Dear People of St. David’s
St. David’s Pastoral Staff is sharing a series of four videos reflecting on each of our four Advent themes. These themes of hope, peace, joy, and love go along with the four Sundays of Advent and our church service, during which we’ll light a candle to symbolize one of them. This is also something we would love for you to join in at home.
This week’s reflection is by the Rev. Nancy Webb Stroud. Below the video you’ll find a transcript. This is the fourth and final of four videos.
Click here to see our Advent event and Christmas worship schedule.
This Advent season, we look ahead to Christmas and the coming of Jesus Christ, remembering to follow his ways. This fourth week we stop to light four candles and bask in the LOVE that Christ brings. The Rev. Nancy Webb Stroud, St. David’s Priest Associate, shares this week’s reflection.
TRANSCRIPT:
Hi, this is Nancy Webb Stroud, priest associate here at St. David’s. This Sunday is the Fourth Sunday of Advent. When we light the fourth candle on the Advent wreath this week, the theme of our prayer is LOVE. Of course, we could say that the theme of all our prayers is LOVE. It’s right there in the Bible, in the First Letter of John: God is love. It’s a neat, short declaration. God is love—what more is there to say?
I like a short sentence, particularly at this time of year when there is so much to do, and so little time to do it! Will the house be decorated, and the presents wrapped, and the cookies baked, all in time for the big day? In my line of work, will the sermons be written, and the worship spaces prepared, and my heart made ready to worship?
Oh, yeah—my heart made ready. God is love, scripture tells us. And it turns out that there is a lot more to say. The Saturday after Thanksgiving seems like such a long time ago, doesn’t it? On that morning, my grandsons woke up before all the adults in the house and turned on the TV in the family room. The volume was so high and carried so well that we all groaned and stuffed our heads under the pillows. I was the first to relent. Gus and Harry are four and six, so it took a little cajoling to adjust the volume and find a show and make it something that a very tired Gannie could accept, but we got there and settled down to bowls of cereal and a cartoon version of Dr. Seuss’s “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
At one point in the proceedings, as I blearily sipped my coffee, the Grinch was attempting to stuff himself into the window of the home of a Who, preparing to steal their presents and their holiday celebration. As he pushed and fell back and pushed again, I said, “Come on, Grinchie! You can do it!” Harry leaned into me and said, “Gannie! Are you really Team Gwinch?”
And I realized that of course, that is exactly what I am. I am Team Grinch! Not because I hate Christmas frivolity. Not because the celebration can seem overwhelming and even impossible. I am Team Grinch because that furry green guy is transformed in the course of the story. At the beginning, the Grinch is sad and overwhelmed yet he’s also fully engaged in the Christmas season, and it’s painful for him. He decides to cancel Christmas, but it’s hard work, stealing someone else’s joy. And then, the Grinch finds it’s even harder work to change your mind and open your heart.
Dr. Seuss isn’t overt in his theology, but we may be. The story of the Grinch is about making room for change. It is about preparing one’s heart to love. In the end, the Grinch opens his heart and loves the Whos. I am Team Grinch, and if I had the chance to share a little roast beast with the green fuzzy one, I would point him to the manger and show him exactly who it is that gives us the capacity for change and nourishes our hearts with love.
Blessings,
The Rev. Nancy Webb Stroud, Priest Associate.
Published on December 18, 2025.