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St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, S. 6th Street, Lebanon, has announced its schedule of special worship services for the Christmas season. Among the usual services, St. Luke’s will offer a special “Blue Christmas Service” on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 6 p.m.

“Not everyone is up and cheery for the Christmas holidays,” commented Father David Zwifka, parish priest, “dealing with the death of a loved one, facing life after divorce or separation, coping with the loss of a job, living with the chronic disappointments and anxieties of the pandemic, or other circumstances can put a question mark over the future.” These are all situations when people find holiday parties and joviality painful. “This service is an opportunity to validate and to give expression to these feelings,” Father Zwifka continued.

The ecumenical service, entitled “Celebrating Christ Amidst Sadness – Building Faith” is designed not only to give voice to these feelings but also to experience them in a context of hope. “As the Christ child came into a cold and broken world, the mature Jesus offered healing and a vision for the future to those whom he touched. At this service, we try to immerse ourselves in this same spirit.”

If you are feeling sad or know of someone who may not find the joviality of the season easy to bear, but still want to mark this important time of year, we invite you to join us and invite others to come. The service will be held in the main church, located at the corner of Chestnut and 6^th Streets in Lebanon.

More information on St. Luke’s Episcopal Church’s regular holyday schedule can be found on its website www.stlukeslebanonn.org and its Facebook page.