Blue Christmas Service Offers Space for Healing and Reflection in St. Paul

St. Paul, MN — As the holiday season intensifies with celebrations and obligations, St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church is offering a quieter, more contemplative alternative for those who find this time of year difficult. The church will host its annual Blue Christmas Service on Sunday, December 14, at 4:00 p.m., welcoming community members seeking solace, reflection, and spiritual grounding.

The Blue Christmas service is intentionally designed for individuals who may be experiencing grief, loss, loneliness, depression, or heightened stress during the holidays. While the season is often portrayed as joyful, faith leaders and mental health professionals widely acknowledge that it can also amplify feelings of absence and emotional fatigue. Services like Blue Christmas have emerged across Christian traditions as a pastoral response to that reality, offering a sacred pause amid the noise of the season.

Held in a candle-lit setting, the service emphasizes stillness and gentle ritual rather than celebration. Participants can expect prayers, psalms, a brief spiritual reflection, a listening circle, and healing prayers with anointing, all structured to honor personal experiences without pressure to perform cheer or optimism.

This year’s service will feature a spiritual reflection from Judge Nicole Starr, a judge of the Minnesota Second Judicial District. Judge Starr is known for her commitment to community engagement and restorative justice principles, and her participation brings a thoughtful civic and spiritual perspective to the gathering. Her reflection will focus on resilience, compassion, and the importance of acknowledging pain as part of the human experience.

Organizers emphasize that the service is open to all, regardless of religious affiliation or church membership. Attendees are encouraged to come as they are, whether they are carrying fresh grief, long-standing loss, or simply the weariness that can accompany a demanding season.

Service Details
What: Blue Christmas Service
When: Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 60 Kent St. N, St. Paul, MN 55102

Contact Information
For more information, contact St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church:
Email: church@stjohnsstpaul.org
Phone: 651.228.1172

In a season often defined by brightness and excess, the Blue Christmas Service offers something different: a moment of honesty, community, and quiet light for those who need it most.

MinneapoliMedia