Year-Before-Election-Day Communion: November 5, 2023

Submitted on: 
Thursday, October 12, 2023 - 7:07pm
One person giving another person what looks like an "I voted" sticker, but the close-up of the sticker reads "Election Day Communion" instead

Since 2012 churches have been practicing communion on election day. In 2023 congregations have a unique opportunity: Sunday, November 5 is exactly one year before Election Day 2024. Given the disinformation and division the United States faced in 2020, the development of new AI technologies being used to activate our anger, the reduction of barriers to hate speech on social media, and the accelerated "great sort" in many communities brought on in the COVID era next year's elections could be more rancorous - and find followers of Jesus more divided - than ever.

To remind us that we are saved not by a political officeholder but by God; to remind us that God in Christ calls us to love our opponents; to remind us that our fight is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of darkness; to remind us that true discipleship bravely engages in dialogue across difference; and to remind us that wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in Christ's name there He is: Minnesota Council of Churches invites all congregations to celebrate Election Day Communion on November 5.

At the time of this writing the formal website for Election Day Communion is down; however its Facebook page is still up. These resources (including the photo above) were originally compiled on that website for previous election years, were unearthed thanks to the Internet Archive, and as such are free for your congregation's use and adaptation: