Dear Friends:
What I am about to share might offend some of you. I apologize in advance. Yet I need to express these feelings with all the honesty, love and attempted grace that I can muster.
Clearly for over half our country, the result of our most recent election does not appear to be a sad one; and therefore, for me or for any of us to speak of grieving as a community rings a little hollow. That is how a democracy is supposed to work. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you don’t.
Most of us have experienced this part of democracy over the years. Yet this particular 2024 election feels profoundly different. Never before in my lifetime has there been such division, acrimony, disinformation, misinformation and distrust.
As a result, like many on both sides of the election, I find myself listing all the many strange and sad scenarios that could play out over the coming four years and beyond.
But most discouraging of all, for me, is this: when we place a president in the highest, most important office in the world, we send a message. We now have sent a stark one. We just elected for a second time a man who openly expresses hatred, embraces bullying, flaunts his immorality, struts his lack of ethics, personifies an absence of compassion, and parades his prejudice. He incited an insurrection, refused a peaceful transition of power, duped his followers into believing he won an election he lost, had two different affairs while his third wife was caring for their infant son, and is a convicted felon.
All of this we used to condemn and are still supposed to find deeply concerning. Now these very traits and actions seem to have been rewarded. I realize it is not this simple. I know that many in this majority of voting Americans cast their ballots for a variety of reasons.
Yet our election results have sent a message around the world. Regardless of intent, Donald Trump's behavior, attitude and perspective is now victorious. And he will remind us of this perceived truth repeatedly. He and those around him will flaunt his win at every turn. Further, rising generations will view this lifestyle, political strategy and worldview as how to “win.” Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I still believe that character matters, that how we live our lives in public and in private offers a testimony to those around us. So for this and much more, I am sad, dismayed, and discouraged.
Yet, democracy worked. The people have spoken. Our election was free and fair. And while the American experiment looks and feels much different today than it did two weeks ago, life goes on. For us, we still have an essential calling. As we move forward, ministry remains vital, now more than ever. Therefore:
We shall hope, work and live redemptively: For like Esther and Mordechai, it is indeed for such a time as this that we can rise to our true and most essential calling. Like those first struggling followers Jesus called and discipled, we are to be light as well as refuge, prophetic as well as comforting, supportive as well as brave.
In spite of this current strangeness, we must also be steadfast. We need each other, just as our community, nation and world needs a place like our church now, more than ever.
I am honored to be your pastor. And I look forward to serving with each of you in these hard very important days.
Thank you for allowing me to share my feelings.
Love,
David
David Jordan
Senior Pastor