Greetings Friend --

A gentle reminder that CLUE's Post-Election Convocation will be happening online today from 11am-12pm. Clergy and laity, come and hold space with us this day-after-Election Day in order to reflect, process, and find solace with other like-hearted, social justice-minded faith community... and to prepare and organize with us for the challenges that lie ahead. 

Click here to join us on Zoom

In this extraordinary time, our faith communities join with people across the country to affirm and advocate for people whose voice and votes are threatened. We pray and speak out for complete and fair voting and vote counting, and for the partnership of government and community to support peaceful assembly and participatory democracy.

In light of the potential uncertainty that could unfold in the days and even weeks following Election Day, CLUE and our partners are banding together to ensure that we remain united. We are seeking to galvanize the broader public to support the core values of the democratic process and the right to peaceful freedom of expression.

Our faith community aims to harness the sacred power of ritual to preserve the sanctity of democracy and of the vote; to offer a commitment to nonviolence as well as practical de-escalation tools to support the rights and safety of all public; and to provide expression of peoples’ hopes and fears for our democracy. 

Please join us in this historic moment to declare, ‘Every vote is sacred!’

Coming up: Defending Democracy

Clergy and laity, please come and hold space with us post-election in order to reflect, process, and find solace with other like-hearted, social justice-minded faith community... and to prepare and organize with us for the challenges that lie ahead.

• Wed Nov 4th, 11am
  A Post-Election Day Online Convocation
  via Zoom (online-only event)
  
  
• Thurs Nov 5th, 4pm
  An Interfaith Vigil in Support of Vote Counting
  In-person, socially-distant gathering (masks required)
  Locations in Los Angeles & Orange County TBA

Please RSVP for exact locations, Zoom links, and further details: bit.ly/EveryVoteIsSacred

A Powerful Blessing & Nonviolence Training at Orange County's Largest Vote Center Last Friday

Photo by Julie Leopo of the Voice of OC

Last Friday, October 30th –⁠ the first day of early voting in Orange County –⁠ CLUE’s interfaith coalition of religious leaders and community members met at the Honda Center in Anaheim to offer prayers and blessings upon all who are voting at Orange County’s largest Vote Center. We also conducted a nonviolence training, to prepare community leaders to peacefully defend democracy after the November 3rd general election.

If you weren't able to join us in-person or for the livestream last Friday October 30th, that's okay! -- video of our event is available on Facebook and was covered by the press!

Videos

• #EveryVoteIsSacred: HIGHLIGHTS:
  CLUE Blessings of OC's Largest Vote Center (3:05)
  
  
• #EveryVoteIsSacred: HIGHLIGHTS:
  Principles of Nonviolence at OC's Largest Vote Center (5:40) 
  
  
• #EveryVoteIsSacred: FULL VIDEO:
  Watch the entire broadcast (53:18)
  

Press

• Anxious Religious Leaders Come Together to Urge Calm in Orange County Ahead of Election Day, Voice of OC, Brandon Pho, photos by Julie Leopo (10/30/20) 
   
• Slingshot: OC Clergy Gather to Bless the Vote!, Gabriel San Román (11/1/20) 

God bless our amazing Speakers and Participants (in order of appearance):

• Rev. Sadie Cullumber, Harbor Christian Church, Newport Beach
• Rev. Terry LePage, United Church of Christ
• Akbar Hussaini, Executive Director, Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council
• Rabbi Marcia Tilchin, Jewish Collaborative of Orange County
• Avinder Chawla, representing the Orange County Sikh Community
• Lillian Chesley, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Rev. Edward G. Becker, Episcopal Vicar for Ecumenical & Interreligious Affairs, Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange, and Pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, La Habra
• Rev. Samuel Pullen, Community Congregational United Church of Christ, Los Alamitos
• Joyce Swaving, President, Greater Rancho Santa Margarita Interfaith Council
• Rashad Al-Dabbagh, Executive Director, Arab American Civic Council
• Pastor Emily Rose, Community of Christ
• Jessica Moss, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Rev. Jason Cook, Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fullerton
• Rabbi Stephen Einstein, Founder Emeritus, Congregation B'nai Tzedek, Fountain Valley
• Pastor Daniel Harmon, Orange Community of Christ

Photo by Julie Leopo of the Voice of OC

And we're so grateful for the support of all our Organizers & Co-Sponsors!

- Advocates for Peace and Justice of Irvine United Congregational Church
- Arab American Civic Council
- Bend the Arc: Jewish Action, Southern California
- Bible Study for Progressives
- Community Congregational United Church of Christ, Los Alamitos
- Community of Christ in Orange
- Council on American-Islamic Relations: CAIR Los Angeles
- Fullerton Interfaith Ministerial Association
- Harbor Christian Church, Newport Beach
- Jewish Collaborative of Orange County
- Keeping It Sacred
- Los Alamitos Community United
- Mission Hospital
- National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW)

WE’RE STILL ACCEPTING CO-SPONSORS FOR OUR UPCOMING #EveryVoteIsSacred COVOCATIONS & ACTIONS. Please email [email protected] if your congregation or organization would like to co-sponsor and participate!