Today is the Winter Solstice, the Longest Night of the year.  As I shared in my sermon on Sunday December 17th, the one natural phenomenon I have always wanted to see is the Northern Lights.  To me, it might be the perfect image for the dance of light and dark. 

On this Longest Night, it is good to pause and remember that God is with us through it all.  From the moments of awe and beauty to the moments of sickness and grief, we are never alone.  Sometimes it is helpful to name that the twinkling lights and merry songs of the Christmas season can also deepen the shadows for those who are coping with grief, pain, fear, and many kinds of loss.  It is not always easy to hear, “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!” (and other merry tunes) while we may be personally struggling.

Consider this Thursday Thought to be an invitation to pause (during what can be a stressful, busy, complicated season) and reflect, with hope in your heart. 
Remember that you are a beloved part of our congregation here at CFC.
And it is more than okay to seek comfort in God’s presence, especially on this Longest Night of the year. 

For several years now, I have shared the following Candle Lighting liturgy that you could do at home, either with an Advent Wreath or with a few candles. 
It is meant to provide space for pausing and reflecting as you light each one. 
If you’d like, you could even sing verses of “In the Bleak Midwinter” in between lighting the candles. 
I pray that it’s helpful. 

May we all feel God’s loving presence on this Longest Night. 

Love,
Pastor Lauren 

Longest Night: Lighting the Advent Candles*

We light this first candle to remember those whom we have loved and lost.
We pause to remember clearly, their faces, their voices, their bodies. 
We embrace and give thanks for the memories that bind them to us in this season of expectation, when all Creation waits for the Light.

“In the Bleak Midwinter” Verse 1:
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long ago.

We light this second candle to remember the pain of loss: loss of relationships, loss of trust, loss of jobs, loss of health, loss of faith, loss of joy.
We acknowledge and embrace the pain of the past, O God, and we offer it to You, asking that into our wounded hearts and open hands You will place the gift of peace.

“In the Bleak Midwinter” Verse 2:
Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain;
heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign:
in the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
the Lord God incarnate, Jesus Christ.

We light this third candle to remember ourselves this Christmas time.
We pause and remember the past weeks, months, and for some of us years, that have been heavy with our burdens. 
We accept and lay before you, God, the sharpness of memory, the sadness and grief, the hurt and fear, the anger and pain.
We accept and lay before you the ways we feel we have fallen short, and the times we have spent blaming ourselves, and you, for all that we have suffered.
We accept and lay before you the time we have walked alone, in darkness; and in knowledge of our own mortality.

“In the Bleak Midwinter” Verse 3:
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
but his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshiped the Beloved with a kiss.

We light this fourth candle to remember faith, the gift of light and hope that God offers to us in the story of Christmas, which begins in insecurity and humbleness, in a poor stable.
We remember that the loving God who came to share this life with us promises us comfort and peace.

“In the Bleak Midwinter” Verse 4:
What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man, I would do my part;
yet what I can I give him: give my heart.

*Advent Candle Lighting liturgy from the United Methodist Church. 
*”In the Bleak Midwinter,” Words by Christina Rossetti and Music by Gustav T. Holst, Worship & Rejoice Hymnal, Hope Publishing Company.
*Photo by Sami Matias on Unsplash

Thursday Thoughts 12/21/23