1 John 2: 15  “Do not love the world or the things in the world. The love of the Father is not in those who love the world; 16 for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 And the world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.”

Our faith reminds us that we are in the world, but not of the world. It reminds us that we can love our country and what we believe our country can become, even as our deeper devotion is to God’s realm of love and justice. 

Our history reminds us that an election is a technical change to an adaptive challenge.  While there is a crucial importance to your vote, that work of love and justice is a marathon, not a sprint. 

If we were not already exhausted enough in this ongoing pandemic world and this recent Covid surge, we are right on the cusp of the election.  Mail in, early voting and drop off ballots are at a new high.  Debates and adds and pundits fill the news cycle.  And who knows for sure where the latest ‘article’ of meme comes from on Facebook. 

And there is concern:  Will people feel safe and secure in their voting regardless of how they choose to vote?  How can we be supportive to our congregation and community as the election day unfolds?   What might happen following the election and how can our church be most helpful? 

Your Conference staff have been listening and learning.  Our national UCC has been watching and gathering resources.  UCC Conferences across the nation have been sharing ideas and support.  Our siblings of other faiths are joining in the development of approaches and responses. 

Our SNEUCC webpages have a resource page where you can links to a variety of resources and ideas: sneucc.org/2020VoterResource. Our clergy have been sharing ideas with each other on Facebook and other social media, SNEUCCC Leadership Forum and Conference Facebook page.  Striving not to be partisan or ideologically limited, the focus is to encourage people to exercise their right to vote and to ensure safe and unrestricted access to voting. 

Here are some highlights of ideas shared among our Conferences and national staff. 

• UCC.org has a page with everything from practical advice for election preparations to worship and liturgy resources to insights around issues: ucc.org/ourfaithourvote
• If you are concerned about voter fraud or voter intimidation there is a website with solid information:  866ourvote.org/
• If you see or experience voter fraud or intimidation, in addition to contacting you local election officials, you can call them to make a report of seek advice at 866-OUR-VOTE
• If you are looking for some state-by-state guidelines and guidance, visit resources for this sacred season of voting: faithfuldemocracy.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Sacred-Season-of-Voting_-Week-5.pdf
• If you are looking for resources for worship, vigils, or Covid sensitive prayer space, visit: ucc.org/ourfaithourvote_worship-resources.  
• You may also appreciate a daily prayer resource from our neighbors in the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ: vtcucc.org/election-prayers/
• If you are looking for resources to build resiliency in the face of growing conflict and potential violence visit the UCC Our Faith, Our Vote website above for webinars and links.

All of these resources and others can also be found on our SNEUCC.org website for voting resources. 
Please feel free to contact your Conference staff or Karen Methot  if you have a resource to share. 
 
Let us keep each other in prayers.  Let us be the presence of Christ in our neighborhoods and communities.