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Marine Sgt. Hannah Bacon, of Pittston, is an integral part of Toys for Tots donations

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Ladies Pennsylvania Slovak Catholic Union holds raffle to benefits St. Joseph’s Center

<p>PITTSTON &#8212; There were no Christmas fanfares or triumphant organs ringing through the Second Presbyterian Church. Instead, the lights were dimmed.</p><p>The annual Blue Christmas/Longest Night Worship was led by three local pastors from the Greater Pittston area. The Rev. David Brague, of Second Presbyterian, the Rev. Jim Thyren, of the First Presbyterian Church, of West Pittston, and the Rev. David Walker, of West Pittston First United Methodist Church, led the scriptures, music and meditations &#8220;offering the comfort of God in the darkest times of the congregation&#8217;s lives.&#8221;</p><p>Approximately 50 people attended the service, sometimes called the Longest Night because it is held near the winter solstice. Monday signified the shortest day and the longest night of the year.</p><p>Brague reminded the congregation the night isn&#8217;t just about the loss of a loved one, but also the loss of a job, a goal, a cause or a dream.</p><p>The church on Parsonage Street in Pittston has offered the service since 2009.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s always been about the gathering of the community,&#8221; Brague said. &#8220;Usually, we deal with our grief alone. This provides an opportunity for people to realize they are not alone in this. There are other people grieving.&#8221;</p><p>The service was open to people of all denominations. That&#8217;s one of the reasons why this service is so special, Brague said.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s just it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t matter denomination.&#8221;</p><p>Walker provided the evening&#8217;s message, admitting the message was not his own words, but of fellow worship leader, the Rev. Holley Potts. Walker&#8217;s message focused on how the world gets caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.</p><p>During the Season of Advent, he said, we put on a front to help deal with the possible sorrows in life.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s an opportunity for people to come together to spend a few moments in silence and reflection,&#8221; Walker said following the service. &#8220;It helps remind them that, even in the midst of their grief, God is present.&#8221;</p><p>Walker eluded to the very beginning of the Bible &#8212; Genesis. The first two verses of the Bible explain how God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was empty and darkness cast a shadow over the surface. Through all that, however, &#8220;the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.&#8221;</p><p>It&#8217;s not until the third verse the famous words, &#8220;Let there be light,&#8221; are said.</p><p>&#8220;We need to be reminded of that, even in these difficult times,&#8221; Walker said. &#8220;I found that so appropriate that, even in the darkness, God is doing his best work sometimes.&#8221;</p><p>Prior to the message from Walker, the three worship leaders referenced the Litany of Remembrance and four candles were lit, all signifying different things. The first candle remembered those loved and lost. The second candle remembered the pain of loss. The third candle remembered ourselves at Christmas time and the final candle remembered faith, the gift of light and hope God offers.</p><p>&#8220;The way our culture works, we put on a good front and a happy face,&#8221; Thyren said. &#8220;This lets them know they are not alone.&#8221;</p><p>The service climaxed when the congregation was asked to come forward for an Act of Remembrance. Church-goers, one by one, poured salt into a bowl of water. The act symbolized tears of the people in attendance and grieving across the globe. Each person at the service was given a blue flower in remembrance of the night.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Eric McKitish opens the service playing piano and singing &#8216;Hallelujah.&#8217; He and his wife, Courtney, sang hymns throughout the service. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Eric McKitish opens the service playing piano and singing &#8216;Hallelujah.&#8217; He and his wife, Courtney, sang hymns throughout the service. </caption0><photoCredit0>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Rev. Jim Thryen, First Presbyterian Church of West Pittston, adds his reflections during the Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-3.jpg</photo1><caption1>The Rev. Jim Thryen, First Presbyterian Church of West Pittston, adds his reflections during the Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service. </caption1><photoCredit1>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Rev. David Brague lights one of four candles during the Litany of Remembrance. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-4.jpg</photo2><caption2>The Rev. David Brague lights one of four candles during the Litany of Remembrance. </caption2><photoCredit2>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Rev. David Walker, West Pittston First United Methodist Church, reads scriptures during the service. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-5.jpg</photo3><caption3>The Rev. David Walker, West Pittston First United Methodist Church, reads scriptures during the service. </caption3><photoCredit3>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Courtney McKitish spoons salt into a bowl of water signifying the tears of Jesus. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-6.jpg</photo4><caption4>Courtney McKitish spoons salt into a bowl of water signifying the tears of Jesus. </caption4><photoCredit4>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">The Rev. David Brague, of the Second Presbyterian Church of Pittston, Parsonage Street, hosted the Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service along with The Rev. Jim Thyren, First Presbyterian Church of West Pittston, and The Rev. David Walker, West Pittston First United Methodist Church. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_2nd-Presbyterian-Blue-Christmas-2.jpg</photo5><caption5>The Rev. David Brague, of the Second Presbyterian Church of Pittston, Parsonage Street, hosted the Blue Christmas/Longest Night Service along with The Rev. Jim Thyren, First Presbyterian Church of West Pittston, and The Rev. David Walker, West Pittston First United Methodist Church. </caption5><photoCredit5>Tony Callaio | For Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Nick Wagner</p><p>nwagner@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Nick Wagner at 570-991-6406 or on Twitter @Dispatch_Nick</p></shirttailMeta></div>

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Second Presbyterian Church in Pittston hosts Blue Christmas service to assist those who are grieving during the holidays