Dear ones,

The prophet Micah records a dispute between God and God’s people. The resolution of this dispute is that the people ask what God wants of them, and God replies with words we now know well:

Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly with your God.

These words can seem long ago and far away as we dive headfirst into the fall and the heated election season while the polarization around us seems to grow more entrenched. The ceaseless parade of attack ads numbs us to the impact of this type of behavior and how it affects our hearts and souls. Political campaigns play on our fears with emotional appeals, pulling our attention further away from the transformative love of Jesus. In the midst of this, it can be easier to turn our focus elsewhere or put our heads down in an attempt to ignore the election season completely.

Yet God’s words as spoken through Micah remind us that our call as leaders (especially in times of dispute!) is to walk intentionally with God, which includes acting on behalf of others with kindness and justice. Always, God calls us into deeper relationship with God and with others. As you lead the congregations where you serve this season, know that you are not alone. My staff and I are praying for you with intention. We are planning for ways we can offer more opportunities for pastoral support for you, and we are compiling a list of election-related resources to assist you as you navigate these next many months. The monthly leadership calls will be a hub for conversation and prayer as needed, and our Peace and Justice webpage will post election resources as we gather them. We will let you know when these are up. Additionally, the Canons will be visiting clericus and Mission Area gatherings to be present for pastoral support, and to learn how we can best support each of you.

We will all gather in Perrysburg for Convention on November 8 (the Saturday after Election Day), which will be a wonderful way to keep our hearts and minds centered on God’s love and call to us to respond faithfully and intentionally with relationships with each other and God. With prayer, and with each other as a community of faith, we can keep our focus on God and our call to serve God’s people, no matter the tenor of the campaigns or the election outcome.

Do justice. Love kindness. Walk humbly with your God.

God’s Peace,

+Anne

The Rt. Rev. Anne B. Jolly

Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio