Dean’s Letter: Election Activities

Hello St. Paul’s,

As you know, we are in the last weeks of a tumultuous and contentious election season. St. Paul’s is offering a number of ways for parishioners to participate in the democratic process and also grow in our ability to be instruments of God’s peace. Our efforts started many months ago and will extend into 2025. All that we do is non-partisan and focused on promoting a more peaceful and just society.

Listening Hub

The Listening Hub meets in the Great Hall on the second and fourth Thursdays each month at 4:30 pm. The Hub is an arm of the Cathedral Peace and Justice Ministry. It was established over two years ago to promote conversations across differences. The Episcopal Church program E Pluribus Unum provides the basic format of the Hub. It revolves around four questions: What do you love? Where do you feel loss? Where do you hurt? What do you dream? Based on questions, participants are asked to respond from the heart to various themes. All are invited to attend. Snacks and light beverages are provided.

Postcard Campaign

Peace and Justice Committee Chair Paul Teyssier recently headed up a campaign for parishioners (and their friends) to mail postcards to voters in other states, in demographics that typically have a low turnout, encouraging them to vote. Approximate numbers written are 405 to Virginia, 270 to North Carolina, and 350 to Florida.

Ballot Initiatives Town Hall

On Wednesday October 30, at 6 pm, St. Paul’s will host a Town Hall Meeting to learn about the various ballot initiatives and propositions before us. Ms. Lori Thiel of the League of Women Voters will be the presenter (her bio is at https://morechoicesd.org/committee/lori-thiel.). Please invite your friends and neighbors: all are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided. This  is a hybrid event and you can join via Zoom: save the Zoom link in your calendar

Post-Election Prayer Services

The Episcopal Church offers a prayer service on Election Night, November 5. Here’s the link to register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_q4XtQDHLR8CU1gGUXspPaQ#/registration The newly installed Presiding Bishop, Sean Rowe, will offer opening remarks.

On the night after the election, at 6 pm on Wednesday November 6, St. Paul’s will offer an online prayer service where we will pray for the safety of election officials and candidates and for peace as results become known. Here’s the Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85810609712?pwd=vsGBkROyMsQS31ElOEUbU9R6xBngio.1 

Post-Election Forum

On the Sunday following the election, November 10, the Dean will lead a conversation at our 9 am forum about what happens next and how we can contribute to healing.

Sunday Forums in Lent

One thing we can be sure of is that, whatever the outcome of the election, our nation will continue to suffer from polarized opinions, misinformation, and turmoil. Looking ahead to Lent, 2025, our Lenten series of Sunday morning forums will use a curriculum from the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations called “Make Me an Instrument of Peace”, a five-week class on civil discourse. Some information about the course is here: https://www.episcopalchurch.org/video/make-me-instrument-peace-series/

The first class will take place on March 9, 2025 at 9 am.

Videos of Past Relevant Forums

Separation of Church and State (part 1): In July Jerry Coughlan led a forum outlining the background of the constitutional separation of Church and State. The recording can be found on our YouTube channel here; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnUALxwL85U

Voting our Values: On October 13 the Sunday forum featured diocesan lay leader Mae Chou who led a discussion about Voting our Values. The forum was recorded and the recording can be found on our YouTube channel here https://youtu.be/x3hlRk9TAnk?si=N5XDooz-niG8pWAY

I hope that you will find some or all of these activities helpful as you navigate these uncertain and anxious times.

Your sister in Christ,

Penny