Pastoral Letter: When Our Children Lead Us Into Joyful Waiting
Beloved SUM family,
Grace and peace to you in Christ.
As winter settles over Simsbury and snow gently softens the landscape, I find the season of Advent drawing more deeply into our daily lives. In the cold air and the small lights glowing in our windows, the promise of Christ’s coming awakens our hearts again. The nights grow longer, yet it is often in that deeper darkness that the brightness of hope becomes most clear.
Last Sunday, our Youth Group’s Cookie Caper unfolded with warmth because of your prayers and encouragement. Many of the cookies were quickly taken home, but what stayed with me even more were the joyful faces of our youth and the gentle smiles of those who watched them with affection. In those moments, I saw both the vibrant present life of SUM and the quiet beginnings of what God is preparing for our future.
The conversations we shared with the youth as they prepared for the Cookie Caper also stayed with me. They spoke about sharing Christ’s love with neighbors near and far. They dreamed of going to a UConn women’s basketball game together, enjoying a meal at a favorite restaurant, or simply gathering for a movie night with popcorn and laughter. These were more than fun ideas—they were glimpses of who we hope to become as a community, signs of compassion, imagination, and hope already growing in their hearts.
Another moment of joy came after the 10:30 service as our Sunday School children began rehearsing for their Christmas Pageant. Standing before us as angels, shepherds, Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child—reading Scripture and singing carols—their presence alone was grace enough. Through them, the story of Christmas was spoken into our lives once again with tenderness.
These children are not only the children of a few families. They belong to all of us. Praying for them, encouraging them, and offering support when needed is a shared calling of our whole congregation. This is not merely part of our educational ministry—it is a sign of who we are as SUM: a community shaped by God’s love. In Christ, we are one body, one family, held together in grace.
After worship, Jiseon and I spent a long time reflecting on the possibilities unfolding among our children and youth—the ministries we have known, the ideas we hope to explore, and the dreams that may take root here in beautiful ways. I long for a future where our church is filled with the laughter of children, where youth ministry grows deep and strong, and where the life rising among our young people naturally flows into the ministries of adults. I believe this is not only a pastoral hope but also part of God’s calling for us as a congregation.
Last Sunday, through the presence of our children and youth, we were reminded of what active waiting looks like—how a community prepares for Christ not by standing still, but by loving, serving, imagining, and welcoming. My hope is that such active waiting will fill our daily lives as well: that we will move with Christ’s love, trust God’s promise, and look for the light even in the shadows of our week. As we continue through this season, may the peace and light of Advent rest upon every home in our SUM family, and may joyful hope take root again in our hearts.
Tomorrow we gather for the third Sunday of Advent—the Sunday of Joy. Whether you join us in the sanctuary or through our YouTube channel, your presence strengthens the worship we offer together.
May the joyful hope of the Triune God gather us— online and in the pews, long-time members and new friends, children and adults alike— as we prepare our hearts for Christ.
With grace,
Pastor DH