Rays of Light During Winter Darkness

It’s getting dark a little later every day, but we’re still deep into winter darkness. Even during the day, there’s a lot of flatness and gray. The sky yesterday was gray. Even the snow is turning gray.

A light shined Sunday morning through all that darkness and gray, including a procession of candles as part of a Scandinavian celebration at a local church.

Focusing on Scandinavia and light in sight and sound, held its 13th annual Candlemas.

The hour-long service included the blessing of a tableful of candles to be used by the church in the coming year and brought by congregants, a procession by children in the congregation, carrying battery-lit candles, the reading of the "Our Father" in Swedish and the sermon and words from church Pastor Rev. Dr. Marian Williams that focused on light.

Rev. Williams also explained the symbolism of the Christingle she made, an orange supporting a lighted candle with a ribbon belt, and treats at each of the four compass points. The orange represents the world, she told the congregation; the ribbon, Christ’s love for the world; the goodies, God’s abundance and generosity. The Christingle sat on a corner of the altar during the service.

Congregation member Stina Maguire read the “Our Father” in Swedish. It begins:

“Fader var, som ar I himmelen. Helgat vare Ditt namn.”

“Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”

Maguire’s grandmother spoke Swedish, Maguire explained after the service. But not until she attended the funeral of a friend, she said, did she hear the Lord’s prayer in that language. Her reading has become a local church tradition.

Rev. Williams blessed the tableful of candles. Candles provided light in pre-electricity days, she pointed out.

About a dozen of the younger members of the congregation looped around the pews, each carrying a battery-lit candle.

Even the hymns had Scandinavian origins.

The church began the Scandinavian-themed service because of former congregation member Elmore Hakanson, to honor his Scandinavian roots, his daughter, Jan Jepson, explained after the service. Hakanson died, Maguire said, just before the church held its first Candlemas.

Jepson, of Milton, said she grew up in the North Congregational Church congregation, and was married there. The Scandinavian ceremony is part of her heritage. You need to go to Brockton for a Scandinavian bakery, she commented.

The church also marks traditions of Scotland and Ireland, Rev. Williams said after the ceremony. The church encourages congregants who might like to help plan a service that incorporates the hymns, prayers and Christian traditions from other parts of the world to contact her.

After the service, congregants gathered in the adjacent room to sample Scandinavian treats.