Bread in the Dark
A Meditation by Rev. Cameron Trimble
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” —John 1:5
This past Sunday marks the beginning of the season of Advent, a time in the Christian tradition that marks the four weeks before Christmas. Advent means “coming” or “arrival,” and it invites us into a posture of waiting. It’s not a passive waiting, but a hopeful, active readiness for the birth of love, justice, and renewal in our lives and in the world.
It’s a season that begins in the dark, when the nights are long and the world feels heavy. But rather than rushing toward the light, Advent dares us to linger in the shadows with expectation. It’s a time to stay awake to the quiet, unfolding signs of grace around us.
There’s a story from a small town in southern Italy, where each year on the first night of Advent, the town’s baker would rise before dawn, not to make bread for sale, but to give it away.
Children would wake to the smell of yeast and fire and make their way down cobbled streets to the bakery. There, they’d find warm loaves wrapped in cloth and tied with twine, stacked in baskets outside the shop. No sign. No cost. Just bread.
One year, a young couple, new to town, barely making ends meet, expecting a child, received one of those loaves from their landlord, who simply said: “The baker never sleeps through the darkness. He believes every act of waiting should be paired with an act of kindness.”
That night, the woman went into labor. The birth was long, and the winds outside were bitter. But the couple stayed close, torn pieces from that bread steadying their nerves. By morning, their child was born, wrapped in blankets, held close, fed first from the strength of that gift.
When the baker heard the news, he smiled, said nothing, and began kneading a fresh batch of dough.
Advent invites this kind of quiet resistance. It doesn’t deny the cold or the struggle. But it insists on warmth. On neighborliness. On weaving love into the fabric of ordinary days.
We live in a time of exhaustion, division, and fear. Wars rage. Trust is fragile. Systems crack. It would be easy to retreat into numbness or despair. But Advent asks us to stay tender. To hold vigil. To watch for what is not yet but is coming as midwives of love.
You don’t have to fix the world this Advent. Just bake a little bread. Offer a kindness. Speak a blessing. Light one small candle in the dark.
Stay awake. Love is being born.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
What does “waiting with hope” look like in your life right now?
Who has offered you bread in a dark season?
What small act of love or kindness might you offer this week as a sign of resistance and hope?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer for Kindness in the Cold
Holy Presence, In the cold and silence of this Advent season, help us stay awake to wonder, alert to need, and open to love. When the world feels too dark, teach us not to fear it, but to light one candle at a time. Knit our lives together in acts of quiet resistance— a meal offered, a word of blessing, a kindness done without fanfare. Let us be bread for one another. And as we wait, may we not grow weary. May we remember: You are still coming to us, in every humble birth, every trembling kindness, every courageous hope. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
Give Bread
This week, practice the Advent spirit by offering something tangible to someone else—no strings attached.
It could be a loaf of bread left on a neighbor’s porch, a handwritten note of encouragement, or a meal delivered to someone going through a hard time.
Whatever you offer, let it be simple and quiet. No spotlight. No need for acknowledgment. Just an act of warmth in the cold, a reminder that love is near.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
January 6, 13, 20, 2026 - Protest and Action Chaplaincy Training with Rev. Anna Galladay. This live, online training offers a framework for providing compassionate, grounded spiritual care during protests, advocacy gatherings, and social movements. Learn more here.
January 15, 2026, 7-8pm EST - FREE Online Webinar: When the Internet Hurts: The Hidden Online Dangers Facing Our Teens and How Faith Communities Can Respond, Join me in conversation with Sharon Winkler, survivor parent and nationally respected youth online-safety advocate. Sharon’s son, Alex, died at age 17 after experiencing cyberbullying and algorithmically targeted pro-suicide content. Since then, Sharon has dedicated her life to helping parents, educators, and faith leaders recognize online dangers and build safer communities for young people. Register here.
February 11th and 25, 2026 - Join Our “Building a Culture of Leadership Within Congregations” Cohort facilitated by Rabbi Benjamin Ross and me! A two-session course for ministers and faith leaders ready to strengthen how their congregations and ministries identify, develop, and support leaders. Learn more here.
July 19-24, 2026 - Join me and amazing co-facilitator, Victoria, on retreat in the back-country of beautiful Wyoming. The Art of Wilding is a 5-Day Expedition for Women Leaders. We will spend the week reconnecting to nature, exploring our inner landscapes for change, and engage the wisdom of spiritual teachings. Click here to learn more.
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.
Thank you, Pastor Cameron.
As I read your meditation, I thought of the carol "O' Little Town of Bethlehem" The verse that says, "how silently how silently the wondrous gift is given". The older I get, the more I have come to understand that it is in the silence that we receive some of the greatest gifts.