If you feel like you've lost the light, First United Methodist Church Bella Vista welcomes you to "A Blue Christmas: A Service of Hope, Healing, and Comfort," at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 22.
There are times when the light does not seem to shine in our souls. Those times are typically caused by struggles in our lives and in the world around us. The struggles might be due to a lost job, or loneliness because children (grandchildren/great-grandchildren/best friends) live too far away to get together often. Struggles are numerous and real to each one living through it-- the recent diagnosis of a life-threatening disease, the death of one who was dear to us, living in daily pain which doctors cannot cure or emotional and spiritual pain from lost hope, when the beauty of fall colors fade into bare trees and increased darkness in the shortened days -- and the light may fade from our souls as well. Christmas lights, eggnog and shopping just do not bring it back. All strains of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas" don't bring it back. It doesn't feel like a "White Christmas"; it feels more like a blue Christmas.
It is in these times, most especially, that we need first of all to name our feelings. The anger, the loneliness, the grief are all real feelings and they are who we are at this moment. After acknowledging our personal blueness, we must begin our journey to expect that the light will shine again. Advent is a time of that Christians journey toward the Light, the Light of Hope that comes in Emmanuel, God with Us, our Lord Jesus Christ being born in our hearts once again.
Come together to acknowledge our blueness, to sing, to pray, to hear Scripture, to hear our God-stories, to worship the Holy and Light-giving Savior, and to find the hope and promise that comes through faith. In the light of Jesus and the community, we can find the healing that only Christ gives and we can find it together.
General News on 12/11/2019