Peace be with you! 

I hope you're keeping well as we near the end of the month and you've had a chance to enjoy some local peaches and corn! We're so blessed to live here!

Many of us Canadians find it surprising how much US politics evolves around an election cycle that seems to be almost non-stop. While the next election for president of the United States is set to take place this November, this week the campaigns have been at the forefront of the news in the US and also here in Canada as well. 

There are of course many reasons why as Canadians we are connected to the political events of the US - trade policies, travel, the undeniable cultural influence the US has all over the world. At times these conversations about American politics feel so very far away, and other times the conflict and polarisation is felt right at home. It is so very hard to navigate the feelings of anger, alienation, and divisiveness that can emerge so quickly when talking about “hot topics” such as immigration, war, poverty and welfare programs, abortion, LGBTQ+ people - and all of these things have really come to the forefront in the past several years. 

While I don’t believe that it is my place as a minister to tell anyone who to vote for or which ways they should or should not be politically engaged - I do recognize that the conversations and prayers we have with God not only shape our faith, but how we live out our faith in our everyday lives. I hope that in times when we are tested by conflict or lots of new information to process, we will turn to God and trust in Jesus’ teachings as a guide for who we want to be as individuals and as a community. 

For those of you seeking a deeper dive into American politics, Diane Butler Bass offers a brilliant reflection on gratitude in her newsletter this week: Vance, Harris, and a Politics of Ingratitude. 

In response to the recent assassination attempt of Donald Trump, Rev Anna Golladay has written: Political Violence Will Not Save Us From Empire

 

When the news feels scary and overwhelming, may the Peace of Christ be with you 

When the world seems divided and falling apart, may the Peace of Christ guide you 

May we trust that in all things, the Peace of Christ can always be found, 

 

Yours in Christ, 

Rev Michiko