Churches in the region saw the return of Christmas Eve services for the first time since the pandemic began.
Christians celebrated last night with song and prayer, along with the lighting of candles.
With hundreds of thousands of people across the country without power or unable to drive due to road closures Saturday night, many Barrie-area residents were fortunate to be able to still travel to their churches to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
Many churches in other areas have had to cancel some services due to the stormy weather, which means that those unlucky parishioners would be unable to gather on Christmas Eve for a third consecutive year.
At Collier Street United Church in Barrie, Sharon Crossley was happy to return to her place of worship last night.
“I’ve been part of churches all my life and it’s all about honouring Jesus, and trying to follow the best we can," she said.
Rev. Bruce Sweet, filling in for their regular minister who's away on sabbatical, spoke of what is important to him this time of year.
“Traditionally, many Christian congregations come together on Christmas Eve and it is centred on the birth of Christ. We sing carols that are very well known, and there is a message as well," Sweet said. "There is focus on light, the light of the world. Although we know the story so well, we still want to see it again every year, because that’s our story."
During the ceremony, the lights were dimmed, candles were lit and Silent Night was sung by all.
“The light is really the main focus and the main imagery that is there (on Christmas Eve)," Sweet added.
Rob Murdock, minister of pastoral care at Collier Street United Church, helps put the Christian calendar in perspective.
“This is almost the start of our year, although as Christians, I believe we are more of an Easter people than Christmas, but Christmas is a wonderful time," he said. "And for me, this service takes it away from the commercial and brings it back to the sacred. It’s a wonderful way to connect with the divine and to remember what this season is all about."
As for what captures his imagination at such a time, Murdock said: “For me, it’s all about the music. It’s something that evokes images of childhood and family and community.
“Church is not the building — this is a wonderful old building — but church is really about the people that are sitting in the seats, so this is an opportunity for us to be in church again, and by that, I mean ‘in community,'" the minister added.
Murdock also wanted to point out that Rev. Hewitt Holmes is their congregational minister, but he has been in this congregation now for over five years, and, as a result, he's currently on sabbatical right now.
"He gets to take a bit of a breather, but we really miss him and he is in his native Jamaica visiting his family, so he’ll be back in just over a week," Murdock said.
