Andy Close
Christmas is a time of celebration, but can also be a tough time for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one.
(Photo Courtesy Otterbein United Methodist Church Facebook Page.)
In that spirit, Otterbein United Methodist Church has an annual “Blue Christmas Service” for those who are going through those difficult times.
That service will take place this year on Wednesday, Dec. 23 at 6 p.m., both in-person and streaming live on Otterbein’s Facebook Page.
The service is meant to provide a place to grieve and is open to everyone.
“We have had this service of a Blue Christmas for three years now.” said Sue Bundy of OUMC. “When Pastor Nate Fugate came to Otterbein UMC, he felt it was important for the community because sometimes Christmas time is hard. It’s been a rather small service with a few more people coming each year. This year has been especially difficult with COVID, families can’t be together, they may have lost a loved one.”
The service is open to everyone, whether grieving or supporting those who are grieving.
“Locally we have had a couple of recent tragedies with the airplane crash that took our friends and neighbors and the tragic loss of Alexis Robinault Sharkey,” noted Bundy. “These have impacted our church families and our hearts ache for them.”
It’s personally been a tough year for Bundy, as well as many other families. COVID certainly has made that much more difficult as well.
The “Blue Christmas” is a separate service, ahead of OUMC’s Christmas Eve on Dec. 24 at 6 p.m.
“This service gives you a time to remember your grief and your loved ones and that it’s okay to have tears,” noted Bundy.
The Facebook live link is here.
