Churches mark solstice

The shortest day and longest night may present an emotional challenge for people.

By LINDA M. LINONIS

VINDICATOR RELIGION EDITOR

Bringing light into the darkness of winter to brighten spirits originated in ancient times.

Many denominations celebrate special observances at this time of year and use candles as important elements. The winter solstice, also known as yule, Christmas and Saturnalia, marks the beginning of a new solar year.

The winter solstice, which depends on the shift of the calendar, occurs between Dec. 20 and Dec. 23. This year, the solstice, noted as the first day of winter, occurs at 1:08 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, Saturday.

But the shortest day and longest night of the year also may present an emotional challenge for people.

Two local churches are addressing different aspects of the day, which has been celebrated since ancient times.

A Blue Christmas Worship Service is planned at 7 p.m. today at Liberty Presbyterian Church, 1451 Church Hill-Hubbard Road, Liberty.

At First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1105 Elm St., Youngstown, the 11 a.m. intergenerational service Sunday will focus on the beauty and mystery of winter.

Google “Blue Christmas worship service” and you’ll find a multitude of Web sites. What’s common among the sites is the idea of addressing hurts and sorrows but seeking hope and healing, and comparing this dark time of year to the darkness some people feel in their hearts and souls.

Kathryn Infante, a member of the Liberty outreach committee, and a team of three other elders, Nell Higgins, Gail Halstead and Cindy Hamil, will lead the service. “It came out of an inquiry to offer a service like this,” Infante said.

The service, which will include Scripture, meditation and prayer, will address grief — over the loss of a loved one (by death, divorce or distance), job or health — and whatever else people have lost.

The service will feature three segments. “We’ll have participants write their losses on tiny slips of paper. At the end of the service, we’ll burn them in the parking lot,” Infante said. The gesture is symbolic of letting grief go.

Participants also will be encouraged to voice their grief in a verbal exchange to share what they’ve lost, Infante said.

Those attending will light candles to acknowledge God.

This service, she said, will not have festive music or singing or monetary offering. It’s not that kind of Christmas observance.

“We just want people to have the opportunity to acknowledge grief they’re feeling and be filled with God’s presence and hope,” Infante said. “Recognizing grief ... that in itself is healing.”

Infante said today was chosen because it’s close to solstice. “It’s the longest night, and things that are upsetting usually seem worse at night,” she said. “It’s a reality check because not everyone is happy at this time of year.”

The team has prepared a bulletin, a sheet outlining the service and citing Scripture passages, which participants may keep. There are references to Isaiah 53:3-6 on how Jesus relates to our suffering and Psalms 27 and 31, which are encouraging and offer the Lord as a refuge.

Susan Frederick-Gray, minister at First Unitarian, said the service focusing on the solstice is one that the congregation has done previously. “We take our relationship with life and the Creator seriously,” she said. “It relates to our spending time giving serious reflection on the rhythms of nature.”

Frederick-Gray said the word solstice means “standing still sun,” and refers to this time when the days are short and the nights long. “The idea of the 12 days of Christmas is linked to this,” she said.

She noted that solstice celebrations are ancient. In the fourth century, Emperor Constantine set Dec. 25 as the day to celebrate the birth of Christ. Biblical accounts of Christ’s birth give no clue as to the date.

Among ancient winter festivals, she said, were Mithras, the Persian god of light, and Saturnalia, a festival for Saturnus, the god of seed and sowing.

“We’ll talk about the darkness ... the fear of it and its beauty,” Frederick-Gray said of the solstice. “We’ll also talk about hope ... it’s the longest night of the year ... but it’s a beginning when the days will actually start to get longer.”

Even though it might be the darkest time of year, she said, the coldest time often occurs in January and February.

“We’ll celebrate the solstice to recognize our dependence on the Earth and sun for survival,” Frederick-Gray said. Many lighted candles will illuminate the church, she said. The service also will include singing familiar carols and sharing a story about why winter occurs.