Dear Companions on the Journey,
As we approach our country’s General Election, Tuesday, November 5, we have an opportunity to serve God’s people beyond our parish doors.
Most of us have in some way experienced the anxiety and division that has come to characterize recent presidential campaigns and elections. In the midst of potential contempt and chaos, we are called to offer God’s love, peace, and mercy to ourselves, each other, and most importantly, to our neighbors.
Attached here are resources that can used in your regular services or for any special services. Additionally, the prayers should be shared with the whole congregation for use in their personal devotionals. If your parish is offering a special service for Election Eve or Election Day, please do make sure that Nina Nicholson, Director of Communications, gets that information to share with the whole diocese.
There is much to catch our attention in these final weeks before election. Even so, my hope and prayer are that we will be aware of God leading and be responsive to God’s guidance. In doing so, we may be a blessing to those around us.
A collect for Guidance:
Heavenly Father, in you we live and move and have our being: We humbly pray you so to guide and govern us by your Holy Spirit, that in all the cares and occupations of our life we may not forget you, but may remember that we are ever walking in your sight; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP p. 100)
Grace and peace,
The Right Rev. Carlye J. Hughes
XI Bishop of Newark
