A Message from Pastor Kaji

October 24th,2024 Categories: Weekly Letter

Dear Church:

We are a mere 11 days from the monumental election before us. As I continue to say, as a community, we are committed to the civic process, to the fairness of elections, and to full engagement in voting and keeping our elected officials accountable. Part of this means paying attention to what’s on the ballot. Beyond the national races, we have many important downballot issues, as well. I encourage you to do two things: make your election plan, and once you do, find four more people to do the same. Plans include:

+ ensuring you’re registered, which you can do here https://www.vote.org/am-i-registered-to-vote/ 

+ noting when voting opens, which you can do here https://www.nycvotes.org/how-to-vote/

+ deciding where and when you will vote (check your polling station and its hours) & put it on your calendar

+ get to know the candidates and ballot initiatives https://www.vote411.org/plan-your-vote

+ in NY, learn about Proposition 1 https://www.nycvotes.org/whats-on-the-ballot/2024-state-and-federal-general-election/2024-ballot-proposals/ballot-proposal-1/

As your pastor, it’s not my role to tell you who to vote for. But I can implore you to vote the values we hold as a community, like protecting human rights, reproductive justice, ending the wars and all violence – including in our communities, equality, protecting democracy, welcoming immigrants, resisting mass incarceration, and… what else? Let’s talk about it! 

This Sunday, I’d love to invite us to come together immediately after worship for a 30-minute conversation on voting values. Again, we’re not advocating for any particular candidate or initiative. But we will talk about the values we hold as people of faith when we make these decisions. Due to the sensitivity of the topic, it will only be available in-person, so please do join us! As you prepare for the conversation, I encourage you to come with your completed voting plan. Of course, most people present won’t have one, so don’t worry if you don’t, either! It will just enrich our conversation if a few of us know a bit more about what’s happening. The final piece of preparation I would suggest is to read Matthew 25:31+.

Clearly, all of this is grounded in our very, very important worship for Sunday. We will observe All Saints this Sunday, which is our annual commemoration of our departed loved ones and all who have died. When you arrive to worship, you will find a piece of paper on which you can write the names of the people you would like to remember, and we will name them in a special time of prayer. Some people like to bring photos or mementos of your loved ones. If you arrive before worship begins, you are most welcome to come and place that on the altar. Or you can hold it close. However you choose to enter the moment, let us surround you with our love and prayer. 

I can’t wait to see you in church this Sunday! 

Pax Christi,
Pastor Kaji

SCRIPTURE
Matthew 27:50–56 (Year B, p. 297):

50 Jesus cried again with a loud voice and relinquished his spirit. 51 Then, look! The curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom in two. And the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split. 52 And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. 53 Then after his resurrection they came out of the tombs and entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54 Now when the centurion and those with him, who were standing guard over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were terrified and said, “Truly this man was God’s Son!”
55 Now there were many women there, from a distance watching; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had ministered to him. 56 Among them were Mary the Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.