Pilots Prevent
December 7, 2021
University of Portland’s director of Campus Ministry reflects on the holiday season—our second Christmas of the COVID-era—and offers advice for finding restoration and rejuvenation during winter break.
1. The Christmas Season in 2020 was anything but normal due to the more difficult days of the pandemic. One year later, does Christmas 2021 feel any different?
There is more that we are able to do in gathering and celebrating the feast of the nativity of Jesus, yet Covid still affects what is possible. It seems that more gatherings are being planned this year, yet there is still a good bit of caution present in holiday planning. More people will also likely be able to gather in their churches for the Christmas celebrations, yet I am sure there are many who are still wary of large gatherings.
2. Can the Christmas Season be an inspirational boost as we close our first fall semester on campus since 2019?
The celebration of Christ’s birth reminds us that God saw it as important to physically be in our midst. Maybe this can give us a helpful boost in realizing once more the great good that comes when we continue to find safe ways to physically be in one another’s company. It has been so good to be together in person on campus and interact with students, staff, and faculty this semester. Yet it has taken a lot of energy to get back in person, stay attentive to the wellbeing of all, and develop the new patterns and habits that our time requires. I hope that this Christmas break provides a space for all of our community members to rest and find renewal in the holiday.
3. How can the joys of the holidays be a positive contributor to our mental health?
It is important to take a break from studies, teaching, and work to connect with the things that restore us. Then we will have what we need to accomplish the important work that happens here on The Bluff. Hopefully the break allows for campus community members to find opportunities to connect with the restorative practices that work best for each, whether that’s intentional time with friends and family, time for reflection and rest, or time for the activities that bring rejuvenation.
4. Are there particular pressures during the holidays that take away from this special season?
Sometimes there can be the pressure to do a great deal in the holiday season; from shopping, to baking, to traveling, to catching up on odds and ends. The season can turn into a whirlwind of activities that do not offer the space for reflection, celebration, and renewal. It can be helpful to be intentional about planning quiet time so that the time made available during the break does not get filled up with more than it has space for.
5. What is your spiritual wish for our UP community both at Christmas and the coming New Year?
God, the Eternal Word, entered into human existence to make known the great love that God has for each of us. My prayer for our UP community is that each of us will have multiple experiences over the weeks to come that reinforce the reality that we are each beloved of God.
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