Religion brief

Windward United Church of Christ in Kailua is having a “Blue Christmas” worship service at 7 p.m. Wednesday for those who don’t feel like celebrating the season.

“Not everyone has a ‘holly, jolly Christmas,’” said the Rev. Jayne Ryan Kuroiwa, pastor at Windward UCC, in a news release. “Life’s difficulties, like grief, financial distress, loneliness and trauma, don’t follow a calendar, and for some people the over-the-top merriment of the season is simply too hard to take.”

It will be a calming, reflective service focused on “remembering those we have lost, releasing the pain of the past, honoring ourselves as survivors, and keeping hope alive,” Kuroiwa said.

A jazz trio will perform, with Scott Villiger on saxophone and flute, Dean Taba on bass and Noel Okimoto on vibes; and there will be poetry, scripture readings, mellow Christmas carols and meditative prayers.

“Blue Christmas” or “Longest Night” services originated in the hospice community more than 20 years ago for people to sustain hope and remember loved ones who have died. Congregations adapted it to cover a wider array of hurt and need, the release said. The service is on or near the winter solstice, the longest night of the year, as “a symbol that dark times don’t last forever and the future holds more light,” the release said.

Windward UCC is at 38 Kaneohe Bay Drive, across from Aikahi Park Shopping Center. Contact windwarducc@hawaii.rr.com or 254-3802 for information.