A special church service in Steinbach Thursday evening will recognize December 21st as having the least amount of daylight of the year. Winter officially begins Thursday and is known for having the longest night of the year. David Klassen, an organizer of The Longest Night, says the service at Grace Mennonite Church will recognize that fact and its impact on us.

"It's for anyone who wants to experience this time of year in more of a quiet way because we don't focus necessarily on sadness or struggle or trauma. We really focus on allowing your heart to be quieted and to hear and to feel what's going on around you in terms of your own spirituality and your own sense of God."

He notes the service will include music and meditation to acknowledge the start of winter.

"The Winter Solstice is a really interesting time. We often feel a little down by the fact that our nights keep getting longer and that we keep losing daylight. But, on the 21st, something really special happens which is, everything changes and, from that moment on, we start experiencing more light than what we have in the last several months. And so it really is very symbolic in that we experience God's light coming into our lives."

Klassen says many people tell him they attend the service to quiet themselves during the very busy Christmas season.