What's all of this about?! A letter from Father Dennis:

Dear friends,

This fall, many of us will be hoping for good news. Maybe it's about our church calendar, or our health, or the beginning of a school year, or a job search.

Maybe it's for the results of the coming election.

Yes, I expect that the fall will be full of news, polls, advertisements, debates, and any number of other ways in which the election will be front and center in our minds. St. Stephen's has been a polling location for years -- it's hard for us to escape the realities of what Election Day will look like. Surely, the lead up to and results of this year's election may leave some of us anxious, frustrated, and upset while it may be good news for others.

Christians are put in an interesting place when it comes to elections. Voting is a wonderful way to exercise our civic rights and our freedom, and I certainly commend it to all of us. And we might ask ourselves, what does it mean to vote faithfully? Should what we believe influence how we vote? And if so, what might it look like?

I believe this conversation starts with prayer and witness. I can't imagine voting without praying about it first. I also can't imagine the story of Jesus not changing my life in every way, including the causes and candidates I support. I do not believe Jesus calls me to a life that only considers him when it is convenient or comfortable for me. And as I've said to many of you here in Bible Study or maybe even a sermon, Jesus' life was very political, but his interactions with individuals were not partisan. Jesus made friends with all kinds of people. His death and resurrection is good news for all. And his body in the world, the Church, is meant to be a great mix of many peoples; a body of diverse thought, experience, and yes, even political opinions -- but also one which is always known by its love for one another and its witness to the good news of Christ.

And so, on Election Day, we will proclaim that good news in very literal form! We are hosting an all day marathon reading of all four Gospels (and the book of Acts), and we're calling it "Hear the Good News!" 

You can sign up below for a for a 15 minute shift to read a portion of the Gospels and Acts out loud. We are hoping to get 48 sign ups to cover the whole 12 hours that the polls are open -- and if you can't make it, we'll livestream the whole thing!

But I encourage you to come as you are able!

Come and stop by for a while before or after you vote.

Come and proclaim the good news by signing up for a shift to read.

Come and experience the transformational story of Jesus and his earliest followers one story at a time. Come to remember that we are always witnesses to the good news and hope we have in Christ Jesus.

Thanks for your consideration and participation; I'll look forward to sharing the good news with many of you on Election Day.

Grace to you and peace,

Dennis+