Dean's Remarks

I awoke early this morning to write my December note to you and am doing so by the lights of our Christmas tree with a nice warm blanket tucked around me. Across the room is a glass-front cabinet filled with Nativity sets collected over the years from around the world. It’s one of my favorite places in our home this time of year; everything seems a bit more special by soft lights and the (temporary) quiet of the early morning. And, as I sit amidst the symbols of the season, I am flooded with thoughts of the stories across the ages of Christian history and memories of my family’s celebrations.

During this early morning time of praying and planning for the day, I’ve learned to start with a time of silence to listen to how God would instruct me from the day before and prepare me for a day that will have both schedule and surprises. This morning, as I pray for our School, one of my prayers is that the message of Advent -- hope, peace, joy, and love -- will be shared in such a way that it reaches each of you whatever your circumstances of this season.

My heart is both full of gratitude for each of you who might read these notes and heavy for so many who are facing significant life challenges. These are a few of the stories I know from across our School --

One of our newer faculty members is preparing for her father’s funeral later this week, after his sudden and unexpected death. Another lost her mother early summer, a second experienced this loss suddenly in August, and a long-time faculty member lost her husband in October.

After the School’s prayer times this week, this note was shared with me -- “two students … shared how one has lost two sisters due to COVID-19 and the other student has lost eleven family members due to COVID-19”. And, we continue to remember others who are holding vigil for family members struggling with Covid.

For those with chronic illnesses, isolation has enhanced loneliness. The challenges of juggling childcare, caregiving, shared bandwidth, small spaces, and support for each other is weighing heavily on so many of us, with both tensions and weariness evident.

The fatigue of a challenging political season in our country has seen both stridency and fear, hope and disappointment, and has sometimes caused strain between friends and family.

Economic instability has been especially impactful on our students, but is carried across many sectors of our School.

And, yet, families who have been separated across the miles for years have found the redeeming value of Zoom sessions, with a reminder that technology can also unite us in new ways.

We have celebrated alongside members of our School who have experienced the birth of their first child, have become grandparents for the first time, and another who is preparing for their daughter’s (much smaller than planned) wedding at the end of the month. One has seen her 73-year-old father come to Christ for the first time!

We are in the midst of a season of APU virtual graduations -- two on December 12 and two more on December 19. Recent graduates have updated us with their new jobs or promotions; stories of the impact of their work is heartwarming.

There are still the joys of childhood firsts -- first tooth, first step, first driver’s license, and first college admissions letter -- that bring a smile to the most weary faces.

Across this wide array of experiences and emotions, there is not a singular story for this season, except our common connection through the birth of our Savior. Christ was born more than two thousand years ago, in other “unprecedented times” -- a time of political unrest, to a young unmarried woman betrothed to a lowly carpenter, and in a borrowed stable away from home. Yet, through the realities of His birth, we are reminded of the promises that we can hold fast to, whatever distress and/or joys we face in this season --

From the lyrics of O Holy Night, we are comforted by these words --

Long lay the world in sin and error pining, Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices, For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn. ...

Truly He taught us to love one another; His law is love and His Gospel is peace. Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother and in His Name all oppression shall cease.

From the Gospel of John, we are reminded -- “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)

Our weary souls (and bodies) can hold fast to the promise that while the darkness may have challenged us deeply and to our core in 2020, the final part of our story has not been written. There is a “new and glorious morning” promised. We hold fast to the promise that

Darkness will not permanently overtake us.

The celebration of the gift of Christ to our world -- collectively and individually, historically and even in the challenges of 2020 -- offer us hope, provide us peace, give us glimpses of joy until we can be fully joyful, and give us His eternal, everlasting, life-altering love.

Whether you face this Christmas quietly by the smallest glimmer of light in the darkness or amidst joyful, boisterous, and loud (carefully distanced!) family celebration, I pray you will accept His hope, peace, joy and love, and that you will share it with those around you. Particularly, to our students and alumni -- if you do not know Him in a personal way, please reach out to a member of our faculty and staff or to me directly. We will pray with you and connect you with a campus pastor (or a local church) where you can learn how He can change your life. What an amazing Christmas celebration that could be!

Merry Christmas! I pray for each of you and am grateful for you.