Facing a blue Christmas

We know that Christmas is not a happy time for many people – those who have been bereaved, whose relationships have broken down, who are lonely and without families– in fact so many people who find the time of Christmas cheer the most difficult time of the year. So in the last few years the liturgy group at my church has attempted to bring spiritual comfort to those in need by using the Blue Christmas service.At the service we sing simple hymns of healing and leave time for silence and reflection to allow people to get in touch with their feelings and acknowledge their hurts, using symbols of letting go, and then take home a symbol of God’s love.Our church is St James’, part of the parish of St Aloysius and St James