In a 2009 essay at the Call & Response blog at Faith & Leadership, Lillian Daniel writes about loving both the solemn mood of Advent and the fun of "cultural" Christmas, the shopping and wrapping and baking, etc.

Our North Carolina pastors will be in my prayers this coming week.  Amidst all the "meaning making" you are responsible for, I pray that you get to stop and smell the evergreen branches.

Shalom y'all,

John

John James, M.A.
Research Analyst, Clergy Health Initiative