[The Star-Ledger] It has been that kind of an election.
In response to the strong emotions unleashed by a bare-knuckled campaign, dozens of churches are going beyond traditional election day prayers for the nation by scheduling events aimed at offering solace and a path toward healing.
In Englewood, St. Paul's Episcopal Church will be hosting a "vigil period of intense prayer" on Monday at 7 p.m.
"We must pray for a peaceful transition, no matter the outcome of our elections," states the church's invitation to the community. "We must pray that the demonization of one another's opponents which has characterized this election not be further stoked by its outcome."
On election day itself, other churches are holding services or following the tradition of opening their doors for the public to have a place for quiet prayer.
And the day after the results are in, Episcopal Bishop of Newark Mark Beckwith will lead an "Interfaith Service of Post-Election Reconciliation" at the diocese's cathedral in Newark.
"As the threats, insults, and provocation became more important, it seemed this was something we needed to do," he said. "The temperature and the sense of anxiety is high enough that there needs to be witnesses to some other response than anger or fear."
Beckwith reached out to the diocese's parishes in the closing days of the bruising campaign after realizing the dashed hopes of the losing side would likely linger after the votes were tallied.
"There is no doubt that people are going to be angry and scared on Wednesday no matter how this turns out," he said. "Within our congregations, people may be voting in different ways, and may be having some raw feelings with one another. Congregations will engage in the ancient practice of reconciliation in their churches, and I am inviting them to bring that spirit of reconciliation out into the world."
