, The service opened up with Joni Mitchell's River.
It's coming on Christmas, They're cutting down trees.
Putting up reindeer
Singing songs of joy and peace.
I wish I had a river I could skate away on.
The song and service encapsulated an aspect of what was emphasized in the morning service and John's reflections and questions from prison.
Perhaps there is the illusion this being alone will eliminate the sadness, Perhaps it is just reflexive after experiencing grief or pain or simply not being able to communicate with others who are not experiencing what seems important in your life. It is easy to become isolated from whatever group you feel outside of. It is easy to yearn for escape or feeling that escape has been forced on you,. It is easy to think this feeling is more important, more real, than what others are celebrating rather than understand the unique and different beauty of the moment. Is Christmas really all about cutting down trees, putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace or sometimes do you really just want to leave all of those traditions behind?
For me this service was beautiful with the temptation to make it about something it should not be about. This service added a depth and dimension to this morning's worship rather than being something that was more beautiful or true for this particular Sunday.
This was a beautiful service acknowledging what will be the longest night of the year.
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