Hope in the darkness

While the songs may call it the “most wonderful time of the year,” many people experience what Elvis Presley once crooned – a “Blue Christmas,” where sadness and depression overshadow the season.

“Some people are dealing with the loss of a loved one, a job. Some people struggle with it being dark so early,” said Dr. Gaye Ortiz, the minister at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Augusta. The church at 3501 Walton Way Ext. will be the site of special holiday service called Blue Christmas at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 17.

Ortiz said the church has offered the service for several years. It’s held close to the longest night of the year, the winter solstice, which is Dec. 21.

The evening is a reflective, meditative type of service, said Ortiz. Rob Foster will be among the musicians playing, and there will be several readings on the night.

The service text changes from year to year. Sometimes it might include readings from texts such as the Book of Isaiah from the Bible, but it also includes poetry and other works related to grief.

Jan Richardson, an ordained United Methodist minister, is one author Ortiz likes to read.

“She lost her husband right before Christmas,” she said.

And her works such as "The Cure for Sorrow: A Book of Blessings for Times of Grief" explore her feelings of anger and sorrow as she processed her emotions.

Ortiz said there are several things the Blue Christmas service doesn’t do.

“We don’t give answers; we don’t give solutions,” she said. “We come together to provide comfort and hope.”

Darkness, grief and sorrow are all parts of the human condition.

“We have to welcome the darkness in life. It’s unrealistic to think we will always be up,” she said.

The goal of the service is to allow some light into the darkness, she said.

While many Christmas programs bring out people in droves, this service often has few people, but that is fine with Ortiz.

“It varies from year to year. Sometimes, it’s only been seven; sometimes, it’s been more, but everyone who comes needs this,” she said.

Ortiz said the trained pastoral care team will be available after the service if anyone needs to talk to someone.

“If someone knows someone who might need this, bring them,” she said.