Dear Octet,



Advent season greetings to you! The extent of God's love for humanity expressed through the birth of baby Jesus is awe-inspiring—the Creator of the universe joined humanity as a vulnerable infant on behalf of his creation. During Advent, our Octet team is praying that our worldwide community might be filled with renewed joy and hope for the world and ourselves. May the exuberance of Henry Vaughan's 17th century poem, "Christ's Nativity," be ours this season!

With love,

Mia Chung-Yee

Executive Director

• Join one of Octet's IAP activities this January! Tech ethics, art history, civil discourse, and more...
• We're hosting geneticist Praveen Sethupathy for a Diálogos dinner this February. RSVP below!
• Plus, take time for a beautiful piece of music and a thoughtful sermon.
• And more...

This Advent, you probably don't need more content to read.

Instead, we encourage you to be immersed in beauty. Why not take four minutes to listen to James MacMillan's luminous choral piece, O Radiant Dawn?

O radiant dawn,

splendor of eternal light,

sun of justice,

come, come, come — 

shine on those who dwell in darkness

and the shadow of death.

Isaiah hath prophesied:

the people that walk in darkness

shall see a great light;

upon them that dwell in the land of gloom

a light has shone.

February Diálogos: hear from geneticist Praveen Sethupathy

Geneticist Praveen Sethupathy of Cornell University will join us on February 18 to consider the role of faith in academic life.

What relevance does a scholar's faith background have to their scholarship? What kinds of obligations do faith communities have to the university?

Come for dinner, insights from Dr. Sethupathy, and conversation with old and new friends.

All are welcome! RSVP required for catering purposes.

PLUS: Mark your calendar for April 22, when OpenAI Head of Policy Planning David Robinson will join us to explore the promises and pitfalls of generative AI technologies.

Keep an eye on your inboxes for more details!

Words from a local pastor

Local pastor Adam Mabry (Aletheia Church) preached on hope the first Sunday of Advent.

God brings us good news in these dark winter days: He came among us to restore us, and he is coming again soon.

If you're in need of some theological encouragement, hear Pastor Adam share how the Christmas story connects to the whole library of Scripture — from Genesis to Revelation.

We're grateful for the generosity of many donors who have shared almost $20,000 towards our end-of-year campaign. Our goal is to raise $50,000 by the end of January to continue our efforts: providing gospel-led hospitality, convening voices of wisdom, and preparing space for awe & wonder at our beloved MIT.

IAP 2025 Activities!

This winter, Octet is offering three delightful interdisciplinary sessions during IAP.

Science, Technology, and Ethics in the Real World

Meeting online and in-person | 1/11 and 1/18, 1–2:30 ET.

What happens when your hopes and dreams collide with the realities of the job market?

Session 1: a macro look at the complex economic incentives that make ethical choices in industry so difficult. Featuring tech investor David S. Price (Preston-Werner Ventures) and entrepreneur Jonathan Teubner (FilterLabs.AI).

Session 2: the practical ethics of everyday life in business. In a dog-eat-dog, cutthroat environment, how can you actually treat your colleagues and stakeholders as people? MIT's Di Ye will walk us through becoming transformative leaders rather than transactional ones.

Register here for Science, Tech, & Ethics!

Disagreeing Well

Meeting in-person | Wednesdays (January 10–January 29), 11a–1p ET | W11 Main Dining Room.

In these polarized times, what does it mean to disagree well? Come participate in a workshop equipping you with skills of empathic intelligence, enabling meaningful dialogue across difference.

This mini-course builds on a curriculum developed by the Ideos Institute, experts in empathic intelligence and producers of the documentary film “Dialogue Lab: America.” 

Lunch will be provided!

Register here for Disagreeing Well!

Want to join us? Text JOIN to (833) 459-3187 to receive details by text.

• Interested in a gathering for lovers of art & faith? The Illuminate conference will be taking place this March in Tennessee. Our own Mia Chung-Yee will be presenting.

Ministry Calendar

• Most MIT Campus Ministries have concluded their programming for the year. We wish everyone safe travels home!