The winter solstice is the longest night of the year. It is the night of the year when we literally experience the most darkness before the sun starts to once again gain strength as it slowly moves through winter toward spring. Symbolically, this longest night comes to stand for our own dark times, the “Dark Night of the Soul” when we experience loneliness or despair, when we are anxious about our health, jobs, relationships or the world. For those who are grieving or suffering, the light-hearted commercialism that often comes with the holidays can make us feel like we’ve been left out or are invisible and alone in our grief and lament.

How healing it can be for your heavy heart to acknowledge the darkness that surrounds you and then choose to create light perhaps by lighting a candle. Light a candle for every loss you’ve experienced over the past year. Light a candle for the loved ones you still mourn. Light a candle to know, fully know, that where there is light the darkness retreats. Choosing the light even while we still feel the loss is a powerful action toward recovery.

If you have experienced a loss, we encourage you to join Beautiful Minds on December 21st at 6:30pm for the Longest Night Service. The Longest Night Services is a peaceful space in which to worship and heal. We are having a hybrid service just as we do every Sunday. If you are at home, we encourage you to light candles and post the pictures of the flames in the live chat. You can also simply type a message about what you are lighting a candle for—a remembrance of a loved one or a prayer, personal or for others. If you want your prayer spoken aloud by a member of the Beautiful Minds and a candle lit in the sanctuary, please send your short remembrance or prayer to BeautifulMInds@covenantcares.org between now and December 21st at noon so we have time to print them out and ensure we have enough candles for each and every prayer sent in. We will also have extra candles for those that attend in person.

If you or someone you know needs a service like this, please make plans to attend in-person or via Facebook Live at 6:30 pm on December 21st.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

Watch the service live from this link: www.facebook.com/Covenant.satx/live