December 1 is the first Sunday of the Advent season (yes, it will be OK to listen to Christmas music then, after Thanksgiving ;) Unlike our day-to-day calendar, Advent begins the Christian calendar. The first half of the year is following the life of Jesus, while the second half emphasizes our place in the story as Christ's body on earth. To inaugurate the season, we have a gift for you—an Advent reflection guide that can keep us tethered to God and one another during the holidays.

Another way we will mark this season is through gathering "in the round." Advent reminds us that God made humankind as God's image. We are the only creatures that are designated in this special way to share God's relational presence and purpose in creation. Humankind was made to uniquely embody the living God, who became one of us. This means that when we see each other face-to-face, we are seeing reflections of God, and experiencing God's blessing of being glad to be with us.