Note to the Teacher

Christmas is one of those times when people feel pressure to be or act happy. However, the reality of this season can be difficult. Those who are going through a difficult season or have lost loved ones often feel that they need to pretend to be happy or hide their stress and grief. A Blue Christmas service opens a space for people to process and express their feelings of grief and pain. Below is a suggested prayer service.

Consider inviting students to bring pictures of friends or family members who have died or are away during Christmas and place them at the front of the room on a table before the service begins as a way of visibly honoring that grief and loss.

Around the pictures or around the room, place unlit candles and lighters. Make sure there are enough for there to be more than the students present.

Blue Christmas Prayer Service:

Opening Prayer Candles

Begin the service by explaining that for a very long time all over the world, candles have been lit as an act of prayer. The symbol of the candle is powerful. It is light breaking through the darkness, but it is even more than that. The Bible talks about the way the Holy Spirit prays for us, even when we are unsure what to say. The candles echo this as they remain lit, even when we have finished praying and left the room.

Invite students to begin the service by lighting a candle and praying for the people they know who are suffering or grieving during Christmas—including themselves. Ask for God to bring peace and comfort.

Prayer for Mercy

Have a leader offer a prayer for God’s mercy, asking God to have mercy on all those present.

Then invite everyone to read this prayer together:

Merciful God, you know all of who we are: the silent inside parts and the parts everyone sees. We ask for your mercy. Forgive what we have been, help us to grow toward you, and guide us on that path. Amen.

Song: “O Little Town of Bethlehem” (United Methodist Hymnal, 230).

Prayer for Assurance and Acceptance

Have a leader pray and ask God to help all those present know that God is with them and loves them and accepts them as they are.

Then invite everyone to read this prayer together:

There are times when all we see is the darkness, when it feels as if we are totally alone, and you are far away. Help us remember the words in your scripture. Help us hear you say to us, “I will never forget you! I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands!” (Isaiah 49:16) Help us know we are loved and accepted.

Song: “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” (United Methodist Hymnal, 211)

Reading and Reflection: Psalm 23

Spend a moment reading and reflecting on this psalm.

Song: “Beautiful Things” by Gungor

Personal Prayers

Invite students to come forward to an adult leader and share what they would like to pray for, what they are grieving about, or what is causing them stress. Allow the adult leader to spend a moment in prayer for the student.

Benediction

Ask everyone to stand and receive this blessing:

May you experience God’s healing in your body and soul. May your pain cease. May your strength increase. May you be able to release your fears and the things that worry you. And may you experience love, peace, and joy now and always. Amen.