The right to vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool in a democratic society. We must use it.
Get Out the Vote
In 2024, as our country faced a consequential election season, our congregation was inspired to engage in a significant Get Out the Vote effort. From May through September, we partnered with Vote Forward and The Center for Common Ground to write non-partisan letters and postcards encouraging infrequent voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and North Carolina to cast their ballots. We set up tables after worship during coffee hour for people to begin writing, distributed packets of twenty letters for members to complete at home, hosted evening postcard parties, and continuously purchased rolls of stamps.
By the end of September, 130 of our members and friends had joined in writing these love notes. On the final Sunday of the month, we blessed 7,860 letters and postcards during worship, then took them to the post office at the beginning of October.
We shifted our focus to a season of prayer. In this time of heightened anxiety, deep divisions, and starkly different visions for our future, our prayer was a plea for protection and participation for every voice and voter. It was also a prayer to keep our thoughts, words, and deeds centered in love, and aligned with God’s hope for all.
Nearly every week, I hear stories about how this act is fostering new relationships, encouraging involvement, calming nerves, and amplifying voices. These small moments have rekindled my faith in the power of our church community and the durability of our democratic commitments.
Caitlin Smith
A Service of Prayerful Patriotism
On the Sunday closest to July 4th, our worship service is an extended prayer for our country. The day is both a confession of the ways we have fallen short of living our democratic ideals and a renewal of our aspirations and hope. In recent years, we have welcomed as our guest preachers for this day, former U.S. Senators Gary Hart and Tim Wirth, and Rep. David Skaggs, a former member of Congress. Not a guest, David is a baritone in our Chancel Choir for more than 50 years. This past July, we were honored to welcome Joe Neguse, our Congressman and the Assistant Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. He spoke to us of “Renewing Our Faith: A Hopeful Vision for American Democracy.”
Advocacy as a Faith Practice
As we continue to listen to the Spirit’s leading and discern our calling as people of faith in these tumultuous times, we are now focusing on new forms of democratic participation and activism. In this effort, we have partnered with Together Colorado, a non-partisan, multi-racial, multi-faith community organization made up of 220 congregations, schools, clergy, and faith leaders across the state. Together, we advocate for social change through non-partisan legislative efforts that prioritize human dignity and well-being at the center of public life.