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In times of political division, our community seeks to be a place of peace, compassion, and resilience, especially for those who feel the weight of uncertainty most heavily. Elections can feel overwhelming, stirring up emotions, fears, and even deep senses of isolation. Therapist Steven Stosny speaks of “election stress disorder,” describing how stress and anxiety from political news can seep into every area of our lives. This impact is felt especially keenly in marginalized communities (e.g., women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, immigrants), where longstanding issues of justice, equity, and safety often intersect with political outcomes. We believe that in moments like these, God calls us to come together, grounding ourselves in His love and in the care of one another. As we know, election season doesn’t end on Election Day; in many ways, it is only the beginning. See a timeline of the election cycle below. For these marginalized communities, this period can carry the added weight of uncertainty, with concerns that either outcome might lead to a retaliatory backlash or even violence. As we hold these realities in our prayers, may we commit ourselves to be attentive listeners and steadfast allies for all who are impacted in the days and weeks that follow.
This page is a resource to help you through Election Day and the days that follow. Here, you’ll find suggestions for self-care, ways to stay spiritually centered, and opportunities for connection within our parish community. We’ve also provided times for lament, pastoral support, and care, knowing that being present for one another can make all the difference. Together, let’s remain rooted in the hope and peace that Christ offers, caring for ourselves and each other as we move forward in faith. "The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor... to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners" (Is 61:1). In these words and many others in the Holy Scriptures, we hear our call to see the unseen, to listen to the voices of the marginalized and oppressed, to offer compassion to the weary, and to stand with the brokenhearted. As we journey through this season together, may we reflect God’s love and justice, bearing witness to His peace and hope in these uncertain times.
A Novena For the Election
A novena is a traditional Christian practice involving nine consecutive days of prayer and reflection, drawing its name from the Latin word for "nine." This structure, often used in times of petition or special devotion, provides a rhythm of sustained focus, especially helpful during times of uncertainty or change.
Quiet Prayer & Pastoral Care
The sanctuary will be open for quiet prayer from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Additionally, if you’d like to meet for pastoral care, you are welcome to sign up here [pastoral care sign-up], or you are welcome to reach out to our parish clergy directly.
You can also join us this Thursday, November 7th, at 6:30 PM for a Service of Lament & Hope.
Practicing Curiosity Towards Others
In a parish community, unity calls for a willingness to see and hear each other as Christ sees us—with a commitment to empathy, respect, and a deep listening that forgoes easy assumptions. This openness is a tangible way to practice the love of God and to acknowledge the image of God in each person.
Click here to learn more about being curious of your neighbor.
Creative Expressions of Lament
As we journey together through seasons of uncertainty and collective sorrow, we invite you to engage with creative, visual ways to express grief, fear, and lament. These practices offer a path to bring our pain before God, who is both compassionate and steadfast. By turning to creativity, we allow ourselves to process difficult emotions, drawing closer to divine hope.
Click here for some ways you can creatively engage in lament.
A Guided Meditation with Meah Arakaki
This guided meditation by our beloved Meah Arakaki and Honeycomb Coaching is designed to help individuals reduce anxiety during this election season. This on-demand session offers a calming environment, guiding listeners through techniques aimed at alleviating stress and fostering a sense of peace.
Click here to begin.
A Lament & Grief Spotify Playlist
Music and art opens a safe space for us to lament and grieve. This playlist features songs by Rachel Wilhelm and others who seek to support the Body of Christ in lament. The first selection comes from Rachel’s Requiem album, crafted with this purpose in mind. Remember, God invites you to bring every care to Him, holding nothing back. May you hear Jesus’ call to walk with Him, even through the depths of godly sorrow.
Click here for a specially curated playlist. Additionally here are recommended albums from Porter’s Gate and Common Hymnal.
A Blessing for Our Tears
May the tears we shed today and the days to come be blessed, each drop a quiet prayer, a sign of the love and longing in our aching hearts and souls. May these tears be honored, held in the tender hands of the One who weeps with us, who knows our sorrows and shares in our hope for a world made whole. May they purify us, soften us, and open our hearts to greater strength and deeper compassion. As we honor our tears, may God draw us closer into His peace, giving us eyes to see the world as He does. Amen.
Service of Lament & Hope
Join us on this Thursday, November 7th, at 6:30 PM for a Service of Lament & Hope. Whatever the outcome of this election, fractures are evident across our nation and the world. This gathering will be a sacred time to offer our laments to God. Children are welcome, and we’re grateful for their presence in these sacred spaces. We do ask that parents gently help their children maintain quiet voices and calm postures throughout the service, honoring the collective grief and laments of those gathered. If little ones need space to be kids, we will have a designated area where parents can accompany them as needed.
A Litany of Social Justice
This litany is borrowed from the St. Augustine Prayer Book. Praying litanies is a powerful practice that invites us into rhythmic, communal prayer, lifting our needs, confessions, and hopes together. Through repeated responses, litanies create a steady flow that brings unity, humility, and focus, guiding us to bring our concerns before God while anchoring us in shared faith. Each phrase becomes an offering, drawing us deeper into God’s presence and aligning our hearts with His.
Walking with Kids through Lament
Lament in Scripture teaches us to bring every emotion, including sorrow, to God, trusting in His compassion. By engage in lament together as families, we show our children that faith includes both joy and sorrows.
A Reading on Grief
“Blessed are those who mourn.” What can it mean? One can understand why Jesus hails those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, why he hails the merciful.…But why does he hail the mourners of the world?
Click here to continue reading this brief excerpt from Nicholas Wolterstorff’s Lament for a Son.
Other Linked Resources
“Sometimes, everything in us demands justice, cries out against the wrongs we see, and calls us to action. This instinct is healthy—our faith does teach us to confront injustice, to cry out in protest, to stand against oppression with our voices and lives. There are moments when the call is clear: we must throw ourselves into the work of making things right, speaking out, and standing against what is unjust.
But there are also times when the tide has risen so high that action alone no longer seems to make a difference. In these moments, our calling shifts. Ronald Rolheiser (in Sacred Fire) reminds us that there are times when “darkness is going to have its hour come what may,” and our task is not to escape or rage against it but to stand firm, bearing witness in a different way. Like Mary at the cross, we might not be able to stop the darkness itself, but we can refuse to fuel it with more hatred, bitterness, and anger. We can choose to absorb the weight of the moment with a faith that neither hides nor replicates the hostility around us.
This is not an easy posture to take. It requires more strength to “stand under the cross” and resist participating in the energies of hate and division. In times like these, we may have to say: “I can’t stop this crucifixion, but I can stop some of the hatred, bitterness, and darkness that surround it. I will not conduct its hatred.”
As we move forward, may we hold this strength and resolve. We may not control the events around us, but we can choose how we respond. In choosing gentleness over anger, peace over bitterness, we stand as a witness to a different power—the power of Christ’s love that refuses to give back in kind and overcomes darkness. In that choice, we resist becoming what we oppose and instead embody the hope that we believe.
Indeed, there is a new day coming but it won’t be at the hands of those who clamor for power.”