The iHeart Community Calendar
Navigating the Calendar
We get it! There's a lot to see here. That's why we've added a number of ways for you to find what you're looking for... and to browse smarter.
- To view event listings by town or city, use the Location Filter to the right.
- Browse by event type by clicking on the category you'd like to see more of; for example, clicking on "Free" will pull up all calendar entries that you do not have to pay to participate in.
- You can also type in keywords into the calendar's search bar, such as "yoga" or "bingo."
Blue? Yes, blue as in the blues. As in "I am feeling blue." Not everyone is up and cheery for the Christmas holidays. Dealing with the death of a loved one, facing life after divorce or separation, coping with the loss of a job, living with cancer or some other disease that puts a question mark over the future, and a number of other human situations make parties and joviality painful for many people in our congregations and communities. There is a growing attentiveness to the needs of people who are blue at Christmas. Increasing numbers of churches are creating sacred space for people living through dark times. Such services are reflective, accepting where we really are, and holding out healing and hope.
Some churches hold a service of worship on the longest night of the year, which falls on or about December 21st, the Winter Solstice. There is an interesting convergence for this day as it is also the traditional feast day for Saint Thomas the Apostle. This linkage invites making some connections between Thomas's struggle to believe the tale of Jesus' resurrection, the long nights just before Christmas, and the struggle with darkness and grief faced by those living with loss.
