Wendell Berry, one of North America’s most beloved living poets, once wrote, “It gets darker and darker, and darker, and then Jesus is born.” The triple repetition of “darker, darker, darker,” emphasized by Berry’s slow gravelly Kentucky accent captures the essence of December’s cold inky night-times.
It is no accident that Christians celebrate the coming of Jesus, “The Light of the World,” right around the darkness of winter solstice-- when our night times are at their longest, bleakest, and most oppressively dark.
"We share stories and rituals of emergent light when things are dark and bleak," writes Rev. Ted Harrison of Trinity United Church in North Bay.
To put it simply, Christmastime can be hard. The holiday season is often bittersweet-- inspiring profound highs and lows. So many of us are haunted by broken relationships, family members no longer at our dinner tables, challenges around employment, addictions, and anxieties.
At Trinity United Church in downtown North Bay, a number of North Bay’s United Church leaders regularly team up for a sympathizing “Longest Night” service of prayers and candle-lighting. Accompanied by the string music and haunting melodies of the “Depatie and Hyatt” musical duo.
Sam Depatie and Ariel Hyatt are a multi-talented local folk and jazz duet featuring gentle harmonies, as well as fiddle, mandolin and guitar.
The “Longest Night” service is about an hour long.
"The lights in the warmly decorated Trinity sanctuary are set dimly so that we might light brightening candles to symbolize our prayers, memorials, and well-wishes for the world and its people.," says Harrison. "We read scripture, and violin and guitar music fills the space with contemplative seasonal music. The service is intended as a spacious pause and as a gift to the wider community. As such, there is no offering collected, and no demands made on your attendance. You might choose to light a candle at several opportunities or to join us in some congregational singing. Many people just quietly attend to enjoy the unrushed prayerful atmosphere. While we read some choice biblical texts, you don’t need to be of any particular faith confession to offer prayers, and to receive a message of comfort and hope."
The “Longest Night” is a quiet alternative to the typically more boisterous Christmas Eve services-- although many people take in both opportunities.
"Please feel free to join us at Trinity United Church (Ferguson and McIntyre) at 7 p.m. on Friday, December 20. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.
"We will embrace a holiday opportunity of spacious prayerful pause, to contemplate the hopes and fears that fill the longest nights of the year!"
