Grace Cathedral

Dear Friends,

This Sunday, we celebrate Juneteenth.

Made a local observance by Diocesan Convention 2020, Juneteenth commemorates the good news of the Emancipation Proclamation, brought to the people of Galveston, TX, in 1865, more than two years after President Lincoln’s address. While the news is good, we lament the delay in sharing it and how its promise of freedom remains unfulfilled.

In October 2021, Grace Cathedral joined our Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and Diocese of California Bishop Marc Andrus in endorsing the movement to end slavery for good. We know that people convicted of crimes continue to work for the benefit of prisons and private companies while incarcerated. To correct this injustice, we must change the law and remove the clauses from the California Constitution and the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that allow involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime. 

We need to end slavery for good. “For good” has two meanings — first, the end, goodbye, and good riddance. The second is good in mind: good values, practices, reasons, and outcomes. What is good about the movement to end slavery?

It’s good ethics. Christian ethics are discerned by weighing scripture and tradition, the whole of human knowledge and experience, and balancing ends and means. In our public commitment to end slavery for good, we join the Presiding Bishop and General Convention of The Episcopal Church. We proclaim the values of our scripture and tradition to say justice should also be humane and that slavery has no place in our national life.

It’s good bipartisanship. Our church has a tradition of finding a middle way, a mean between extremes. While we sometimes mirror the political leanings of our liberal to the progressive milieu, this is not a partisan position. The movement to end slavery for good crosses the political divide, with states like Utah taking the lead. Our advocacy creates conditions for healing both in our criminal justice system and our fractious political environment.

It’s good rehabilitation. Throughout federal prisons, work is required unless there is a medical exception. Prisoners who do not work are punished, including the denial of family visits. This model has not prepared and cannot prepare prisoners for successful re-entry into society. This unjust justice system contributes to recidivism. But real and just work inside prisons equips people for real and just work outside the criminal justice system.

There’s no question that ending slavery for goodwill upends the status quo in prisons and presents immediate operational challenges. But operations are derivative of values, and questions of implementation are best resolved when there is a commitment to foundational principles. They are how questions, not if or whether. It’s right, and it’s time to end slavery for good.

In the coming days, we have a chance to make state history and move a constitutional amendment (ACA3) from its deliberation in the Senate to the popular vote in the November 2022 ballot. The Senate must do this by June 30, 2022, or the good news will be delayed yet again. 

Let’s help deliver good news. Here’s what to do:

• Size up the issue with this new infographic.
• Then contact your state senator, let them know that you care about ending slavery for good, and urge them to advance ACA3.

See you in church,
Anna

The Rev. Canon Anna E. Rossi
Canon Precentor
Director of Interfaith Engagement

Dear Friends,

As I look around, I see some part of the world awash in a blue and gold filter. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, I’ve seen masks, and potholders, and, prayer shawls, all intending to signal solidarity with a country whose peoples, sovereignty and welfare has been irrevocably violated. 

I pray daily for the peoples of Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. The Ukrainian people did nothing to bring this calamity upon themselves, and they are my first concern.

But I haven’t picked up any flag. I fear that the widespread adoption of colors starts to look like a team affiliation — complete with merch, scorekeeping and rivals. I’m concerned that once the breaking news goes to the next host spot, the groundswell of outrage will follow. Or that after pumping weapons to a traumatized population, we’ll look into the human rights and corruption records of this nascent democracy, struggling to free itself from Russian interference, and decide to trade in the blue and gold.

As the Episcopal branch of the Jesus movement in this country, we enjoy both the freedom of being a non-established church, and the responsibility of our baptismal vows to seek and serve Christ in all people. That includes the more than two million Ukrainian refugees, mostly women and children, who are fleeing tanks and bombs. It includes the many men (and women) who have been conscripted into military service in Ukraine, and will die fighting for their freedom. It includes the sexual and gender minorities who struggled to find a place in Ukrainian society.

And our care and concern must also extend to the countless Russian soldiers who were misled about their deployment, and to their families whose news sources may be limited to official propaganda. Our solidarity must extend to the Russian protestors who have been imprisoned by the thousands, and may be tortured or killed for their defiance and demonstrations of courage. And it should also extend to the victims and perpetrators of state-sponsored violence elsewhere around the world, much of it hidden from the public eye.

Our care and concern are not limited to prayers, and may be best expressed in some act of generosity toward the people most impacted by the war. One recommendation is Episcopal Relief and Development, and you can learn more about ERD’s partners on the ground.

Our Episcopal-Anglican tradition has carried the mantle of being the via media, the middle way, historically between Catholicism and Protestantism. I think that could extend more broadly to a mean between other extremes, and to a commitment to wrestling with history, including our own country’s complicated involvement in it. In the end, we have to be a church in the way of Jesus, a people seeking the Risen Christ, who promises life abundantly. That life knows no borders, and carries no flag, but follows the way of the cross as the way of peace.

All good things,
Anna

The Rev. Canon Anna E. Rossi
Canon Precentor
Director of Interfaith Engagement 

Dear Friends,

I knew exactly how dire the pandemic was two years ago when Orthodox and Roman Catholic bishops waived fasting from the Lenten regimen. I (and I suspect we) relaxed as much as we could, and undertook a perilous journey through a different variant of spiritual wilderness. We’re not out of the woods yet, but we have come far enough that I am eager for Lent’s arrival, for the paring back and stripping down that brings God’s presence into clearer focus. My colleague Mark Stanger has often used the metaphor of Lent as spring training, and my sense is that we have just enough buoyancy around us to also invite a little spring in our spiritual steps

The season of lent, a 40-day pilgrimage of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, begins on Ash Wednesday, this year March 2. Ashes are a powerful symbol of our mortality and unity with all creation — ashes to ashes, dust to dust. The ashes used in the Ash Wednesday liturgies are made from the palms from last year’s Palm/Passion Sunday. Please bring your palms from last year (or prior years) to any service on Sunday, February 27. Palms to Ashes will take place as the concluding rite of the 6 pm Vesper Light on February 27, where we’ll process out to the plaza and burn the palms with prayers and the chanting of Psalm 51.

On Ash Wednesday, we’ll offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Confession, on the Outdoor Labyrinth from 11 am to 11:50 am and 1 pm to 5 pm (around in-person Eucharists with Distribution of Ashes at 12 pm and 6 pm). Confessions in the Chapel of Grace will also be available in the afternoon by appointment only. Please watch Ash Wednesday page for details and scheduling. Lent is historically a time when adults prepare for baptism, confirmation or reception at the Great Vigil of Easter. This year, the Rev. Canon Mark Stanger will guide that formation in a series entitled Our Ancient Faith, Our New Life in Christ, beginning next Thursday, February 24.

But first, let the good times roll! Christians have often thrown a party before the Lenten fast — Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Grace Cathedral’s tradition is Carnivale, an evening of revelry that is also a principal fundraiser for our community, integral to the programming, services and staff that carry out the church’s mission. Participate in person or online, and with tickets beginning at just $25, there’s a way for just about everyone to contribute, and have a heckuva good time in the process.

Lastly, in case you missed the announcement at our annual meeting: I’m delighted that the Rev. Miguel Bustos has joined the community as Cathedral Deacon. In this limited, volunteer role, Miguel will contribute meaningfully to our liturgical life, and support the efforts of the Social Justice Working Group and the budding End Slavery for Good Campaign. This role serves as a beautiful complement to Miguel’s full-time role as Chief of Global Strategy and Senior Director of the Center for Social Justice at GLIDE. We will welcome Miguel formally at a date to be announced soon!

All good things,
Anna

The Rev. Canon Anna E. Rossi
Canon Precentor
Director of Interfaith Engagement 

P.S. Fulfilling a childhood dream is something special. Dean Young was able to fulfill his dream last week as he preached a sermon at St. John the Divine. Watch on YouTube today!

Dear Friends,

Are you ready to scream? I don’t mean for ice cream, though sometimes that helps, too! Two very different articles picked up the theme of screaming this week. The Atlantic’s The Utility of White Hot Rage addresses the cycle of rage and sadness, action and self-care in response to the demands of climate activism. The New York Times reported on a group of mothers in New England who took a very loud solace together in These Mothers Were Exhausted, So They Met on a Field to Scream.

I thought it was worth a try, and it made me laugh at myself! Are you ready to scream? Now, I’m not advocating that we disturb the neighbors at midnight or scream AT someone. This is not a blank check for a temper tantrum or bad behavior. But we’re all bearing these compound events, personal and public, and their weight needs to reside somewhere other than our bodies. The Atlantic article called this “ambient anxiety.” We all need to have moments of cartharsis, some of them corporate, where we can let go. The winner of the longest scream competition — a thirty-something therapist and mother of two — belted 30 seconds. Can you scream with a friend? Or even utter a muted scream under your mask? Or a yogi’s lion’s breath?

Waaaaaaaaah!

Now that we got that off our collective chests, a more ordered service: I’m honored that the Dean has invited me to serve as the Canon Precentor and Director of Interfaith Engagement. I’m also humbled at the work that is set before us, and grateful for amazing companions, for your partnership in the work. Next Thursday, February 3, we’ll install me in a festal Evensong commemorating the Presentation of the Lord, often called Candlemas. Please join us, either in person or via livestream, in prayer and in love of the goodness that we share and the promise that our common life holds.

This Sunday is the Annual Meeting of the Congregation. A few notes about participating in the meeting and morning liturgies:

• At 8:30 am, we’ll offer a Service of the Word, which will be on Zoom only.

• The Annual Meeting begins at 9:30 am. Please arrive at 9:20 am in person for coffee on the plaza, or online to greet one another. 

• Advance registration is recommended and helps facilitate check-in. Please register for the 11 am service. We will use that list for check-in for the Annual Meeting. For those staying for the service, you will not need to check in again.

• Annual Meeting is the “official business” of the congregation. We elect representatives to the Congregation Council, Deanery and Board of Trustees. You’ll see all the details, including the Annual Report, on our Annual Meeting page. All pledging members are entitled to vote. Voting will be open at 5 pm Friday, January 28 and close at 1 pm on Sunday, January 30. Not yet pledging? It’s not too late — visit our pledge page. 

Every good gift,
Anna

The Rev. Anna E. Rossi
Interim Precentor
Director of Interfaith Engagement

P.S. What kind of sport is faith like? In what ways does the world look different to a figure skater and a surfer? Watch Dean Malcolm Clemens Young’s #MoreGoodNews on YouTube today!

Any trip into Macy’s or Safeway at this time of year will obviate the experience of waiting. The lights, the sweets, the merry — it’s all here now! But the voyage inside — into the human heart or the womb of the cathedral —  is always proleptic. By “proleptic,” we mean that although Jesus was born in Bethlehem of yore, Christ is coming again, into our lives and world, and Christ will come as the fullness of time and creation. That is the heart of the church’s season of Advent. 

The church celebrates Advent (cf. Latin adventus meaning “arrival” or “approach”) beginning four Sundays before Christmas. Rich with themes of hopeful expectation, anticipation and waiting, Advent enjoins us to prepare a way for Christ’s presence, love and justice in our lives. Like Mary, Mother of God, we, too, are pregnant, waiting with eager longing to bear that life that will never die. Preparation requires discipline and self-examination, and so we hear John the Baptist calling us to repentance (cf. Hebrew תשובה or teshuva meaning literally “to return”).  

Advent’s themes of preparation and repentance set it apart from Lent. Lent is a fully penitential season and a time of preparation for Baptism. In Lent, we bow the knees of our hearts, set aside our joyful alleluias, and undertake disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. But in Advent, even in minor keys and ancient modes, our refrain is “rejoice,” or “alleluia,” for the Lord is at hand.  

Much of Western Christianity has typically used purple as the liturgical color in both Lent and Advent. The Anglican heritage is to use Sarum blue as Advent’s liturgical color, a dark hue which is also found in depictions of Mary, Mother of God, in Western European art.  

The lectionary offers a specific focus for each of the four weeks of Advent: 

• The first Sunday is “apocalyptic” (cf. Greek apokalupsis, from apokaluptein “uncover” or “reveal”), the unveiling of God’s presence when the world seems to be at the brink of collapse. Apocalypse is not predictive — there are always wars and rumors of wars. Rather, it is descriptive of how God reveals the Divine Presence in darkest night.  
•  The second Sunday introduces John the Baptist, a fiery preacher in the wilderness with a message of repentance.  
•  The third Sunday deepens the urgency of John’s message and his role as the forerunner of Jesus. This Sunday is also known as Gaudete (Latin “rejoice”) Sunday, taken from Saint Paul’s instruction to the church in Philippi to “rejoice always” (Philippians 4:4).  
•  Finally, the fourth Sunday of Advent announces the coming of the Christ Child with Gabriel’s Annunciation to Mary.  

Like pregnancy, our anticipation takes time, most especially prayerful time. In that spirit, join the cathedral community in our patterns of weekday prayer, including Weekday Morning Prayer (9 a.m. on Zoom), Tuesday Evening Prayer (5:30 pm on Zoom), Wednesday Noon Eucharist (in-person in the Chapel of the Nativity). And don’t miss the Advent Procession — an annual tradition with stational Lessons and Carols, sung by the Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys. 

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

— Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Advent 

Dear Friends, 

In the last months, you’ve asked a number of thoughtful questions about our liturgical life, normally under the rubric of “this seems almost back to normal, except….” I love the questions! Your keen observations, together with our ongoing conversations, will continue to evolve and refine our liturgical life together. Today, let me address the hottest topic: communion. 

First: Bread. Why are we currently using flat wafers? I’ll agree — it is an act of faith to declare a consecrated Wafer the bread of heaven. It’s not like the good old days. And it’s nothing like a pain au levain, challah or naan. So why are we making Eucharist with wafers?  

Our repeated refrain during this pandemic has been “out of an abundance of caution.” A Eucharist of consecrated bread would increase the number of people touching the same elements, and therefore increase risk. Because wafers do not need to be torn at distribution, they can be dropped or placed lightly into the recipient’s hand with minimal contact. The wafers retain the essential character and intent of the feast, as they share a common vessel held or touched by the presider in the Great Thanksgiving. 

Second: Wine. Why are we currently forgoing Wine? The common cup presents two challenges: multiple people touching with their hands, and multiple people drinking from it. Some may wonder, then, why don’t we have individual, sealed cups of communion wine? 

The witness of scripture and tradition, the liturgical texts and rubrics of our prayer book are clear that the Eucharist is a feast that is shared. There is one bread, one cup. It is a feast of plenty, where none wants and none wastes.  

The Bread is administered with the words “The Body of Christ, the bread of heaven.” But the Wine is administered with the words “the Blood of Christ, the cup of salvation.” The emphasis is on the cup, rather than its contents. This cup figures strongly in scripture. On Maundy Thursday, we commemorate the Last Supper with Psalm 116: “I will lift up the cup of salvation.” The institution narrative in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 also emphasizes the cup: “He took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” And the cup of salvation is also the cup of Jesus’ baptism into death. When the wife of Zebedee brokers seats of glory for her sons, Jesus replies to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” (Cf Matthew 20:21–23). 

The use of disposable, individual, sealed containers of wine to sidesteps a critical feature of the love feast — the common cup. It risks embracing marketplace notions that communion is about consumption. We are thirsting, yes, but not for something that can be hermetically sealed and its vessel disposed of. For now, we observe the wisdom that Jesus offered in the Gospel according to Matthew’s. We wait until we can drink it anew: “Then [Jesus] took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’’ (Cf Matthew 20:26–29). Your kingdom come, O Lord, on earth as in heaven. 

All good things, 

Anna 

The Rev. Anna E. Rossi
Interim Precentor
Director of Interfaith Engagement

Endorsed by the Dean, Chapter and Clergy

Did you know that slavery is still legal in the United States? We are led to believe that the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution abolished slavery and “involuntary servitude,” or forced labor, but a close read of the text shows otherwise. The 13th Amendment — as well as many state constitutions — contains a loophole that makes forced labor legal as punishment for a crime, called “the punishment clause.”  

Forcing one person to work for the benefit of another, especially when applied disproportionately to Black and Brown communities, offers no authentic pathway of restitution for victims of crime or rehabilitation for prisoners. As Anglican Christians, we are committed to dignity for all people, and stand against slavery in its many guises. Grace Cathedral joins our Diocesan Bishop Marc Andrus, and Presiding Bishop MIchael Curry, and endorses the movement to end slavery for good. 

Our endorsement of a movement means taking the courageous step to advocate with decision-makers in state and federal government at critical junctures, as we did with Proposition 17 in 2020. It means studying the issues together, and developing a shared understanding of the substance and process that will create lasting change. It also means developing and deepening relationships with the most impacted communities, with people who suffer generational trauma and structural poverty because the work of emancipation is not finished. 

A just society requires that criminals be accountable for their crimes. It requires impartial decisions by judges and juries of peers, and systems of incarceration that equitably enforce the decisions of the courts. The possibility of profiting from slave labor in jails and prisons poses a clear conflict of interest to equitable enforcement. Removing the punishment clause is a necessary step in restoring a just role for jails and prisons in upholding the rule of law. 

Grace Cathedral joins diverse religious and civic groups in the movement to end slavery. Our endorsement arises from distinct ethical commitments, including the God-given dignity of all people, the divine virtue of mercy, and our tradition of inquiry. In particular, when something appears to be “free” — like slave labor — we know from economics as well as ethics that those costs are always borne elsewhere. We must ask and name for ourselves the human, social, and environmental impacts of slave labor, and resolve and take tangible steps to heal them. Endorsing the movement to end slavery is the first step. 

Stand with Grace, stand with justice, stand for all. Over the next 18 months, there will be opportunities to learn the issues, frame them in light of Anglican Christian ethics, develop meaningful relationships, and advocate with elected officials. An issue of this magnitude invites the active participation of the whole community, and has a place for everyone, including you.  

We are deeply concerned about the sharp increase in anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence, locally and nationally. Joining Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Interfaith Council, we unequivocally condemn all acts of bigotry, hatred and violence, including those against Jews.  We value our Jewish neighbors, local synagogues, schools and community centers, as well as Jewish-owned businesses, and decry the harassment and violence that have been perpetrated against them.  

We recognize the sacred ties of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. We also recognize the sacredness of the land to Muslims, Christians, and Palestinians, and mourn the violence of occupation. However, the relationship of diaspora Jews to the land of Israel must never be conflated with the actions of the State of Israel. Acts of bigotry and violence against Jews in the U.S. are hate crimes and undermine legitimate efforts to build justice and peace among Israelis and Palestinians. We lament historical and contemporary Christian anti-Semitism, perpetuated in our interpretation of scripture, liturgical practices, and activism.  

We pray for renewed relationship and trust.  

A prayer for healing anti-Semitism 

God of every nation: 

You gave the world into our care to be stewards of justice and messengers of goodwill. 

Spread a shelter of peace around our Jewish neighbors and all they hold dear. 

Cleanse the bias that infects our hearts and the bigotry that grips our hands,  
that we may restore the trust between us and together repair the world, to your mercy and glory, we pray. 

Amen. 

Last week, domestic terrorists forced their way into the US Capitol buildings, bearing not only arms, but Confederate flags, a noose and other symbols of white supremacy. Many of you have asked: What can we do? As Christians, our work for social and racial justice begins with clear-sightedness about what it is that we are dealing with and what God calls us to do.

The Black Lives Matter protests that spanned the globe last summer brought renewed visibility to a pervasive evil that thrives in silence and secrecy. We must acknowledge the explicit and implicit racism in these violent terrorist attacks. From our own Dean Malcolm Clemens Young or the Rev. Dr. Gennifer B. Brooks, from Joseph R. Biden, Jr. or Rep. Maxine Waters, leaders have broadly noted that if these terrorists had been black, Indigenous or other People of Color, law enforcement would have been swifter, bolder and more severe. We cannot suppress that truth and we cannot be silent.

However, the roots of the terrorist event at the US Capitol are not only in the endemic racism and white supremacy of our society. They also include the greed, deception and opportunism of the chief executive, as well as other elected officials who championed outright lies for their own gain; the social media and tech giants who were content to profit from these lies; and this nation’s glorification of violence and unholy comfort with unregulated access to weapons.

These engines of the violence last Wednesday in the nation’s capital have been justified, and in some cases promoted by a white, toxic and hateful perversion of Christianity.

The way of Jesus is none other than the way of life and peace. And so, as Christians, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the attacks and their motives. We condemn the false equivalency between domestic terrorists, and protestors demanding civil rights in addition to and police accountability. We condemn the use of Christian language and institutions to promote violence.

There is no religious justification for insurrection against the institutions of democracy or for threatening the lives of elected leaders. There is no religious sanction for violence against black and brown bodies, Jews and other religious minorities, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA people or any other human community.

In response, we express lament. We lament our own arrogance and intolerance. We lament our personal failures to confront the violence and racism of our own hearts, and the violence and racism that rears its ugliness daily. We lament our own church’s historic and current participation in structural violence and racism. And we acknowledge that this lament is not enough.

Furthermore, we join Presiding Bishop Michael Curry in praying these words from Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address: “With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan – to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

May it be so.

The Rev. Heather Erickson, Director of Senior Ministry and Outreach

The Rev. Mary Carter Greene, Director of Children, Youth and Family Ministry

The Rev. Canon Jude Harmon, Canon for Innovative Ministries

The Very Rev. Peggy Patterson, Interim Executive Pastor

The Rev. Anna E. Rossi, Succentor

The Rev. Kristin Saylor, Director of Formation

The Very Rev. Dr. Malcolm Clemens Young, Dean

We have extended the registration window for two of our Fall 2020 Small Group offerings and invite you to join us for our next round of small groups. You may sign up using the registration form located below the descriptions. 

Good Grief – A Bible Study of Lament 

Led by the Rev. Jude Harmon 

Tuesdays, October 6 – October 27, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., culminating in a special Vine Online Service of Remembrance 

In this small group, we will explore Scripture through the lens of grief, loss and lament. We’ll look at some of our most cherished Lectionary readings with fresh eyes, opening up new possibilities for finding God in the Valley of the Shadow. While this is not a therapeutic offering, we will make space for sharing and processing grief together in a safe space. Occasional “homework” may be assigned in the form of reading or journaling. 

Psalms of Mourning, Comfort and Renewal  

Led by the Rev. Anna Rossi and Tandy Solomon | Wednesdays, October 7 – October 28, 11 a.m. 

Over our 4 meetings, we’ll read just a handful of psalms each week, contemplatively and in multiple translations, and use them as tools for deep listening and discernment together. Everyone is encouraged to read through the week, but each session is structured so that everyone can participate meaningfully, even if “life happens” during the week. Please plan to attend all sessions and expect/extend grace as unavoidable or unexpected things arise. Immersive, contemplative reading of 18 psalms (4, 16, 23, 27, 30, 31, 42, 46, 90, 91, 116, 118:14-29, 121, 130, 137, 138, 139:1-17; 22-23, 142). We will read psalms and use multiple translations and interpretations (St. Helena Psalter, Jewish Publication Society, and Nan Merrill’s Psalms for Praying) to engage in deep sharing and listening practices to mine these ancient prayers for signs of God’s presence today. 

Yes, your vote (really) matters

Electoral cycles are contentious. The last six months has been a master class in the limits of human control over public and private life. Districts are gerrymandered, in-person voting is curtailed by COVID and the post office is on life support. Does my vote even matter? Yes! And let me say again: Yes, yes, YES!

Voting is a matter of ultimate importance, not only for the well-being of our fragile democracy, but also our participation in what is of ultimate importance to God: our fragile world. We pray every time we gather “on earth as in heaven.” We are not spectators in a cosmic drama, but participants in the healing and repair of the world. The sum of our political, economic and social decisions can help — or hinder — that repair. When we vote, we are affirming our power, however circumscribed, to participate, and we do it especially on behalf of those who cannot. When we vote, we seek to express, however imperfectly, God’s values of justice and mercy. Here are some ways to act on those values today and throughout the electoral season.

Plan to vote

If you haven’t registered, take a moment and do it now! If you’ve moved and you’re not sure which address is registered, register again. Decide now when and how you will vote. Decide when and how you will prepare. Mark your calendar, and have a back up plan!

And while you prepare, pray: for the country, the protection of voting rights, the courage of elected officials and the integrity of our electoral process.

Support voters and voting rights

Help friends and family register to vote.
Share your commitment to voting and voting rights on social media.
Give to organizations that support voting rights, including LiveFree, the Brennan Center for Justice or Election Protection.
Volunteer with Election Protection.

Remember, your vote is your voice — let it be heard! Pray for our country, and the freedoms of all people everywhere.

UPDATED Friday, August 28th

We continue to pray for those affected by fires across the state, many in our own backyards: 

Holy God, who in Jesus Christ knows what it is to be frightened and in pain, be with all those in the path of danger. Give them courage, endurance and hope, and bring them safely through this time of fire and pandemic. In the name of our companion Christ we pray. Amen. 

While relief efforts are complicated by the pandemic, there is still much that we can do to support our neighbors.  

First, evacuees need care bags.  

Through next Tuesday, September 1, the DioCal Disaster Response Team is collecting care bags for evacuees and donations for relief, coordinating the movement of care bags from church sites in San Francisco to relief areas in the Dioceses of Northern California and El Camino Real. If you are able to contribute care bags to the effort, please email the Rev. Anna Rossi for instructions on arranging delivery to a nearby church. Due to COVID-19, every delivery must be arranged in advance, and there are multiple sites throughout the diocese. 

Care bags should be sealed backpacks or other lightweight, portable bag with: 

• Toiletries: a comb, shampoo/conditioner, soap, toothbrush/paste, deodorant, moisturizer, sunscreen, paper tissues, disposable razor, toilet tissue, sanitary supplies, diapers  
• COVID-19 protection: gel hand sanitizer, sanitizing wipes, mask, disposable gloves  
• First Aid items: Band-Aids, Tylenol, Aspirin
• Food: protein bars, nuts, dried fruit, water, chocolate, gum, tea bags  
• Clothing: underwear, socks, t-shirt, hat/cap  

Also consider: 

• Pet food and supplies: cans of dog/cat food, small bags dog/cat kibble, cat litter  
• Other items: Books for adults/children; coloring books/crayons/pens; playing cards; puzzles  
• Gift cards: Safeway, Walgreens, CVS, etc. 

Second, support fire relief.  

To donate, visit gracecathedral.org/GiveToGrace and under fund, select “Fire Relief.” All donations will be shared among the dedicated fire relief funds in affected dioceses (Northern California, El Camino Real and Los Angeles).  

Third, take care of yourself.

Dust off your own emergency plans. Don’t aim for perfection, aim for what you can do this week. Just a little. And then make a date with yourself and your household to come back to those plans within the month. Don’t know where to begin? Ready.gov offers extensive, free resources; so does the Red Cross.

Stock up on healthy coping mechanisms. Join the Rev. Heather Erickson and Anna Rossi in Self-Care for Resilience: Breathwork and Holistic Wellness. The 45-minute experiential program uses basic breath work and wellness practices to use in times of crisis or heightened anxiety.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to love, refresh and serve our neighbors in distress.  

May the God of Hope fill us with compassion 
and strengthen us to be Christ’s hands 
for the healing of the world. 

The Rev. Anna E. Rossi is the Succentor at Grace Cathedral.