December 18, 2025
As we move into the final week of Advent, we arrive at the theme of love. This week invites us to slow down and remember that God’s love is not abstract or distant. It is personal, present, and given freely in Jesus.
Throughout Advent, we’ve walked together through hope, peace, and joy. Love gathers all of these themes and centres them again on Christ. It reminds us that God chose to come close, to dwell among us, and to meet us exactly where we are.
Dr. Carlos Thompson has written a new reflection on joy for Disability and Faith, exploring how joy can be found in the midst of chaos and the unexpected, as seen in the Christmas narrative.
Celebrating the Journey of Advent
We invite you to engage with our weekly scripture readings on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, reflections on the Disability & Faith Forum, and our daily Advent Prayer Guide. These are simple ways for each of us to slow our pace and notice how God is at work around us and within us.
Save the Date: Join Us for Our Advent Service
This is a final reminder to mark your calendar for our Karis Advent Service taking place tomorrow, Friday, December 19, at 1:30 p.m. EST/12:30 p.m. CST. To register click here.
The service will be held online so everybody can join as we celebrate the season and prepare our hearts for Christmas together. We hope you’ll join us.
A Simple Invitation for the Week Ahead:
As Advent draws to a close, consider this: Where have you seen love lived out this season—through your team, the people you support, or within yourself? Take a moment this week to name one example of love you’ve noticed, and carry it with you as we head toward Christmas.
On behalf of our Spiritual Life Team: Merry Christmas!
Bryan Gillmore, Organizational and Spiritual Life Specialist