We sit on the cusp of change in our country. We deal with change every day of our lives, but the changes that will occur because of our national and local elections, no matter their outcome, at least “feel” bigger, too big for some of us than just a normal daily change. We can spend countless hours analyzing how we organize and manage elections in the United States, and get very involved, or not at all involved in the political scene. In the church, however, we have another way to deal with change, joys, sorrows, anxieties, and fear. We do this through prayer – a disciplined life of prayer and sudden, spontaneous but heartfelt cries of prayer. Prayer is one of the greatest gifts given to us by God – we have the right, the responsibility, and the freedom to open our hearts and minds to God and through our words, our yearnings of the heart, and sometimes wordless prayer – silence, tears, negotiations, and even angry demands of the Creator, we are in constant and active relationship with the Divine.

I hear and feel your anxieties – I am not immune to this. I am trying daily to remember who I am by my baptism – a beloved child of God who is forgiven and free to live in a state of grace and love.  I am trying daily to remember WHOSE I am – I belong to God who has loved me since before my beginning and will love me after my end. You too. This is who you are and whose you are.  I am trying to remember to breathe deeply and often. To intentionally look for joy and meaning in every day, to connect with my resources – community and family and work colleagues, so that I do not isolate myself and I can be reminded that there are many important things to consider in God’s good creation.

Sometimes I energetically seek distraction – a good book or movie, sports to watch, many leaves to rake, a good recipe to experiment with, taking back up a project I had left behind months ago, playing with the dog –  you know, something that is enjoyable and meaningful and reminds me that there is so much good and creative and surprising about life that God is inviting me to pay attention to. This helps me keep the TV, radio news, and social media turned off!  In all of this, I pray. I have great and profound conversations with God – I like to play both parts of that conversation! And then I sink into silence, remembering that the most important part of the conversation with God is to listen. Silence, and listening. God is always there then – always responding with assurance and compassion, and the reminder that all shall be well.

For this next week before November 5, here are some prayer resources offered by the Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations, and our own Prayer Wall Pals.

• From Forward Movement: A Season of Prayer
• An online prayer offering for the evening of November 5: Election Night Virtual Prayers
• And a special message from the folks at Calvary who keep our Prayer Wall beautiful and functioning: Greetings from The Calvary Prayer Wall Pals. Throughout the week, we keep our Prayer Wall well-supplied with sacred ribbons for people to use as they wish. On Tuesday mornings, we pray for our civil life together by praying the prayers for National Life and Prayers for the Social Order from the Book of Common Prayer (pages 820-827, under heading Prayers and Thanksgivings). Additional prayers may be found here. Please join us as we ask for God’s help in our daily lives. – Abby, Dorothea, Ellen, Linda, Martha, and Robin

At Calvary, printed copies of the 9-day (novena) prayer program (Season of Prayer) are available in the nave and in Brackenridge Hall. Remember that Calvary is open Monday – Thursday from 9:00 am t0 5:00 pm for prayer and meditation, and that the next scheduled healing services are this Thursday, October 31, and next Monday, November 4, both at 5:15 pm.

May God be with you and with all involved in the elections. May our election judges and their families be kept safe, our nominees and their families be kept safe, and all who love our country be assured in their responsibility to be a part of how our country is led and how it is run. God bless us all.

In peace and in the assurance of the promises of our faithful God,

Beth+