As we enter the last months of 2025, the days grow shorter, and the nights seem longer. Sometimes it feels as if the darkness is winning. Recent tragedies — the assassination of Charlie Kirk, school shootings in Minneapolis and in Colorado  —can leave us feeling shaken and helpless. But Scripture reminds us that we are never truly helpless. We have the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, who walks with us, strengthens us, and intercedes for us. God is always ready to help us in our helplessness.

One of the ways God steadies us is through the gift of Scripture — especially the Psalms. In their raw and honest prayers, we hear cries for deliverance, pleas for healing, and songs of hope in the face of despair. These ancient prayers are for us today. They remind us that the same God who was faithful then is faithful now. The question is this: will we bring our needs —personal, local, and global — before the Lord? Like the psalmists, we can move from “Where are you, God?” to “Come, Lord, into this place of pain.”

God is also present with us when we pray. As we pray, we must also remember who we are in Christ and know that prayer leads to service. Jesus calls us “salt and light.” In this, he says we are made to bring flavor to a weary world and to shine in its darkest corners. Mr. Rogers, the famed 20th-century children’s television educator, once recalled his mother’s words to him as a child:  “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Glen Mar is a church of helpers. Perhaps some of the anxiety we feel comes from forgetting that we are called not just to worry, but to act — to love, to serve, and to shine in Jesus’ name. Where are your prayers leading you to act?

Above all, we must remember that we are not alone. The Holy Spirit dwells with us and among us. The Spirit binds us together as a community, strengthens us in our trials, and leads us forward with courage. This is the greatest promise:  God is with us.

So, as we enter this final stretch of the year, do not lose hope. While it feels a long way off, we are only a month away from the season of Advent — a season of waking up to what God has done and is doing. Let us not wait until December to awaken. Let’s begin now. Hear again Paul’s words:  “Awake, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14)

Beloved, Christ has already gone before us into the darkness. The Spirit empowers us to follow today, to reflect His light wherever He leads. Let us finish this year not with fear, but with faith — holding fast, rejoicing, and shining brightly for the world to see.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Chris