Blue Christmas, Ponoka’s annual worship service in memory of those who passed away and for people who are grieving for loved ones who are suffering for various reasons, will take place this year at Ponoka Funeral Home instead of a church.
“We were thinking that some people might be uncomfortable with a church as a location even though it is open to all people,” said Beatrix Schirner of the United Church.
“It is not a Christian church,” she said of this year’s venue. “We just thought it would be more acceptable to a variety of people.”
There is, however, the possibility of a funeral service interfering with the Blue Christmas, in which case, Schirner said, the event would revert to its previous location, the Anglican Church, unless Ponoka Funeral Home could make arrangements to be able to accommodate both events.
Schirner said the worship service would feature the same program as conducted last year.