A Letter from Lindy Dec 3

Beloved Pilgrims,
 
How does a weary world rejoice? I must confess how much our advent question resonates with me! Our shepherd for this journey once again is the wonderfully creative team from Sanctified Art. Felix and I have drawn from this resource since the onset of pandemic for both Advent and Lent, as birthing anything creative from within that vortex felt insurmountable. 

As we moved through those years though, we tarried here and there, using their guide as a touchstone, drawing from it, going another direction, but knowing it was a companion along the way. This year, the question with which they began their ruminations, “what is the message we need to hear this season?” held my prayerful attention. Referencing the last stanza of a poem one of the founding creative directors had written a few years back spoke volumes to me as I opened my heart to the full scope of emotions in the Lukan gospel narrative.
 

How does a weary world rejoice?

        I would guess

soul by soul

and day by day.

But if you ask me,

I bet most of it counts.

 
So each week, we will respond to the question the poem poses. And each week, we will hear a response to this question inspired by our scriptures. One prayer is that our scriptures will bring us into a space of possibility. In them, another prayer is that we will find rhythms for rejoicing, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. If you pay close attention to the bulletin, you will note that each weekly response is a “we” statement because joy is deeply relational and rooted in the fact that we belong to God. 
 
As we move through this season, my hope is that we create space for acknowledging the weariness of our world while celebrating God’s (and our own) closeness with great joy.
 
hope and peace,
 
Pastor Lindy (she/her) why pronouns matter
 
Living and working on occupied Shakori land. 
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