[Episcopal Diocese of Chicago]

Dear Friends,

In response to the Presidential election and the changes in our national life it may signal, I write to offer a word of encouragement and challenge. We do not know what the future will bring, or what the long-term effects of the campaign trail’s angry rhetoric and threats will be. We do know that many people are fearful and many others feel that they have been truly heard for the first time in years. The divisions in our country are on full display. The future will hold challenges for Christians who see a profound disconnect between their faith and proposals that seem intended to marginalize and exclude people of color, people who are not Christian, and others who are vulnerable. The future will hold challenges for all of us who see an increasing divide in our population that is fueled by an abusive and dismissive political process.

The future is uncertain. But the bedrock of our faith is that the future belongs to God. Jesus Christ has come to us as one of us to reveal the nature of God who is perfect Love. The death and resurrection of Jesus means that there is nothing that can separate us from that Love. God is with us to the end of the ages. And because that is true, we have the power to meet any challenge before us. We can work for justice and peace. We can stand with the marginalized and work for a world in which everyone will have what they need. We can put into practice a promise we make at every baptism—to respect the dignity of every human being. We can insist on civil discourse across differences in the public square.

I ask you to pray for President Elect Donald J. Trump, for leaders at every level of government and for the church, that we may find our voices, renew our trust in God’s power and love, and work for the well-being of all God’s beloved children.

Faithfully in Christ,

+Jeffrey