A very popular event in Helena held annually on the winter solstice is coming to Billings this year.
The Interfaith Solstice Service, known as Leaning Toward the Light, is being put on by Jewish and Christian communities of Billings: Congregation Beth Aaron, Shiloh United Methodist Churchand Yellowstone County United Methodists.
The service will recognize how religious traditions lead toward light in this the darkest time of the year.
Tyler Amundson, pastor at Shiloh United Methodist Church in Billings, was part of the event in Helena and has taken the lead in bringing it to Billings.
"It makes sense to start something like this where we can come together and not just talk about problems and issues we have in the world but talk who were are of different faiths and supporting each other, " said Amundson.
The service will be a blending of spoken word and music.
Diane Kersten is a board member of Congregation Beth Aaron and one of the organizers of Thursday’s event. She will give a final blessing, talking about change that will occur for many.
"We will then being leaving different than when we came in before," Kersten said." We will be leaving as a collective community. And I think, also ,that this will be a model of something we can do annually in Billings, to bring people together."
Amundson said he would like to grow this eent to include other faith communities, including Muslim and Native American.
The service is Thursday night, December 21, at 7pm at Shiloh United Methodist Churchin Billings.
