Blue Christmas Service Aims to Provide 'Light' to Those in Need

MERRIMACK, NH — The holiday season is filled with messages of joy and happiness, but for some, this time of year is a reminder of loss and brings with it added pressures. St. James United Methodist Church in Merrimack offered a Blue Christmas Service on Dec. 21, 2016, to provide support and hope to anyone struggling this season, Rev. Lynne Mentzer said.

“One of the more obvious discrepancies we see is the commercialized image of the perfect family,” she said. “When we do that comparison, we tend to think that something is wrong with us.”

Mentzer said it is important to return the focus to helping others and sharing in the goodness of the season.

“I have heard more and more families not getting gifts for at least the adults,” she said, “and then pooling the money to give it to an organization.”

Mentzer said that everyday struggles can become heavier during the Christmas season, and they are multilevel. People struggle with combinations of health, job, transportation and family struggles, she said.

“It can make things seem harder, but on the other hand, it brings more people together to make a difference.”

The service also supported those who lost loved ones around Christmas. Mentzer said that loss comes back every year and it is important to acknowledge that. During the services, candles were lit in memories of loved ones, and blue ornaments were provided to allow those in attendance to put names into them and to hang them on their trees.

This was the first Blue Christmas held at St. James, and based on the response, Mentzer said it will continue. The service, which focused on lights, was held on the shortest day of the year, recognizing that light would increase each day after.

“The season is a celebration of the light of the world,” she said. “It’s bigger than what we see at the mall.”