Greetings in the Name of the Lord!

As the days get shorter, and shorter, and shorter, the reality of dealing with darkness around 5pm can really drag on us. It is a tough time of year without a doubt. The season of Advent has developed over the last couple thousand years specifically to help us through this challenging time of year. LIke so many things in our lives, we can say we know the days will eventually get longer, and we can be as rational as we want around it all, but it does not always help.

Advent is a time to lean into the darkness a little bit.  We light candles, we prepare for what will be coming, we spend time together, we sing songs that reflect our feelings, songs that are a tad bit slower, that contain within them some sense of longing.  And when we do this as a community we are reminded that 1. we are not the only ones feeling this way,  2. there is nothing wrong with feeling the challenge, and 3. we are literally not alone, we have each other, we can lean on each other, be present to each other, hold each other in love.  

Our liturgical seasons are as much about sharing our emotions and being OK with the whole range of those emotions as they are about specific scriptures and gospel accounts. Advent can be hard to make rational sense of, but we know what it feels like, we know what advent does for us as we traverse the extended dark. We all experience this together, and that is important stuff, and not trivial. So if you are struggling this time of year, make worship a priority over the next few weeks, if you know someone who is struggling, give them a call, name the challenge around this time of year, and maybe even encourage them to come join us in worship and fellowship!  

In Peace, 

Mike