A Thrill of Hope.

Our Christ was born into a weary world. King Herod ruled the land with a legacy

of cruelty. The Romans treated the people of Israel with contempt, imposing heavy

taxes and seizing land. Then — all of a sudden — a thrill of hope. During Advent, the

Church around the world leans forward in expectation, longing, and hope as we prepare

our hearts for Jesus' birth. In our Advent series, we will ask the question: “How does a

weary world rejoice?” 

Luke 1 tells us that after the angel Gabriel announced that she would have a son

conceived by the Holy Spirit, she ran to tell her cousin Elizabeth, who was miraculously

carrying John the Baptist in her womb. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth greeted

Mary, “‘Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as

soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.’” In

these birth stories of Jesus and John, joy arrives—despite trepidation, fear, and grief. In

these stories, we find rhythms for rejoicing. As we move through our series, we will hold

space to acknowledge the real weariness in our lives and world while celebrating God’s

closeness with wonder and joy.

Dorothy Day, a laywoman deeply dedicated to ministry with the poor, often spoke

of “the duty to delight.” She believed that noticing beauty, practicing gratitude, and

choosing joy—especially in troubled times—is a holy discipline. Advent invites us into

that same practice. Even as we acknowledge the world’s weariness, we are called to

look for the glimmers of God’s presence breaking in: a small kindness, a word of

encouragement, a quiet moment of peace. To delight is not to ignore hardship; it is to

trust that God is already at work, stirring joy in unexpected places, just as Elizabeth felt

her child leap within her.

This Advent, I invite you to embrace the holy discipline of delight. We will have

two Advent calendars; one is especially designed for families with young children. Each

day in December, the calendar provides simple ways to practice joy and wonder. You’ll

notice that they’re simple things, but I hope these small acts of delight add up to a

constellation of joy this season.

The holidays can be a challenging time for many people for many different

reasons. If you're feeling weary this season, I invite you to join us for the Service of the

Longest Night on Wednesday, December 17 at 6:30PM. Together, we’ll read a Scripture

of hope, sing, and pray. When life feels heavy, we need each other, so I pray that if you

need a place just to be, you’ll come and share this special time. I also encourage you to

bring along a friend who might need some encouragement too.

Finally, our Advent Devotional, linked to our sermon series, is available in both print and

digital formats (Kindle-compatible!). We will send out the digital version through our

MailChimp, so watch for an email from the office in the coming days! Each week, you’ll

have a chance to reflect on a Scripture passage, poetry, art, and song. 

In “O Holy Night,” we sing, “Long lay the world in sin and error pining till He

appeared, and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for

yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!” This Advent season, I pray that as we look

forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior, your soul recognizes its worth. I pray you

take time with your family and loved ones to cherish those little, extraordinary moments

of joy. I pray you remember that in weariness, God is with you because that is the

miracle of Advent, friends. God is surely with us.

With love,

Pastor Sarah