Update, Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Whenever I feel my foot slipping, your faithful love steadies me, LORD. When my anxieties multiply, your comforting calms me down.

Psalm 94:17-18

Family,

We awake this morning to a very uncertain situation. The presidential election is undecided. There are many votes still to be counted. Our democracy depends on every one of them being counted. News organizations, candidates or political parties do not determine who wins elections. Votes and voters do. Votes and voters must.

In the face of the uncertainty let us remain committed to the principles of honesty, justice, and equality before the law. Let us remain committed to policies that enable human beings, human families and human communities to thrive. Let us remain committed to the practice of prayer, a practice in which we claim our place alongside our sisters and brothers as beings created in the image of God with the ability to grow in faith, hope and love.

In the hours ahead we are likely to hear much incendiary language. Let us resist it. Let us counter it with a strong and gentle grace. Let us counter it with the understanding that we do not defeat the enemy by becoming the enemy, that perfect love casts out fear, that it is our Creator’s intent to lead us through the valley to green pastures, still waters and restored souls.

I urge you, if at all able, to join us on Zoom this morning at 10:30 for our Wednesday Prayers. Our format will be a little different today with the focus being checking in with each other, sharing a word of encouragement and offering prayers for ourselves, our church, our community, our nation, our world.

Pastor Jim

The interfaith community will gather today from 12-3 at Frank Ogawa Plaza for Interfaith Resistance: Count Every Vote – a time of connecting ourselves with community, centering ourselves in prayer, and strategizing for the days and weeks to come. You can join us in person or watch online via Lakeshore’s facebook page.