Presiding Bishop Michael Curry recently said, “Voting and participation in our government is a way of participating in our common life and that is a Christian obligation. We are blessed as a nation to vote. As citizens of this country this is a right, an obligation, and a duty. Go vote. Vote your conscience. Your conscience informed by what it means to love your neighbor, to participate in the process of seeking the common good, to participate in the process of making this a better world. However you vote, go and vote. And do that as followers of Jesus.”
I agree with with Bishop Curry and encourage our congregations to use a new toolkit that the Episcopal Church has prepared to help congregations empower their members to vote.
While churches cannot advocate for any particular candidate or party, we can help our members understand the issues, organize voter registration drives, encourage our members to vote, and invite candidates to address our congregations or, better yet, address our communities at open meetings held in our churches or other faith communities.
I hope you will download the Vote Faithfully Toolkit and explore how you might use these resources in your congregation.
+ Nicholas