Ask a kid their favorite part of Christmas, and there’s no telling what you’ll hear in return.

“Opening presents,” came one response during the “Children’s Message” portion of First Lutheran Church’s 3 p.m. Christmas Eve service.

“The Communion wine,” came another, to raucous laughter.

“Joy,” came a third.

Even after a challenging year, punctuated by a historically high homicide count in Colorado Springs and a mass shooting that reverberated across the nation, it was joy that filled the pews of churches across the city. Joy, and hope for healing.

Behind the scenes at first Lutheran, Cheryl Mahon spent her Christmas Eve organizing five Christmas services as the coordinator of lay ministries. Behind the day’s worth of greetings and smiles, however, Mahon was remembering those she lost this year: her dad in April. Her brother-in-law in August. Her aunt in November.

“This whole season, the theme has been hope. Something to look forward to,” Mahon said. “It’s been a long, long year of loss, so to hear the message of hope has been very strong.”

Down the road at First Presbyterian Church, sermons have been remembering the tragedy at Club Q for more than a month as the community continues to pick up the pieces. This Christmas Eve was no different.

“What would you do to try to save the people around you in crisis?” Pastor Tim McConnell asked the congregation before him, drumming up examples of good Samaritans who sprang into action during times of crisis. 

In each situation, there was a light in the darkness, McConnell said. There will be light after darkness, too.

The overhead lights dimmed and vanished after McConnell’s sermon, leaving the congregants in darkness as they sang “Silent Night.”

Then, candles in hand, each began passing a flame to their neighbor, using only the wicks of their own candles. Person by person, candle by candle, the pews began lighting up once more.

“All is calm,” they sang. “All is bright.” 

John Keeton places the Christ Candle in the center of an advent wreath during a Christmas Eve service at First United Methodist Church.

Parker Seibold, The Gazette

Joe Galema plays the organ during a Christmas Eve service at First United Methodist Church. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold)

Parker Seibold

Marjorie Gross, director or children’s spiritual formation at First United Methodist Church, reads a children book to a group of kids during a Christmas Eve family service in downtown Colorado Springs. (The Gazette, Parker Seibold)

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Parker Seibold