Our Savior’s Lutheran Church ELCA Our vision is to reach every person with the love of Christ Pastor Tracy Polzin † Pastor Joshua Stibb Words of Welcome 2 Welcome to this “Blue Christmas” service. The name, “Blue Christmas,” describes the feeling that some of us have during this season. In the long, dark winter nights, memories of past experiences and the pain of present situations can become overwhelming. For some, Christmas Day is very difficult. For others, it’s Christmas Eve, or New Year’s Eve, or the beginning of another lonely year. In this worship, we invite you to listen. We invite you to pray. We invite you to sing, if you are able. We invite you to meditate upon the loneliness or pain you may bring - and to offer your feelings to the Christ-child. We pray that you will find hope and comfort in knowing that you are not alone.

PRELUDE Mary Keppeler, Harpist

WELCOME & CALL TO WORSHIP P: Tonight, we come looking for the Christ Child. All: We come, bringing our hurts, our worries, our fears. P: We come seeking relief from pain. With the psalmist, we say: All: “O Lord, you are my refuge - my portion in the land of the living. Give heed to my cry, O God, for I am brought very low.”

HYMN: “Holden Evening Introduction & Hymn” by Marty Haugen Taras Nahirniak

3 PRAYER OF CONFESSION: 4 P: Dear Lord, we come to you this evening to express our failures and confusion regarding our relationship with you: ALL: You know that we come to you with heavy hearts, which we find hard to unburden. P: During this time of year - when the darkness of long solstice nights collide with the brightness of Christmas - we find it hard to express our losses. ALL: We may be confused, sad, and lonely. We may be feeling our losses without remembering that you are always there to support us. P: We even tend toward anger at you, O Lord; feeling that - in some way - it is your doing that we find ourselves unhappy. ALL: Sometimes we feel cut off from you, because we allow our many hurts to overwhelm us. We lack trust in you. P: Open us to the understanding that you are the source of all love, and we need not feel so alone in our grief. ALL: Grant us wisdom to know that you - most of all - can be trusted, and that you are with us, especially when we are at our absolute worst.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON: P: Friends, let us open our lives to God’s healing presence and receive our Lord’s acceptance of us. ALL: We know, God of Love - that you are always with us - even in our very darkest times. We know that you forgive our many transgressions, and that by leaning into your infinite patience and strength, we receive your mercy, your care, and your grace. In the Name of Jesus we pray. Amen

A LITURGY OF REMEMBERING: P: The First Candle we light is to remember those whom we have loved and lost. We pause to remember their names, their faces, their voice, and the memories that bind them to us in this season. (Pause while the first candle is lit) ALL: May God's eternal love surround them. P: The Second Candle we light is to redeem the pain of loss—the loss of relationships, the loss of jobs, the loss of health. We pause to gather up the pain of the past and offer it to God, asking that - from God's hands - we receive the gift of peace. (Pause while the second candle is lit) ALL: Refresh, restore, renew us O God - and lead us into your future. P: The Third Candle we light is to remember ourselves at this Christmas time. We pause and remember the past weeks and months - the disbelief, the anger, the down times, the poignancy of reminiscing, the hugs and handshakes of family and friends, all those 5 who stood with us. We give thanks for all the support we have known. (Pause while the third candle is lit) ALL: Let us remember that dawn defeats darkness. P: The Fourth Candle we light to remember our faith and the gift of hope which the Christmas story offers to us. We remember that God, who shares our life, promises us a place and a time of no more pain and suffering. (Pause while the fourth candle is lit.) ALL: Let us remember the One who shows us the way, who brings the truth and who bears the light.

ALL: God of mercy, hear our prayer in this Advent season for ourselves, and for our families and friends who live with the struggles of illness and the pain of loss. We ask for strength for today, courage for tomorrow, and peace for the past. We ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, who shares our life - in joy and sorrow, death and new birth, despair and promise. Amen

GOD’S WORD TO US: MATTHEW 5:1-12 Pastor Josh When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying; “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

ROMANS 8:18; 22-23; 31-39 Pastor Josh I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the children of God; for we know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am con- vinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right 6 hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. JOHN 14:18-20; 25-27 Pastor Josh "I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. "I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.

SERMON Pastor Josh

A TIME FOR REFLECTION: Mary Keppeler, Harpist Please center your thoughts on the healing, life giving power of Jesus.

HYMN: “Stay With Us” #743 WOV

INTERCESSION FOR HEALING: P: The God of strength moves within us; ALL: The God of courage hears our distress. P: The God of hope reveals wholeness to us; ALL: The God of healing touches us when we are broken. P: When the pain overwhelms us, when the burden is too heavy, ALL: We turn to our God, who is sustaining and redeeming. P: When there is loneliness, when there is isolation, ALL: We turn to our God, who is loving and present. P: For God created us, redeemed us and sustains us, ALL: And we are not alone. Lead us in your ways, O God, and bring us your healing touch. Amen 7 LIGHTING OF THE CANDLES “You Are Mine” Taras Nahirniak & Mary Keppeler

THE LORD’S PRAYER

CLOSING PRAYER P: Lord, it is night. The night is for stillness. ALL: Let us be still in your presence, O God. It is night - after a long day. What has been done - has been done. What has not been done - has not been done. Help us to let it be. P: The night is dark. ALL: Let our fears of the darkness of the world and of our own lives rest in you. P: The night is quiet. ALL: Let the quietness of your peace enfold us - and all who are dear to us - and all who have no peace. P: The night heralds the dawn. ALL: Give us hope - that we shall see a new day in Jesus Christ. Amen

BENEDICTION: May the God of Grace heal you, body and soul. May your pain cease. May your strength increase. May your fears and worries be released. And may God’s blessings, love, and joy surround you – now and always. Amen

POSTLUDE: “Still, Still, Still” Taras Nahirniak & Mary Keppeler