Walking Into the Holiday Season
Dear Countryside Community, While we are facing many challenges both near and far, it is not the first time a weary world has struggled to rejoice. As people of faith, we are reminded of the beauty and challenge of this moment in time, particularly as we prepare to enter the Advent season—a time of anticipation, preparation, and deep reflection. This year’s Advent theme, How Does a Weary World Rejoice?, invites us into an exploration of joy that is grounded in authenticity, and hope. Rejoicing, as we discussed, is not always easy. It calls us to examine the content of our souls and wrestle with the questions the world places before us. What does it mean to rejoice in the midst of weariness? To hold onto hope when the weight of the world feels overwhelming? Advent reminds us that joy is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of love, community, and faith in the face of it. As a progressive Christian community, we embrace the complexities of our faith—holding tradition in one hand and curiosity in the other. We may not cling to every literal interpretation of our sacred stories, but we honor their power to shape and transform us. Advent challenges us to be reborn with Jesus, again and again, as we open ourselves to the timeless story of hope breaking into a broken world.
Christ enters not into perfection, but into chaos and brokenness, as he did in Bethlehem so long ago. This is the power of the Advent story: Christ is born anew into our weary world, into our weariness, offering us the courage to keep going, to keep hoping, to keep loving. This season, we invite you to journey with us as we co-create a community of deep belonging and connection. Whether you are celebrating with family, friends, or in quieter solitude, know that you are never truly alone. As a Village, we are here to remind one another that we are beloved just as we are. May this season bring you moments of unexpected joy, the comfort of community, and the assurance that you are deeply loved. Together, let us ask the hard questions, sing the old songs, and step boldly into the story of Advent, trusting that light is always being born anew. With gratitude and anticipation, Jenny P.S. We’re taking a break next week to spend time with family and loved ones. We hope you will as well. Join us when we return on December 5.
