We believe it is time to pray and act. We are sending a thoughtful letter to our President Elect. It is a letter of hope and healing. This is not a political letter, but a respectful, healing, Christian, Gospel based correspondence. We are committing to pray for President Elect Trump, his family and his administration. We will pray in our liturgy, homes and churches. We also ask in the letter that he does something that fulfills part of our baptismal covenant. Something that we as Christians can agree on.
We ask that he publicly condemn all acts of hate, violence, aggression or intimidation that are occurring and to use his office and voice to condemn the underlying hate that has arisen in our country. No judgments and no politics, just condemn the violence. We will pray every day and each day send the letter with additional names until President Elect Trump finds it in his heart to make the statement. We ask you sign on to the letter of hope and healing. It is our prayer that our brothers and sisters from all denominations will join us in this request.
Dear President Elect Trump,
We are the people of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania. We value our commonwealth's heritage as the birthplace of the United States of America founded on the principles of equality and justice for all. As our new President Elect, we want you to know that we are now praying and will continue to pray for you. We will pray for you in our liturgy, churches and homes. We are the Bishop, Clergy, and Laity of the Diocese. We are Republicans, Democrats, Independents and other "political" parties. We comprise a cross section of America; we are a variety of political beliefs and opinions. We are those who voted for you and those who did not. Although we are diverse, we share in an unshakable common faith in the transformative and life-giving power of Jesus Christ.
As you are a professed follower of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we believe you have empathy in your heart and want the best for our nation and the people of the United States. Thus, we ask that you affirmatively and unequivocally condemn any instance of hate, violence, intimidation, harassment, aggression against any of our brothers and sisters with whom we share this country. We are asking that this be done through a public pronouncement.
President Elect Trump, we want you to publicly condemn violence, acts of hate or aggression against women, minorities, the poor, disabled, veterans, the unemployed, immigrants, those of different religions and beliefs, those who are gay, transgender, or the working poor. While the words of division used during this campaign caused deep angst and pain, we believe in redemption and goodness. Thus, we seek your voice. This is not policy pronouncement nor a political statement. It is a covenant with the people of our nation.
We are Christians that recite a baptismal covenant to pray, resist evil, repent and return to the Lord. We proclaim by word and example the Good News of Jesus Christ and seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor as ourselves. We strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being. As our President, we ask you do the same.
As followers of Jesus Christ in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, we will pray for you. We will pray that God will bless you, protect you, and give you wisdom, patience, discernment, health, and love. We will pray for each member of your family. We will pray for your cabinet and your administration. We also need your voice. Stand against hate and discrimination.
This is who we are as Americans of whom you are the President-Elect. Each day we will pray for you; and if the declaration we have hopefully asked of you has not been made, we will continue to pray for you and for our country. However, we will seek the voices of our brothers and sisters of all races, religions, and belief to join us in this request. We will pray daily and write to you daily until hatred or hate-filled violence no longer exists.
President-Elect Trump the time is now and while we pray, we await your voice.
The Rt. Revd. Daniel G. P. Gutierrez XVI Bishop of The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania
The Rev. Canon Shawn Wamsley Deborah Stambaugh James Stambaugh The Rev. Deacon Karen Kamaskis Fr. Ian Montgomery Suzanne Gutierrez The Rev. Timothy Safford The Rev. Michael Ruk The Rev. Jon Clodfelter The Rev. Mariclair Partee The Rev. Samuel Murangi The Rev. Michael Rau The Rev. Dean Judith Sullivan The Rev. Deacon Phil Geliebter The Rev. Kirk Berlenbach The Rev. Anne Thatcher The Rev. Frank Allen The Rev. Dr. Martini Shaw Patricia Smith Aaron Skrypski The Rev. Catherine D. Kerr The Rev. Deacon Ken McCaslin The Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining The Rev. Maryjo Melberger
The Rev. Deacon Pat Rubenstein Eric Rabe Norm McCausland
