When I was young, I went with my mother to vote. Her polling place was in an elementary school \u2013 my elementary school \u2013 and I was fascinated to see the cafeteria with its tables pushed aside and the gray metal voting machines taking their place. My mother showed me how to pull the large lever with its red handle to close the curtain around the voting machine. (Whenever I watch The Wizard of Oz scene with the wizard manipulating the curtain around him, I think of that old voting machine.)<\/p>\n
My mother pointed out to me the candidates and questions on the ballot and showed me how the tiny levers indicated for whom or what she was voting.<\/p>\n
Finally I was allowed to pull the large red-handled lever once again to open the curtain and record her vote. The lever made a satisfactory thumping sound \u2013 a sound of completion, a sound of a job that has been completed, an opportunity taken, a vote recorded.<\/p>\n
Sadly, by the time I reached college and was old enough to vote myself, there were no more metal voting machines with their large red-handled levers. Instead, I filled in circles on a bar-coded piece of cardstock with a black pen. When I was finished and slid my ballot into the machine, it didn\u2019t seem quite as satisfactory. There was no noise.<\/p>\n
But then\u2026but then just as I exited the door from my polling place, there was something more. There was a person standing at the door who handed me a sticker. The sticker said, “I voted.”<\/p>\n
This will do! This will mark the event! This will let the world know that an opportunity has been taken, a vote has been recorded in my name!
Last week, Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, The Reverend Elizabeth Eaton issued a statement for election day which reminds us that “We are called to participate in our nation\u2019s electoral process as one way God works through us to love and serve the neighbor (Matthew 22:39). Our vote is a choice about what will make our society a more just, more whole community where human dignity is honored and rights are upheld.”<\/p>\n
Voting is one way we live our values as Christians. Voting is one way we exercise discernment. If you haven\u2019t already voted, after you go to the polls tomorrow, wear your sticker proudly \u2013 “I voted.”<\/p>\n
In Christ,
\nPastor Jen<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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