I don’t want to bum you out, but there is a fact that I think we all need to face: this is a presidential election year.

The Iowa caucus made it a little more real, didn’t it?

You may have, and I say this utterly sincerity, some post-traumatic stress from the presidential election of 2016. For many people in our congregation, the outcome was a shock, and worries about what would happen over the next 4 years dominated our thoughts for … well, for the next 4 years. All of the feelings about what happened that term, and our fears about what could happen again could have the effect of freezing us in our tracks, and making us want to avoid thinking about it at all costs.

But we have work to do.

Not just work on the election itself, (and I admire all of you who work to get people registered to vote, volunteer in local precincts, block walk for candidates, etc.) but work here at home, in our congregation. What we know from the past is that when the political scene is scary, when we feel our deepest-held values are in danger, that is when we discover that we are not alone.

After that Tuesday, November 8, 2016, new people poured into ours and other Unitarian Universalist congregations. (Some of our beloved current members were part of that welcome influx.) I anticipate that as the political rhetoric gets louder, there will be people in our area who seek us out to find others who share their progressive family values, commitment to inclusion and equity, and hope for creating a better, more compassionate world.

What can you do?

First, come to church as often as you can. It matters when you’re here. I am always aware that often, the most important thing said will not come from the pulpit, but from you, as you sip coffee and chat with others in the Fellowship Hall.

When you get here, take a moment as you walk in to remember that every Sunday, there are people who arrive for the first time, who are seeking others who share their values. They’re not here because there was nothing else better to do on a Sunday. They’re here with a longing for community, authenticity, and hope. I know we have a church full of introverts (no one believes this, but I’m shy, too), but help us to make our enthusiastic welcome clear.

And then this … talk about this church. To your barber. To your neighbors. To that other parent at the soccer game with the “coexist” bumper sticker on his Prius. Help us to stop being the best secret in town.

I’m not bummed out about 2024. I’m excited. I can’t wait to see who I get to meet this year. I can’t wait for more of our dreams to be empowered. Because I know I am not alone.