Long nights and the stresses related to the holidays can cause the joy and happiness of the Christmas season to be supplanted by sadness, a sense of loss, and anxiety.

To help area residents who are coping with difficulties that can be exacerbated by the holiday season, the Episcopal Churches in Albany will join together to conduct a “Blue Christmas” service at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 19 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church located at 212 N. Jefferson St.

“Over the past few years, I have conducted a service for those who find the season of Christmas a difficult time. It is referred to as ‘Blue Christmas,’” the Rev. Walter Hobgood, Rector for St. Paul’s, said. The first Blue Christmas service he conducted at St. Paul’s was in December 2020.

The intent of the service is to help those attending to know they are not alone in their struggles during this season, and to offer opportunities for expression and healing.

"From bells ringing for the Salvation Army to shouts of 'Merry Christmas' from those young and old, the sounds of joy this holiday season can conflict with the internal and more quiet struggle some of us have this time of year,” the Rev. Nick Roosevelt, Rector of St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, said.

Father Hobgood noted that when he was a child, he and his sisters waited impatiently through the long Christmas Eve night in anticipation of the gifts they would receive Christmas morning.

“The story of the birth of Jesus was lost in that excitement,” Hobgood said. “As an adult, I have come to realize the story of Jesus was not a bed of roses. Yes, there is joy, but there is also pain.

“Jesus was born into a broken world. Many find it difficult to experience the joy, as their pain can be overwhelming. The Blue Christmas service is for them."

The Blue Christmas service is a time when a person can acknowledge complicated feelings that can be paralyzing at a time when others are expressing   promoting joy and happiness.

For some, there may be intense pain and loneliness from the loss of a loved one. For others, there may be sadness, confusion, or fear stemming from traumatic, life-changing events such as the loss of a job, a health problem, an addiction, the ending of a relationship, or a financial setback.

For nearly two years, COVID has repeatedly disrupted lives throughout the world. That uncertainty may make already blue feelings even more intense.

Still, difficulties at Christmas originate with the very first one. After Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, managed a long journey from their home to Bethlehem, they found that no lodging was available.

As a result, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a dirty stable. While in Bethlehem, they heard shepherds talk of celestial beings proclaiming Christ’s birth, and from Eastern magi received gifts that were more appropriate for a funeral than a birth. Those gifts came with a warning from the magi that the ruler wanted to harm the newborn baby, leading the young couple to flee to another country.

The Rev. Leeann Culbreath at The Episcopal Church of St. John and St. Mark said, “It is important to realize that it is normal to feel sadness and grief at a time when you think that you should be happy, an emotion that cannot be forced simply because it is the holidays.”

Events that have occurred cannot be changed, but what can be altered is how a person moves from distressing thoughts and bad feelings to comforting thoughts and thanksgiving.

The Blue Christmas service is open to everyone in the community, Father Hobgood said. This is a quiet service with prayers, music, healing and time to reflect that lasts about an hour.

“You don’t have to be an Episcopalian to attend,” he said. Those who attend other churches and those who do not attend any church are all welcome.

“If you know someone who would benefit, invite them to attend,” he said. “We welcome everyone.”

In recognition of the influence of Covid, there will be seating designated as “masks only” and “masks optional.”