Advent Hope

During Advent, we prepare for Christmas by telling stories of hope, expectation, and longing—stories of hope that come from communities which were experiencing the depths of despair. It feels easy to identify with that anguish this year, as this holy season has been desecrated by acts of violence. This December we witnessed the horrific mass shooting in Australia targeting the Jewish community, and closer to home experienced antisemitic hate speech and hate symbols shared on social media from students at one of our city’s high schools. At the same time, ICE and other government agents have continued to terrorize immigrants and citizens, separating families and intentionally creating a culture of fear that is preventing people from receiving the education, healthcare, and basic needs that God calls us to provide for all people.

Here at CGS, these acts of hatred and violence against Jewish people and immigrants are not just felt as attacks on our neighbors, but on ourselves—our friends, our family, our community. These attacks are felt deeply and personally, because we know the victims. But whether the victims are loved ones or strangers, we are committed to standing with one another against hatred, bigotry, and violence. We know that all people are sacred and beloved by God.

As we have throughout this holy season, we will continue to hold these communities in loving prayer. We also recommit ourselves to the work of building real relationships and acting with each other for justice and peace. Now and in the year to come, rooted in the relationships we have already built with Silicon Valley Allied for the Common Good (SVACG) and other institutions, we will be acting in solidarity with our Jewish and immigrant siblings.

In partnership with the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) we will hold an educational event around fighting antisemitism at a date to be determined. On January 11th, from 3:00-5:00 pm, we will host a Santa Clara County Rapid Response Network training, to learn some ways to support our neighbors in the event of an ICE raid. I encourage all our members to attend these actions to answer our Christian calling—to move our statements of solidarity toward acts of solidarity.

The story of Advent is a story of hope amidst hopelessness—a story of what is possible for God, even when all seems lost for mere humanity. To believe in this story is to recognize that God is still speaking and acting in this suffering world, and to hope that we might be a part of God’s work to heal the wounds that mar our community. I pray that in deepening our relationships and acting in solidarity together, we find this Advent hope together.

​In longing and expectation,
Pastor Kristofer Rhude