Does Election Day Communion Still Matter? with Andrew Camp | Episode 207

Election Day Communion was an effort started by two Mennonite pastors and an Episcopal layperson in 2012. to try to bring people together on Election Day. The hope was after people voted, they would come and gather at the communion table. Subsequent events took place in 2016 and 2020. But the Facebook Page for Election Day Communion was not updated for 2024. After January 6 and the rise of Christian Nationalism, is there still a place for this event?

Andrew Camp, says yes and joins me to say why. Camp is both a former pastor and a former sous chef interested in the connection between food and faith and you can see those in connections in action on his podcast The Biggest Table.

Suggested Reading and Listening:

The Biggest Table Podcast

Election Day Communion Resources

Related Episodes:

A Journey of Faith and Food with Andrew Camp | Episode 183

Election Year Christianity with Doug Skinner | Episode 201

Beyond the Purple Church with Jack Haberer | Episode 194

The Cross and the Ballot with Joshua Gritter | Episode 182

Links:

Donate: Venmo- @churchandmainpod |TipTopJar- https://tiptopjar.com/electricparson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/churchandmain

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/churchandmainpod/

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@churchandmainpod

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@churchmainpodcast

Substack: https://churchandmain.substack.com/

Website: https://churchandmain.org/

[0:00] Do you remember Election Day Communion? Does it still make sense today? That's coming up!
[0:06] Music.
[0:32] Hello, everyone, and welcome to Church in Maine, a podcast for people interested in seeing where faith, politics, and culture intersect. I'm Dennis Sanders, your host. And yeah, that intro music sounds familiar because it is familiar. It actually was the intro that I used maybe up until about a year ago, and then I was playing around with some other music, and I just kind of felt like it made sense to go back to, I thought, what works. That intro song really worked well. And so it's back, just to let you know.
[1:13] So as I said before, I'm Dennis Sanders, your host, and I want to take you back in time, Maybe about 12, well, about 12 years ago. Think back to maybe late October, early November 2012. The nation is gearing up for the presidential election. And that year was between former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama. And maybe you were like me and you were poking around online and you saw something that was called Election Day Communion, and that kind of piqued your interest.
[1:53] And you kind of go to the website and you find out this was an effort that was started by two Mennonite pastors and an Episcopal layperson, and it was really to try to bring people together on Election Day. And the hope was that after people voted on Election Day, people would come together and gather around the communion table. The website for that first event is actually still up. And I was just kind of poking around the site and it says this in the large font. On Tuesday evening, November 6th, make a choice to remember. Let's meet at the Lord's table. Let's remember together. There were a lot of churches around the nation from all different kind of traditions. So you have from more evangelical to more mainline churches that took part in this event back in 2012.
[2:49] A similar event, Election Day Communion, continued into 2016. And in that year, the church where I'm a pastor took part. We did it with Presbyterian Church down the road. Um, and so we did that actually, we did, didn't do it on election day. We did it the day before. Um, but you know, that was something I was glad to take part of. Um, the election day communion Facebook page shows and tells me that there were events happening in 2020 as well.
[3:22] Um, it was interesting when I did recently look at the Facebook page for election day communion, the last events were in 2020. Um, there is nothing as far as I know, at least the people behind it are not doing anything this year. My guess is that the January 6th storming of the U S Capitol and the rise of Christian nationalism has pretty much put to rest any notion that people who might vote differently could actually come together around the communion table. Now that has not stopped people from trying again. A fellow podcaster, Andrew Kemp, talked with another pastor who is doing Election Day Communion. And Andrew decided he was actually going to share some resources. He actually talked about the fact that he did Election Day Communion himself in 2016 and again in 2020. And so he decided he got some resources from the original Election Day Communion website and put it on his website. so that churches could host their own election day communion service.
[4:37] I've been kind of thinking a lot about Election Day communion, and it makes me wonder, you know, in a time now, it seems like, of rising political polarization, the polarization that we may have talked about in 2012 was a picnic compared to, it seems like, what we're dealing with now, where, you know, we don't really think that the other side is simply wrong, but evil. There is, you know, we're all worried of political violence that might happen on, in and around election day. Um, there's a fear that the election results will not be accepted by the losing side. And so you keep wondering, can we still do something like election day communion? Election day this year is only a few days away. Uh, when I'm, I'm recording this, late Wednesday evening on October 30th. So it's now almost five days away. Is it still possible that we can break bread together? To be honest, I'm going to be totally honest. I'm not so certain.
[5:42] So I talked to Andrew Camp about his experience with election day communion in both 2016 and 2020. And so I really wanted to share my doubts, I guess, with him and wonder if there is still room for this today. Camp is both a former pastor and a former sous chef. He's interested in the connection between food and faith. And you see that on his own podcast, The Biggest Table. So I really hope that you join me in this important discussion, because I think it is important, especially as we are entering into this momentous time.
[6:22] It might make sense to wonder, can we still gather at the communion table? So, please join me in this important conversation with Andrew Camp.
[6:34] Music.
[6:52] Andrew, thank you for coming back. to chat with me today about Election Day Communion. Yeah, it's great to be back with you, Dennis. Really appreciate the invitation. So maybe kind of the first thing to kind of talk about is... Well, you kind of know a little bit about Election Day Communion. It started maybe about 2012, I think, was the first time it came out. Right. But I wanted to find out a little bit about your experience of doing it. What led you to do it when you did it back in 2016? I know you're not doing it this year.
[7:30] But to kind of talk about that, what did it feel like for you? Why did you do it? And kind of start there. Yeah, no, I heard about it through the book Slow Church, written by Chris Smith and John Patterson. I think that's the co-author's name. But they mentioned it, and the book came out 10 years ago, so it was right leading up to the 2016 election. And it sort of grabbed my attention as I've thought about the intersection of food and faith.
[8:04] You know, I realized the table and the Lord's Supper, whatever we want to call it, right, has a grounding effect that I think can spur more than just a cracker on a Sunday if we have time. Being raised in the white evangelical church, that's how communion sometimes was treated.
[8:26] And so it was more just as I thought about how do we disciple our people through an election season? Is there a space to come together and remember who we are in Christ? Like, I think voting's important. I think politics have their place. But how do we make sure we're grounding our identity not in the politics of Democrat versus Republican, but in the politics of Jesus's kingdom? And so it just was really this idea like, okay like here's an opportunity to do something um and try something different and so yeah we tried it out in 2016 um not knowing what to expect but it was i think it was a really cool experience it was laid relaxed um there was a sense of worship and people engaging and we you know structured the you know there was there was a very tight script i followed because i didn't want to say anything that wouldn't lead to people thinking about Jesus, right? Or just laying aside our political differences for a moment and saying, okay, here's who we are in Christ. And so we did it in 2016.
[9:37] And as 2020 rolled along in the midst of COVID and everything like that, we were fortunate enough to be able to be meeting. And so we did it again in 2020. But the cool thing in 2020 is we had hired a Latino pastor, a Spanish-speaking pastor, to lead us. And so we did it bilingual that evening, which I think was even more like, crazy in a good way right like you know we're we're doing it simultaneously in english and spanish um for the first time ever at mountain life church in park city it was the first bilingual service ever you know and so here we are on election night ravaged by politics and we're we're saying no we're going to come together as english speakers and spanish speakers and celebrate who, who Jesus is, you know, and be at his table together. Um, you know, and, and that was, I think even more cool just cause, um, the Spanish speaking pastor Ruben, um, and his wife had become really close friends. And so just to be there on the stage together and say, Hey, here's who we want to be as a church. And here's who we want to be as a people. And like, we're going to fight for this and not, you know, divisiveness and partisan politics.
[11:03] Hi, this is one of the things I probably should have asked earlier, but can you tell me a little bit about the church you were, where that church was that you were serving at? Yeah. And then also, were there people during that time that were voting for either candidate, both in 2016 and 2020? Yeah, so this was in Park City, Utah, and it was part of the Evangelical Free Church of America. You know, in Park City, Utah, it's a mountain resort town.
[11:32] We always joke that it was the black sheep of Utah, that all seven Democrats of Utah live there. Just, you know, Utah's obvious, you know, with the Church of Latter-day Saints, it's very conservative. But they also had some hesitations on Trump. I will give them credit. The LDS church has always.
[11:53] You know, at least raise concerns, you know, but Park City is a very wealthy town. Sundance Film Festival happens there every year. You know, when we left, the median home price was $2.1 million.
[12:09] So it's very wealthy and on that side, very white. But then because it's a mountain in resort town, you have all the service workers. And so despite the high price of housing, you had 20% of the population was Latino, which, you know, that's a big population. And so as we're realizing this, you know, we had some Spanish speakers come to the church. I don't know why, only by God's goodness to us you know like there's no reason they should have stepped foot in our church but they did and through their advocacy and their resilience you know the church, um hired a latino pastor to reach the spanish speaking you know and and to make us a multi-ethnic church um and so so yeah that was we he came on board in 2019 um, And so, but yeah, it was, and we had, we did have some people voting Democrat, you know, the vast majority, obviously being an evangelical white church, like the vast majority were, registered Republican.
[13:31] But there were people in, you know, myself who's registered Democrat. So So like, you know, we were a small minority and probably quiet at many times for various reasons, obviously. But yeah, so there, I think there was enough that people were, weren't sure. And so, yeah, I still think it was worthwhile. Even if, and I will say this, even if your church is highly either Republican or Democrat, at like politics still forms us you know like there's all those memes out there now that like an hour sermon isn't going to change 20 hours of cable news um and so like we still need, regardless of your church's meanings and everything i think the church still needs these times around the table to remember who we are and why we do what we do.
[14:29] And you know i'm kind of curious also with your background as a chef and we've talked before about tables yeah and kitchen tables and communion tables what did this experience mean to you not just as a pastor but also as a chef which is also of something that's centered at a table right that's a good question what did it mean.
[15:06] It's hard to recall the exact feelings now you know eight and four years ago but i do remember.
[15:14] Like it was a worshipful experience. Like I was able to enter in, you know, many times as a pastor, I'm sure you can relate, Dennis. We were leading so many people that we're, it doesn't minister to me or, you know, like, or I, you know, my encounter with Jesus feels very different or what, you know, for good or for bad, what, you know, but I remember on those nights, it just felt right and holy, you know, and quiet. Like my soul was able to quiet down, you know? And so I think, yeah, it reminded me what is possible. Like if we center the table, I think there's more that we can do than by just focusing, for lack of a better word, by making the, if when the table is centered, I think there is so much more potential for people to be reminded and enlivened than when maybe the pulpit is centered, when it's just passive reception versus an engagement of body, you know, and bumping into each other, you know. And so I don't know. It just, yeah, I just remember it being like, no, this was good. This is worthwhile to do.
[16:40] And did you have this like maybe the sunday before or actually the day of the communion or day of election or yeah we did it on the day of election um i think we did it both both years we did it for an hour we tried to keep it at an hour service um but from like six to seven or 6 30 to 7 30 um you know right close to when people.
[17:00] Music. you know, and so, yeah, no, it's on, we did it very intentionally on election day, you know, and beginning the service by saying, hey, for the next hour, put your phones away, like silence them, turn them off. Do not, you know, do what you need to do so that like we're not distracted by, you know, polls and who's winning and not. And, yeah. So one of the questions that i have also now you know it's 2024.
[17:02] Are getting off of work you know and the The polls are closing,
[17:41] Um it feels like and and this is what what has kind of fascinated me about election day communion when it was started in 2012 um, A lot has changed, it seems, and it feels like in some ways it's been another universe.
[18:05] Our politics has become more coarser. I think we are far more divided than we were in even 2016. The stakes feel higher. This past week, the biggest news was John Kelly, who was one of the, I think it was the first or second chief of staff for Donald Trump, basically said he fits the definition of a fascist. And it feels like the whole point of election day communion when it came out was to bring people from differing sides together to remember that they are centered at the communion table. That seems a little hard when we're saying that one of our candidates is basically aligned with some of the worst leaders in the world, in history, in human history. So is there still a need for election day communion, or are we past it? I mean, can we really bring people together at the communion table when it feels like the stakes are this high?
[19:28] I want to say yes. that it is still possible and needed. But I say that, you know, and you and I were talking briefly before we started recording, that I'm not pastoring a church. I don't have the skin in the game like you do, Dennis, or maybe some of your listeners do. And so, like, I can talk about it theoretically, you know, and optimistically, you know, I don't have... Um, but I still think it's necessary and will one night change anything? No, like I'm not going to, you know, I'm not naive enough to think that one election day communion service is going to rid ourselves and rid my, rid any congregation of the, the divide. And, um.
[20:22] But I also think like, as I've thought about this time with you, um, the question that I keep coming back to is like, if, you know, for me registered as a Democrat, you know, if Donald Trump walked into my church and asked to receive communion, would I offer it to him? And I have to say, if he's honestly, earnestly there, yes. Like, who am I to deny Jesus to that person? And it goes sort of back to Miroslav Volf's work on exclusion and embrace, and that the will to embrace begins without any prior judgment, except for recognizing their humanity. And so regardless of a person's voting, regardless of a person's stance, we're humans created in God's image.
[21:25] Who are in desperate need of Jesus, and our world is in desperate need of something, and a bigger vision, and a new imagination for what might be possible. And so, I think it's still needed, and I think it's more needed than ever, but I think it also takes a lot more work. Um you know and it takes.
[21:54] Yeah i was just emailing with a pastor friend who's who deals with a lot and you know i just asked him how he's doing leading up to election he's like i have anxiety feels like some ptsd you know and his church has been through the reener um and i sympathize with that you know And I realize how hard this election season is for people in the trenches with God's people. So I'm not naive, but I also would hope that as pastors, we're in this to help shepherd people into something different. And that means doing that hard work of being secure in myself, to be able to offer communion to whoever walks in the door. So yeah, I think it is necessary, but it's a valid question, and it's a question I think we all have to wrestle with and come to grips with. And if a pastor is like, hey, I just don't have the space or energy, it's just the season has torn me down, you know, and I'm in need of receiving communion, you know. Then don't. Take care of your soul. Please, don't do something that's going to break you even more.
[23:17] Music.
[23:25] Help our people? How do we help as Christians, regardless of whether you're a pastor or whether you're a lay leader or just a person who sits in the pews, how do we help people see something different in the world that is ravaged by divide?
[23:40] Music.
[23:48] How do you see this event? And I know you talked to someone recently who is going to do this event. And you also offered on your website some resources for Election Day communion to make available. One of the things that I am curious about, because I was chatting with someone who was kind of instrumental and starting all this, is about the connection or response to Christian nationalism, which, coming from my background in mainline Christianity, is not as big a deal. It's a big deal for evangelicals, especially a lot of evangelical pastors.
[24:42] Music.
[24:42] Do you see election day communion as a way of a response to that or to response to christian nationalism absolutely um and that's why i think you know, it is so important and i think it it goes both ways like i think um all of our identity can be wrapped up into something other than than jesus right like that's the great temptation is um for all of us and but like.
[25:18] Music.
[25:31] How do we show a different way and help our people see, you know, something different, but also still extending Jesus? You know, again, like, chances are, if there's a white evangelical pastor listening to this, which I'm assuming there might be, and he does this sermon, or does something election day, communion, or offers communion in the next couple weeks, even post-election, like, you're going to have christian nationalists across the spectrum probably in your congregation you know and so how do we still extend the peace of christ to them um you know you and i were talking briefly about like um theology beer camp you know which i was just at um and the closing thing they did is they did communion um and we offered communion and i was there to help just.
[26:29] Distribute the elements so people could receive communion. And they asked us every time, you know, they received the bread and then when they dipped it either in the grape juice or the wine, we uttered these words over them of you belong, you are loved, and you are called to love. And people had name tags on, so if I could see their name, I would try to say their name just because I think the saying of the name is important. But to say those words, to say, Dennis, you belong, you are loved, and you are called to love, was one of the most beautiful experiences I've had in two years. Because we're all searching for that. And to be, regardless of whether you're a Christian nationalist or whether you're a communist, right? Like, you know...
[27:28] We are loved, you know, and we belong at this table and we are called to love. And so I think I want those words spoken over me every day, you know, each time I receive the body and blood of Jesus. And so to speak those words over a Christian nationalist, if I know they're Christian nationalists or not can still maybe put a small crack in their defenses and say okay wait this this is still a place where i'm loved and so when things come crashing down they don't run away from the church but maybe they say oh the church andrew or dennis spoke those words over to me and i can now go back to Dennis and say, Dennis, help me figure this out.
[28:25] I don't know. Whatever we can do to help people belong and feel the love of Jesus, it's got to be worth it. That's where I have this burning, like, yes, something's got to change. And if the church can reimagine and look towards a better future like you know and rid itself of its idols you know on the left and the right like, um like yes something's got to change and i think again if we center the lord's table, and teach our people about the table and you know what this means and what what can happen and what belonging it is like, is there hope? I want to say yes. Yeah, I think one of the things that I've been thinking about a lot lately is identity.
[29:33] And there's a lot of talking about how in our day and age, how we kind of stack identities so that if we, especially with politics, we can find someone, we can just then assume everything else is the same. And that's a way of trying to keep people separated.
[29:59] And I think that that is a hard, I think what the challenge is these days is that we're fighting this kind of, on the one hand, we're all kind of drawn to this stacked identity. And this is who you are. And I think our theology tells us and our faith tells us that each person is created as a child of God and has unique gifts and struggles and all of that. But it feels like We're kind of battling up against this, and it's really hard in our culture today that is so tribalized, and because, again, it feels like the stakes are higher, to see that. It feels like that's all clouded, and it's just much easier to just kind of put ourselves in different camps and say, this person is not worth it. And so it makes that whole—not that I think it's impossible to do Election Day communion, but it seems like it's harder because people just—there isn't a desire of seeing someone as a child of God.
[31:25] And that's for both sides. I'm not blaming one side over the other. No and i think yeah and obviously the right and christian nationalists have done more harm for the name of jesus um you know and i uh but yeah you're right it is hard and our identities are that but like nobody's gonna nobody's saying in this tribalized society hey i really feel like i belong and I'm happy, you know, like we hate it and we're forced into it, you know, and yet we know like it's not producing the belonging we want. And again, that's where I think centering the table, and maybe it doesn't start as an election day communion, but like could people, could Jesus followers.
[32:17] Music.
[32:26] Who voted differently? Like, could you just invite people into your home and have a dinner and sit around a table? Because if there's one thing I think, like, I think when we're sitting at a table or we're at a table together, we can't demonize the other. And does it take a lot of internal, I'm not going to say fortitude because I don't like that word, internal strength, you know, and work of the spirit in me in prayer and you know the self-work i need to do to be secure in who i am yes right like when i got to talk to caleb campbell on my podcast who's written, about christian nationalism and how do we love christian nationalists like this pastor you know caleb's done a lot of hard work but he he pointed out and the thing that stuck with me is like 98 of the work of loving others begins in me like you know and so i think how do we be the bigger person you know like like you said it's easy to succumb to to the societal forces that want to rip us apart you know and easy to get into name calling and bickering um but like i think.
[33:39] Music. I can't change capitalism, I can't change the party politics, but I can look at my neighborhood maybe a little differently.
[33:43] Can i do something different like i can't change the tribalism,
[34:02] Music.
[34:22] What message do you think you would want to give to a pastor that might be thinking of doing something—maybe it's not on election day, it could be before, it could be after—but they want to do something that is bringing people to the.
[34:37] Music.
[34:40] Communion table to kind of show that politics—that our faith is more than politics. What advice would you give?
[34:55] Music. But also, I think don't do it from a place of exhaustion or anger, too. Like, and if you're in that place, take the weeks to rest, like.
[35:04] I would say try it. Do something.
[35:32] But do it from a place of like, Hey, like here's something I can do and show, um, are people a better way or just maybe a glimpse, right? Like, um, I've always thought of, I don't know if we talked about this before, but like, I've always thought of the Lord's table as like an amuse-bouche to the kingdom of God. Like an amuse-bouche is the first bite of a great meal, right like it's supposed to enliven the palette um and so like as because the the politics the bickering the partisanship is not going away after november 5th like it's we may not even know for a couple weeks who won right like it's there's that potential that we're gonna have to live in this, crazy tension you know and jesus help us that nobody does something stupid right like, um for a couple weeks and so like what how do we in the midst of the unknown in the midst of the uncertainty like what will it mean to shepherd god's people um and to show them a different way, and to talk a different way um i don't think it's going to be easy but i think that's.
[36:51] What's needed you know and then just to encourage encourage small dinners maybe it's a pastor you know if you're a pastor and you're listening to this i'm guessing you know somebody in your congregation who has given you hell for the past you know however many months like could you have them over for dinner like could you start there um.
[37:13] That's a huge step i realized but maybe could you forge a friendship with them over dinner, yeah.
[37:29] Yeah, I think that is hopefully where it can begin. And I don't know, I do hope that that can happen, where we can have these meetings that maybe start at the communion table but continue to the kitchen table and beyond and can kind of move us towards seeing one another. Well, literally, to be able to see one another. I feel we aren't doing that these days. No, and I realize, again, I speak as a white, middle-class, evangelical person, right? And so elections have never felt high stakes to me. And so I don't wrestle it with people of color or minorities or people on the fringes, right? Like it's not a, like, and so that's where I recognize, like, I'm speaking from a different place than your perspective, Dennis. And, you know, it might be easier for me to say these things. So, yeah, I want to own that, that, like, you know.
[38:52] I don't know how to feel during this election. And I realize it's not easy, but I'd love to hear your challenges. As I've shared what I've shared, I'd love to hear your response of like, hey, Andrew, that sounds great. So yeah, I just want to own that too. Well, you know, I do want to see. When I think about the high stakes it's not even just from my viewpoint you know as an African American but just as a nation, as a people, the future of our country and society.
[39:36] And I want to find ways and I think it's hard in our day and age because so much of our society is set up to, judge each other, to look at the other side and say that they're not simply maybe misguided, not simply wrong, but that they're evil. And some of the language that has transpired that really denies people's humanity. Right. And so I believe that having something that can bring us together is important. I think where I sometimes worry is, is it too late? Are we so dug in on whatever side that we're on that it's impossible for us to see kind of our God-given, God-givenness inside each other. And you had said something earlier about if Donald Trump came to, would you give him communion?
[41:00] I will be honest, that is something that I struggle with for reasons. And I see the value of it. I see the importance of it. I think it isn't necessary, but I worry sometimes that the environment that we're in, that either A, it may not be the time, or B, that it seems like we're beyond the point of trying. And that doesn't mean that you don't do it. I do think that there is some value in it um but i guess i kind of missed the days of eight or 12 years ago because it didn't seem so bad then right back yeah no that's fair um yeah uh because it hasn't gotten easier you know, 2016 feels way longer than eight years ago. And so, so no, it is something I think we as leaders, Christian leaders have to think through. And what is this.
[42:18] Music.
[42:42] For me personally. But I think about that issue and about race, but I think about it from a global perspective as well. And I don't know. I think I am not optimistic these days, but I try to remain hopeful. Those are two different ways of being. No, there are. Absolutely.
[43:11] Music. Well, as we kind of wrap things up, do you have any final thoughts, any words of advice, words of hope?
[43:14] I love that.
[43:26] Music. I don't know. like those three phrases from theology beer camp just keep coming back to me you know and i'm only you know it's only been a week too right so it's fresh in my mind but like you belong you are loved.
[43:29] Words of hope.
[43:50] Music.
[44:27] Am, Jesus still says, Andrew, you belong, you are loved, and you are called to love. And that invitation remains open for the world and for whoever walks through, you know, walks into a church or walks into a home. I would hope that they can in some small way experience that message. If people want to find out a little bit more about you where can they go um yeah i still you know i'm still hosting the biggest table podcast um which has been a joy and excited about some more future conversations and um stuff and then i also have a website i've started that i'm hopefully you know to continue to expand but it's andrewdavidcamp.com, and then I'm on social medias and stuff but yeah I would love to connect with anybody and yeah just hoping right you know I think that's all we can do, it is well Andrew thank you so much for coming back on the podcast I hope to have you back here again soon I love it Dennis it's always love talking to you.
[45:51] Music.
[46:20] So I'm kind of curious what you all thought about the conversation. I'm curious if you're going to be hosting an Election Day communion service or if not Election Day communion, something similar. There are different services that people are doing. I'm really interested in that. Drop me a line. You can send me an email at churchinmain at substack.com. I put links for the resources for Election Day communion that Andrew has put on his website. Um and just to let you know my church is kind of doing that we are having a what i call uh election eve communion service on november 3rd on sunday so it's kind of taking place during our sunday worship service um.
[47:08] Where we will kind of talk about the centrality of the communion table it's kind of important for me, of course, because my tradition in the Christian Church of Disciples of Christ really does put that centrality on the table. And I still wonder if it makes sense in this day and age as we're trying, you know, can we still come together? And the only thing that I can say is that I think in the face of all of the division, in the face of the fear that we may all have.
[47:51] Maybe even with the rise of things like Christian nationalism, maybe it still makes some sense to try to reach out. Maybe it's still sense to bring people to the communion table, even people that we don't agree with.
[48:08] Because I think if we give up on that, That says a lot that does not speak to the witness of the church. And maybe sometimes the witness of the church has to be even in the uncertain and what seem to be dark times that we can still break bread.
[48:29] That seems crazy. But, of course, we also seem to put our faith in a poor guy from a poor region of the Roman Empire, who we believe also came back to life, rose from the dead, and has forgiven our sins. So, you know, there you go. So this Sunday, my church will be doing this as an act of faith. They don't know that yet, but it is an act of faith to see that we still trust in a God that brings everyone to the table. Even those that we don't agree with.
[49:17] So, as I said, there are several resources going to be available in the show notes. If you wanted to learn more about the podcast listen to past episodes check us out at churchandmaine.org you can also donate there donating would be very helpful to help cover some of the cost of excuse me getting this episode up and running and you can also go to churchandmaine.substack.com to read related articles i hope that you would consider subscribing to the podcast and your favorite podcast app and leave a review and that will help others find the podcast so that is it for this episode of church in maine uh thank you so much for listening take care everyone godspeed and i will see you very soon.
[50:06] Music.