I am thrilled to share this story as it is one that fills me with awe.

It was Advent 2024. We were using the lectionary texts which are full of doom. The sermons were working with lament and I was exhausted. My significant other had lost his father. I had lost several of my beloved parishioners. It had been a rough year. I was rather lost. The scriptures were not helping. I felt tied down to them. Sometimes, I get caught up in rule following. I forget that there are alternatives.

One of our leaders was fighting cancer. She had fought stage four lung cancer for six years. She continued to serve on the Board, was a worship leader and treasurer during that whole six years. It was a time of major changes in our church. The Presbyterians and Disciples were joining in mission. She was at almost all of those meetings. Her wisdom and calm provided the guidance we needed. Many times when the treatments were harsh, she joined virtually. She was one of the most faithful people I had ever known.

My use of the past tense reveals that she has joined the church triumphant having run her race with perseverance and grace. We had her memorial service recently. She wanted the service to happen when the sanctuary was decorated for Christmas. She loved Christmas. She loved to laugh. She radiated joy. She walked humbly with her God. She did not, however, like depressing Advent readings.

About the third week of Advent, she marched into the building. She said, “We need to talk.” I was scared at that point. What did this woman I loved so much have to tell me? What had I done to offend her? What on earth did she want?

She sat down with me in my little conference room. She told me how much she loved me. Then she said “It is obvious you are going through something but this Advent has been really depressing. We come here to be uplifted. We want to taste the goodness of God, and this has not been good.” I said ok. I told her I would work on it. In my mind, I was defending myself because I was preaching from the scriptures on the lectionary. This is what Advent was all about.

When I quit trying to justify my actions and started walking a little more humbly with my God, I realized that I did not have to stick to the lectionary. I knew that. I just hadn’t considered changing what I was doing. There were so many other things needing my attention during Advent, that I just used the lectionary. It kept me from having to make one more choice.

Her words set me free in a way that I had forgotten. This year, I left the lectionary entirely. I left it and remembered that we are free to proclaim what the people need to hear.

___

Published in the March 2026 issue of For the Messengers.

Rev. Jennifer Dawson is an ordained Presbyterian minister and licensed Disciples of Christ minister serving a small church in a small town in Kansas. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Ministry at Phillips Theological Seminary. You can find her on Substack @sweetjesusjennifer and on Facebook @zobolala.

You might also find helpful:

• Asking Our Way Through Advent — a reflection on holding questions and wonder at the center of Advent preaching
• Blue Christmas — a worship service guide for honoring grief and loss during the holiday season
• Beyond — a six-week congregational resource exploring faith beyond familiar boundaries, with sermon starters and liturgy