Goodness Weekly 12.15.25
“There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”
—Leonard Cohen
Last Friday’s first Holiday Night Market truly blew us away. The turnout from our community was incredible, and Charis Park came alive as friends, families, and neighbors gathered under the lights to shop local and celebrate the season together.
Our vendors were met with so much support, and shoppers left with beautiful, sustainable holiday gifts in hand. From handmade goods to seasonal treats, the market was filled with music, laughter, conversation, and the kind of joy that comes from being together in a shared space.
If you missed the magic last week—or if you’re ready to soak it in again—join us this Friday for another evening of holiday fun. Same time, same place, with a mix of returning favorites and new vendors to explore. We can’t wait to welcome you back to the park.
Holding Light in a Complicated Season
Taylor Bates, Deputy Director, Sunset Ridge Collective & Church
During the holiday season—especially the stretch between Thanksgiving and Christmas—I tend to vacillate between feeling like a Grinch and Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf. One morning I wake up lamenting the commercialization of Christmas and the relentless pressure to manufacture cheer. The next, I’m filling my basket at World Market with Advent calendars and Christmas poppers, delighting in the vision of family and friends donning paper crowns and reading cheesy jokes around a beautiful table.
This season is complex.
In the Christian tradition, this time of year holds a paradox: hope emerging in the midst of darkness. Even if you don’t share that tradition, many of us recognize the tension. The lights are bright, the expectations are high, and yet the shadows can feel long.
Seven years ago, during my first holiday season after losing my first child to stillbirth, the darkness felt overwhelming. I remember wishing I could simply hibernate until it was all over. I wasn’t sure I could bear the season. Somehow, I managed to wade through those dark waters, and amid the grief, I began noticing glimmers of unexpected hope along the surface.
If you find yourself in a similar place—if the holidays feel like a burden, if you’re carrying grief, feeling low, or simply not up for cheer—we want you to know you’re not alone.
This Sunday, December 21, at 5:30pm, we’re hosting a gathering called The Longest Night, held on the winter solstice—the longest, darkest night of the year. It’s a gentle, contemplative space in our historic chapel, open to all. The evening will include music, poetry, scripture, candle lighting, and quiet reflection. No forced joy. No pretending. Just room to bring your whole self as you are.
We’ve poured a great deal of care, creativity, and intention into this gathering, and we hope it offers a sense of companionship and light—however faint—that reminds you that darkness is not the end of the story.
We would be honored to welcome you.
Coming Up…
Daily, NYX Yoga & Fitness
Daily, One Another Coffee
Wednesdays, 11 AM - 1:30 PM, Open Studio Painting
Wednesdays, Mission Compost Pick Up
Thursdays-Sundays, Scott’s Pizza, Charis Park
Friday, December 19th, 5 - 9 PM, The Holiday Night Market at Charis Park
Sunday, December 21st, 5:30 PM, Longest Night Service, Sunset Ridge Church | A quiet, reflective service for anyone carrying grief or heaviness during the holiday season.
Wednesday, December 24th, 5:00 PM, Christmas Eve Service, Sunset Ridge Church
Wednesday, December 24th - Friday, January 2nd, Offices closed for Christmas & New Year’s
Saturdays, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, 9 AM - 1 PM, Charis Park
Sundays, Worship at 9 AM and 11 AM, Sunset Ridge Church
Event Rentals - Interested in hosting your event at Charis Park or in our facilities? Please email rentals@sunset-ridge.org
Community Partners: For updated schedules and events please follow One Another Coffee, Sunset Ridge Farmers Market, NYX Wellness, Scott’s Pizza, Mission Compost, Sprouts School, Good Acres, and Community First Food Pantry.
Inhale: I can hold both light and dark
Exhale: Hope is still present
