Healing Service: A Blue Christmas. week in December, during Advent. Blue Christmas worship services have elements familiar in a

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1 Melva Lowry Box #150 Final Project 12/12/16 Healing Service: A Blue Christmas This service is a Blue Christmas Healing Service that would be held around the third week in December, during Advent. Blue Christmas worship services have elements familiar in a healing service with prayer, anointing; adding a time for testimony during the homily portion of this service. The service will last between 45 minutes to an hour long; flowing like a regular worship service with a gathering, entering and response to the worship, and sending. The reason for this service is to give space to believers, seekers and those who love them for reflection on why this time in the holiday season is not filled with joy or hope. It is a space for those who have lost loved ones recently or in the past to fill comforted in their grief; for parents who lost children to give voice to the sadness they feel in hearing the birth story of Christ; and seeing the joy and cheer of the season around them. This service recognizes the many stages of grief and sadness that are a part of people s lives; and invites them to be as present as possible with strangers, family and friends alike. The congregation or participants in this service will vary. I would expect no more than persons as participants with about 5-6 people helping with the worship service leaders. The service can take place in a sanctuary, but for the benefit of making sure the space is not too big, will plan this service to be hosted in a fellowship hall or large classroom (diagram attached in ) with moveable chairs, tables, etc. There will be a printed, one page, front and back bulletin (attached in ) for participants.

2 If this service was done in a familiar context the demographic of the participants would be mainly African American. The age could vary between mid-20 up to 70 years old with a very poor to low socio-economic status. It will be unfamiliar and new to many of the participants and worship leaders. Planning and familiarizing leaders with music and flow will be key. Worship Elements Worship Team 6-8 people (including pastor) Bulletin art at the top of the bulletin 1 Votive candles Christ Candle Lighter Anointing Oil Lectern 4-5 small or medium tables for anointing stations and 1 for candle lighting Keyboard Boxes of tissue or individual tissue packs Gathering: Prelude, Prayer of Invocation, Call to Worship, Song Prelude would be instrumental, softly played as people entered and began to take their seats. We will begin the music about five minutes prior to the service beginning and will last until the start of the service. Worship leaders will hand out a votive candle to participants as they enter and settle into their seats. Leaders will greet and share information about restrooms, water fountains or any other guidance/instruction if participant is not a member or known guest as 1 Angel clip art. B3AA A9AE17&selectedIndex=70&ccid=ODRXT5L3&simid= &thid=OIP.M f92f7108e11917e2dc4201bc1o0. Accessed. 12/10/16.

3 music plays. The hope is that participants feel acknowledged and welcomed into the space without too much interaction in case person is suffering from anxiety. Prayer of invocation adapted from this prayer done during Care Givers Sunday at Rice Memorial Presbyterian Church (USA) on November 13, The prayer for this service as follow read by a worship leader: O Lord our God, when we cry out to you in distress, you bring us through desperate circumstances. You quiet the storms of nature and silence the rumbles of this world; and from within every person. Help us to trust you, whatever we may face; knowing that you will lead us to safety and the peace we have been hoping for. We invoke your presence and the communion of the Holy Spirit into this service and into our hearts this day. Amen. Call to worship words are adapted from the following slides done on Care Giving Sunday, November 13, Rice Memorial Presbyterian Church (USA), 1515 Brewer Street, Atlanta, GA. Care Givers Sunday. Rev. D Jaris Canty-Wallace guest speaker. November 13, Ibid.

4 The congregational song will be unfamiliar to the participants. It is short and can be sung repeatedly allowing participants to join in as they feel comfortable. It ties the invocation and the purpose for the worship service together. As an opening song, it is not too upbeat or requesting of God anything more than to be present in the space and with each participant.

5 Entering God s Word: Scripture(s) 4, Sermon Isaiah 40:1-2, Matthew 11:28-30 Psalm 147:1-8 Testimony and Homily will be the message for the evening. The idea is to allow the testimony flow into the homily reflection tying in the scriptures and the gospel message. There is still hope and a reason for the Advent and Christmas season, even if it is difficult for participants. There will be minutes allotted for this time to connect a testimony with scripture and reflection. Outline I. Read Isaiah 40:1 (add verse 2), a. Personal testimony or story related b. What was my worry or complaint to God? Why was I weary? c. How did I see God answer and give me double and repay my sin? II. Read Matthew 11:28-30 and Psalm 147:1-8 a. Why is this season difficult? b. What do we bear that we need to let go of? c. Hope and trust in Christ gives rest and gives us a bearable burden d. How can we and why we must find a way to praise the Lord III. Moving into a time of lament and reflection a. The hope in speaking and releasing our cares b. Defining lament and how to use it in a healthy manner Responding to God s Word: The ending of the testimony will give way to instruction about the moment of lament and the candle lighting service. This moment will be about minutes in total. The worship leaders will stand close to their anointing stations and act as ushers as needed during this part of the 4 Matthew and Isaiah texts from November 20, 2012 by Heather Hill. Accessed 12/12/16. Psalms text from the Office of Theology and Worship. PC(USA) daily full year lectionary. Reading for Wednesday, December 21, file:///c:/users/melva%20lowry/desktop/fall%202016/worship%20&%20art/2016_daily_full_year.pdf. Accessed 12/12/16

6 service. All, will be invited to listen to the words of lament and bring their candle forward to be lit by the Christ candle as each reading is taken place. Moment of Lament the pastor and a worship leader will alternately read the following 5 : Pastor: God of our weary and darkest hours, we cry out to you in this moment. (Lights Christ candle) WL: Bend your ear towards us and harken to every tearful plea as we light our candle trusting you with each step forward. Pastor: For those walking in the midst of danger (pause) and those treading a slippery path WL: For those exhausted and seeking relief (pause) and those who face a mountain of worry, debt, doubt or fear Pastor: For those struggling with new changes, challenges and old habits WL: For those burdened with grief past or recent Pastor: For those sick in mind, body or spirit (pause) and those weighed down by pain, depression, anxiety or anger WL: For the other laments, we feel in this moment together and on other days when we feel alone Pastor: Hear O Lord, where hope has grown tired and thin, where eyes have turned red and down-casted. Hear every lament uttered. After about a 2 minutes of silence music will begin to play softly. Perhaps a medley of familiar songs each one increasing in tone and beat to help build the atmosphere in the room for the closing song which has an up-tempo beat, but not too loudly to respect the space of grief or sadness many will be in at this moment. Prayer of Intercession will be done by the pastor. To close out the time of lament and candle lighting. To remind those gathered that the light of Christ is now bright in the space and within each other. The words of intercession are as follows: Loving Spirit, you comfort us in the midst of our anxiety. Whisper in our ear words of reassurance and blessings to keep us focused on the light of hope found in Christ Jesus. In the glory of your name. Amen Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA. Oder of Worship, December 1, Worship and the Arts. Prayer of Intercession by Colleen and Meegian. Adapted from: Third Sunday in Advent-Prayers of Intercession. In Feasting on the Word Advent Companion, edited by David L. Bartlett, Barbara Brown Taylor, and Kimberly Bracken Long, Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur, GA. Collect Prayer by Melva Lowry. Worship and the Arts, October 27, 2016.

7 Closing Song 7 As the song begins to play the worship leader or pastor will announce that at the start of the third verse everyone is asked to move to the closest anointing station where the other worship leaders will have been standing since the candle lighting; to form a circle looking inward to the seats. Benediction with Anointing 8 The Benediction is a time to send all who attended and participated out into their lives and community. This time should be one of hope with an expectant attitude that participants received whatever is necessary for their healing and comfort. The following words were adapted from an Advent midweek service to read as follows: As you hear these words you may mark the sign of the cross or move to the closest anointing station to receive the sign of the cross from a worship leader. L: Receive the sign of the cross on your forehead. It is Christ himself who now strengthens you with this sign of his love. L: Receive the sign of the cross on your ears, that you may hear the voice of the Lord. L: Receive the sign of the cross on your eyes, that you may see the glory of God. L: Receive the sign of the cross on your lips, that you may respond to the word of God. L: Receive the sign of the cross over your heart that Christ may dwell there by faith. L: Receive the sign of the cross on your shoulders, that you may bear the gentle yoke of Christ. L: Receive the sign of the cross on your hands, that Christ maybe felt as you greet others this season. L: Receive the sign of the cross on your feet that you may walk in the way of Christ. L: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Nativity clip art image: 516E58E454A61C42660C7B&selectedIndex=7&ccid=Gn6MCde7&simid= &thid=OIP.M1a7 e8c09d7bbf0a761635ae329fb9404o Columbia Theological Seminary. Opening Hymn. Wednesday Forum, November 16. Song by David Haas, Text by Mel Bringle Hope International Mission, ELCA, Atlanta, GA. Second Week of Advent, Wednesday December 7. Closing Prayer.