I’ve been eligible to vote for 30 years, but – like many in my generation – I’ve never felt like a politician or party truly represented me. They may win me at one point, but they’ll loose me in the next. When I have voted, it always seemed I was going to the polls holding my nose. Too often, politics involves motivating people by fear and half-truths, and I can’t abide that.
I am pleased to announce to you that in 2024, I have a candidate for government I can completely recommend, and I am putting the full endorsement of Camp Deerpark and our staff behind him: Jesus Christ. You may feel this is cliché to say, but really when you think about Jesus’ Gospel of the Kingdom of God, he is making a political claim in quiet competition to the noisy voices currently on social media and our televisions. He has policies and initiatives and more than a few operatives to carry out his mandate. Hopefully you consider yourself one of them.
According to the FEC, by July of 2024, Americans spent over $12 billion on this election. Regardless of who wins on Nov 5, it is unlikely the victor will be able to give us a world where we will feel that was money well spent. But Jesus can. He is. And he will. He has the power to unite us. He has the power to involve us in real solutions to our problems. And no candidate has ever given as much or cared as deeply for the people of our nation. Remember today and on election day, and always after: VOTE JESUS with your heart, time, energy, and treasure.
Camp has always been a place where community in diversity has been welcomed. We have people who participate here that are on almost every side or every issue, but still we hold Christ as common and each other as dear. While I’ll be the first to admit this only works because of God, I’m also daily reminded it only works because we work on it. Would you please support us in this work at least by prayer?
Pray that Camp will be a refuge providing serenity to those who need a break from the turmoil of our chaotic world. Pray that Jesus will lead us in continuing our work of peacebuilding among people, churches, and neighborhoods. Pray that we will boldly be a witness to unity in the Spirit even in a World demanding we take sides and threatening to punish us if we don’t. Pray that we will faithfully call and raise up a generation of peacebuilders to carry on this mission.
If this prayer resounds with you, I invite you to engage the Peacebuilding Initiative at Camp in one of the following ways:
- Join the upcoming Zoom webinar series Prince of Peace: Jesus and Peacebuilding from the Election to the Holidays. This series will NOT focus on issues and candidates, but WILL explore peace practices for your life, relationships, and sphere of influence.
- Contact Us to book a personal retreat at Camp to increase your own inward serenity. We can only give what we have. Camp has affordable, mid-week availability for those willing to provide their own meals while they build their own peace.
- Read the short 2020 Essays on Race and Diversity series written by Ken Bontrager and Kevin Smith around the time of the 2020 election and George Floyd/BLM reckoning. These essays offer simple yet powerful principles you can apply where your life crosses the diverse stories of others.
- Consider a special or recurring gift to support peace programming at Camp like the annual youth and young-adult Peace Camp run in partnership with MCC.
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