A HOLLY, JOLLY CHRISTMAS RESPITE THE BLUES RECOGNIZED BY CHURCH.Byline: Holly J. Andres Staff Writer 'Tis the season to be jolly - even while braving the crowds at the mall, decorating the house, making the cookies, sending dozens of greeting cards See e-card. and hosting the annual holiday party. But the season also can be emotionally challenging for those who have lost a loved one, are struggling with a job loss or divorce or are just feeling overwhelmed o·ver·whelm tr.v. o·ver·whelmed, o·ver·whelm·ing, o·ver·whelms 1. To surge over and submerge; engulf: waves overwhelming the rocky shoreline. 2. a. by all of the work and stress of decking the halls. So for those seeking some solace amid the stress, First Presbyterian Church First Presbyterian Church is a generic church name, and can refer to hundreds of churches within the English speaking world. If you followed a link here, please consider making it more specific by including the city or town in which the church resides. of Sherman Oaks is holding a ``Blue Christmas'' service on Sunday. ``We're making space in the Christmas rush for people to deal with their grief. We're giving them overt Public; open; manifest. The term overt is used in Criminal Law in reference to conduct that moves more directly toward the commission of an offense than do acts of planning and preparation that may ultimately lead to such conduct. OVERT. Open. permission to feel it's OK to not be in sync with the (holiday) culture,'' said the Rev. Barbara Haddon. ``It's also for people who are overwhelmed and feeling pressured by the rush.'' Haddon will co-lead the ``Blue Christmas'' service with the Rev. Rebecca Blackwell from Kirk O' the Valley Presbyterian Church in Reseda. The one-hour service will not include a sermon and an offering will not be taken. Soft lighting and gentle music will greet attendees in the sanctuary sanctuary, sacred place, especially the most sacred part of a sacred place. In ancient times and in the Middle Ages, a sanctuary served as asylum, a place of refuge for persons fleeing from violence or from the penalties of the law. . Secular poetry and Scriptural scrip·tur·al adj. 1. Of or relating to writing; written. 2. often Scriptural Of, relating to, based on, or contained in the Scriptures. readings, including the Beatitudes Beatitudes (bē-ăt`ĭt  dz') [Lat.,=blessing], in the Gospel of St. Matthew, eight blessings uttered by Jesus at the opening of the Sermon on the Mount. in Matthew 5 and verses from Isaiah 40, will be offered. Moments of silence will also be part of the service. ``We'll light a large white candle, representing Christ in our midst. People will be invited to light a little tealight from the Christ candle,'' Haddon said. ``This will be an opportunity to light a candle To Light a Candle is the 2004 second fantasy novel of Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory's Obsidian Trilogy. Plot summary The struggle Continues against the Demons and introduces new heroes and enemies along the way. to express and process all kinds of loss or significant transitions.'' Caren Lea, who attended last year's ``Blue Christmas'' service at Kirk O' the Valley, said the Christmas season stirs up family memories and the ache of separation from loved ones loved ones npl → seres mpl queridos loved ones npl → proches mpl et amis chers loved ones love npl . ``The service was peaceful and quiet. I was remembering my mom and dad when I lit a candle. It felt good to be actually doing something (at that time) as I remembered them,'' said Lea, an elder at First Presbyterian Church. ``It could give someone an opportunity to sit back and think about the reason for the season, too. I left feeling very peaceful, not sad.'' Haddon and Blackwell each lost their fathers this year, and Blackwell said their grief will bring an added component to their sensitivity toward others at the service. ``I hope people will feel comfort and seeds of hope. We're not overly emotional in how we present things. We try hard not to force people to cry,'' Blackwell said. ``We'll get a sense of God's presence in the less bubbly spaces. I think the service can be something memorable and meaningful in the long-term.'' A ``Blue Christmas'' service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday at First Presbyterian Church of Sherman Oaks, 4445 Noble Ave. Call (818) 788-3330 or visit www.sopchurch.org. Kirk O' the Valley Presbyterian Church can be reached by calling (818) 345-2535. Holly Andres, (818) 713-3708 holly.andres(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: The Revs. Rebecca Blackwell, center, and Barbara Haddon and elder Bob Haddon of First Presbyterian Church of Sherman Oaks are offering a ``Blue Christmas'' service. Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer |
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