Vote Faithfully Reflections

We’ve come this far…
Bishop Deon K. Johnson

"We've come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord, trusting in God's holy Word; God has never failed us yet." For generations, those words have echoed through Black churches, sustaining a people who refused to surrender to despair. They are more than the refrain of a beloved spiritual, they are the testimony of a people who have endured unimaginable hardship while trusting that God was always leading them toward freedom.

"We've come this far by faith" aptly describes the long journey of people of African descent in securing the right to vote. From the brutality of slavery, through the sacrifices of the Civil War and Reconstruction, to the long struggle against Jim Crow and the courage of the Civil Rights Movement, each generation has taken another faithful step toward the promise of a more just society. The right to vote did not come easily. It was won through prayer, perseverance, sacrifice, and the unwavering conviction that every person bears the image of God and deserves both dignity and a voice.

Each time I cast my ballot, I am reminded that I do not vote alone. I carry with me the prayers, dreams, and sacrifices of countless ancestors who were denied this fundamental right. I vote faithfully for those who could not. I vote for those who faced intimidation, violence, and even death simply for seeking the opportunity to participate in our democracy. I vote in gratitude for those who believed that their struggle would open doors they themselves might never walk through. And I vote with hope for the generations who will come after me.

As our nation prepares for the 2026 elections, I will once again get up, dress up, and show up at my polling place to cast my vote. My son will be with me. I want him to know that voting is never something to take for granted. I want him to understand that this simple act is both a privilege and a sacred responsibility. I want him to know that our faith calls us not only to worship God but also to seek the welfare of our neighbors, to pursue justice, and to participate in building communities where every person can flourish.

Casting a ballot is, for me, an act of faith. It is an expression of hope that God is still at work in the world through ordinary people willing to do extraordinary things. It is a way of honoring those who have gone before us while accepting responsibility for those who will come after us. Every election reminds me that democracy is not sustained by fear or cynicism but by people who continue to believe that a better future is possible.

We've come this far by faith. By God's grace, we will keep moving forward—one faithful step, one faithful vote, at a time.

Download the PDF HERE

The Rev. Dr. Teresa Danieley, she/her, Missioner for Public Advocacy

 

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in you, O God my Savior,

for you have looked with favor on your lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: 

you, the Almighty, have done great things for me,

and holy is your name.

You have mercy on those who fear you 

from generation to generation.

You have shown strength with your arm 

and scattered the proud in their conceit,

Casting down the mighty from their thrones 

and lifting up the lowly.

You have filled the hungry with good things 

and sent the rich away empty.

You have come to the help of your servant Israel, 

for you have remembered your promise of mercy,

The promise made to our forebears, 

to Abraham and his children for ever.

-The Song of Mary (Luke 1: 46b - 55)

 

The August election is almost here, and the stakes could not be higher. We have the

opportunity to move Missouri closer to or further away from Blessed Mary the

Godbearer’s vision of the lowly lifted up and the hungry filled.

Amendments 4 and 5 pose a serious threat to our economy and our democracy.

Amendment 4 would undermine the bedrock of our democracy; currently, a simple

majority means that a ballot initiative has passed or a candidate has won. Amendment 4

would change that. Amendment 5 would increase taxes on 60-80% of Missourians and

weaken Missouri’s public and nonprofit infrastructure (including churches) even more.

Early, no excuse voting started Tuesday, July 21, so there are less than two weeks to

make sure voters understand what's on the ballot and turn out to vote. Every

conversation, every door knocked, and every voter reached matters.Amendment 4 is a permanent constitutional amendment that would make it nearly

impossible for citizens to pass ballot measures. Right now, a ballot measure passes in

Missouri if it gets a majority of the votes statewide. Amendment 4 would change that.

Instead of using the total statewide vote, a measure would need to win a majority of

votes in all eight of Missouri’s congressional districts in order to pass. Under

Amendment 4, your vote can be cancelled by just ONE congressional district — that

means just 5% of voters could vote down what the rest of the state approves.

Amendment 4 takes away our power to pass laws — so politicians and special interests

get all the power.

To find out more about Amendment 4 and to volunteer to talk to voters visit:

• https://www.protectmajorityrulemo.org/ (Protect Majority Rule)
• https://mojwjvoteraction.org/august-2026-election/ (Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action)
• https://mojwjvoteraction.org/take-action-2/ (Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action)

 

Amendment 5 is the “Everything Tax.” This tax scheme would repeal Missouri’s income

tax, and replace it with an expanded sales tax on everything that we spend money on.

Most Missourians would pay about $500 more per year in sales tax on rent, car and

home repairs, and doctors visits. Missourians on a fixed income would see even greater

costs. This tax would leave a $5 billion dollar hole in our state budget, and could cost

our public schools $1.4 Billion. Amendment 5 would:

• Authorize new sales taxes on goods and services not currently taxed — including real estate, health care, car repairs, or legal services with no cap on how high legislators can raise them.
• Increase taxes on 60–80% of Missourians. Only those earning near $300,000 or more would see a cut. (Source: mobudget.org)
• Eliminate two voter-approved constitutional tax protections: 1) the 2010 ban on sales tax for real estate transactions and 2) the ban on adding sales tax to goods or services not already taxed as of January 1, 2015.
• Increase the demand on all feeding ministries, food pantries, meal programs, and other service programs as 60 - 80% of Missourians would see a decrease in their net income.
• Decrease disposable income for 60 - 80% of Missourians, including what they currently give to churches and other nonprofits.

 

To find out more about Amendment 5 and to volunteer to talk to voters visit:

• https://mojwjvoteraction.org/august-2026-election/ (Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action)
• https://mojwjvoteraction.org/take-action-2/
• https://www.missouriequity.com/amendment-5 (Amendment 5 toolkit)
• https://parents4mopublicschools.org/ (Resources include a calculator for the cost to Public Schools by District in Missouri)
• https://mobudget.org/amendment-5-is-bad-for-business/ (Missouri Budget Project)

 

The politicians pushing both Amendment 4 and Amendment 5 these amendments know

their ideas are unpopular. That's why they've buried them behind confusing and

deceptive ballot language.

 

Lying is condemned in the Ten Commandments and Mosaic Law and throughout

Christian Scripture, yet apparently, the prohibition against lying does not apply to

political commercials. (See, for example, Leviticus 19:11, Exodus 20:16, Colossians

3:9).

 

Once voters understand what these amendments would actually do, they oppose them.

We need your help to make sure our friends, family, and neighbors know what's at stake

and turn out to vote by Tuesday, August 4.

 

For full Voter Information on all the Ballot Initiatives on the August 4th Ballot, visit

https://mochristian.org/blog/2026/06/important-voter-information-for-tuesday-august-4-b

allot-initiatives/

Something adults may not know is that being trans, non-binary or gender-queer is not scary or unusual. For me and my friends, it is pretty common, actually. What IS pretty scary is that this year’s Amendment 3 campaign is about putting a ban on gender-affirming surgery for children under 18 in the Missouri Constitution, in addition to undoing the Amendment 3 in 2024 that made abortion legal again in Missouri. Missouri would be the first state to put this fake and unnecessary ban in its constitution.

Amendment 3’s ban on gender-affirming surgery on children under 18 is fake. No doctors do those surgeries in Missouri and it is already against the law in Missouri anyway. My mom went to Jefferson City to represent Bishop Deon when that law passed in the Missouri Legislature. What IS scary is that the hurtful ads for Amendment 3 are already so visible and so misleading. I am scared that trans people I love might get depressed and hurt themselves because of the constant terrible ads between now and November 3.

Teenagers under 18 cannot vote against Amendment 3, obviously. But we can canvas door-to-door. We can hold signs. We can make phone calls. I have done all of these things with my mom. It is going to take thousands of people of all ages and in every county in Missouri volunteering to make calls, to make signs, to canvas their neighborhoods, to talk to their neighbors, to make sure that our message of Love is louder than the lies coming from the people who want Amendment 3 to pass. Part of being a Christian is to love everyone because God loves us. To respect everyone. Amendment 3 would do the opposite. So, please volunteer with PROMO and other organizations who are working to make sure that Amendment 3 does not pass on November 3. Thank you on behalf of all of us who cannot vote - yet.

You can volunteer to defeat Amendment 3 with one of these groups:

NO on 3 - stopthebanmo.com

PROMO - bit.ly/45bS1Hk

Canvassing is a great way to speak one-on-one with your neighbors about the things that matter to us. I have been involved in several canvassing campaigns. They always involve my political pet issues that our legislature refused to address, and activate my sense that I, one person, can make a difference in our political process. Canvassing is our democracy at work. Keeping it alive and vibrant. I went door–to-door distributing candidate information for both of President Obama’s campaigns, as well as Senator Claire McCaskill’s. I’ve worked against Right to Work (“for less”). I circulated petitions for Clean Missouri, to put controls on gerrymandering, reduce gifting to legislatures to $5, requiring that legislative committees and the legislature only work where the public is invited. I worked for the $15 minimum wage initiative. And I’ve worked registering many voters for Metropolitan Congregations United and the League of Women Voters. Some voters who wouldn’t make eye contact with me and with whom I gently persisted had served time and ”paid their dues”, were off probation, and did not know that their right to vote in Missouri was restored, if they just registered to vote. They were so pleased to have that dignity restored. My door-to-door canvassing usually meant leaving the info on the doorknob as people were not home, or were not answering. But people may prefer the more passive info rather than a person speaking with them. That is not the case, however, when circulating initiative petitions. There, when you’ve piqued someone’s interest, and gain another signature, it is a feeling of accomplishment. For our democracy. What a good feeling.

…And walking neighborhoods makes me feel connected to American communities. Connected is good. …Especially now. I know I am doing something positive for my democracy. As I like to say “can’t never did anything”. Go do something.

Everything you do - or don’t do - matters.

Every campaign, whether for an issue or for a candidate, prioritizes voter contact as the best way to reach, persuade, and mobilize the electorate. The best method of voter contact is canvassing door to door, because face-to-face conversations are proven to be the best way to change hearts and minds. However, canvassing is time-consuming and not everyone feels comfortable or is physically able to go door to door no matter how much they believe in the cause. My favorite voter contact method is phone-banking. Most campaigns use an online dialer that can be used from anywhere and accessed from your home computer or even a smart tablet. Because it’s so convenient, all of my time is spent reaching out to voters and not driving to and from a canvass location. I can also reach more voters by phone in the same amount of time of canvassing. I can make calls whenever it’s convenient for me, in small or large blocks of time, and regardless of the weather, and I can call anywhere in the state or even the country from wherever I am. If you’re looking for a way to get involved this election season, consider phonebanking. Contact the campaign you feel most strongly about and offer your time. I know they will be happy to hear from you!

The last time you voted in a statewide election, I hope you appreciated the work of the innumerable citizens who step up as poll workers. These neighbors put in very long days on election days to make sure the intricate machinery of our democracy runs smoothly, fairly and accurately. These critical roles are normally low-profile, but recent elections and the controversy around them have brought more attention to the people in these positions and elevated awareness of our neighbors who make our elections possible. If you are considering ways you can be more involved in our democracy and are in a position to be available all day Tuesday, November 3, I would recommend you consider volunteering to work as a poll worker and help support our fair and open elections. Poll workers are paid $50 for training and $175 to work election day from 5:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. If this sounds like something you would like to do, the Missouri Secretary of State website has a link with more info at sos.mo.gov/pollworker. Or you can contact your local election authority directly, and the list of all county election officials can be found on the Secretary of State website: sos.mo.gov. This is a big ask, but the stakes are high, and our democracy deserves the best from all of us.

The opportunities and expectations for pastoral care are as varied as the needs of those I minister to. In my work as a hospital chaplain I provide spiritual comfort at some of the darkest moments of a patient's life, or that of their family. Leading a pastoral care team in my responsibilities at St. Paul’s reminds me that helping our home-bound who endure various kinds of limitations live out their best lives includes helping them participate in our democracy. As former Presiding Bishop Curry reminds us, “It is a Christian obligation to vote, and more than that, it is the Church’s responsibility to help get souls to the polls.” Helping all of our parishioners to cast their votes may be as simple as arranging a ride to a polling place on election day. Or it may mean helping them request an absentee ballot. Absentee ballots are also an option for young parishioners attending college out-of-state, and this would be a great time to touch base with those students to make sure they have a plan to vote.

Here are a few dates to keep in mind:

Wed, Oct 7: Last day to register to vote in November

Tue, Oct 20: First day of in-person, no-excuse absentee voting

Wed, Oct 21: Deadline for absentee ballot requests

Tue, Nov 3: Deadline to return absentee ballots in person

Requests for absentee ballots can be submitted now, and forms are online at www.sos.mo.gov. I encourage all of our clergy and pastoral care teams to reach out to everyone we minister to and support their efforts to make their voice heard.

Some 43,000 Americans die by gun violence every year. As Christians, we are called to save lives, and we must work to save lives from gun violence. We can do this in part when we cast our ballot. So often after a tragedy such as a school shooting, an anguished parent or a government official says, “We have to do something.” There is actually no mystery about what must be done. Research shows which gun regulations are effective in saving lives. That research has found that the 10 states with the strongest gun laws have a much lower gun death rate compared to the 10 states with the weakest gun laws. The non-profit Everytown for Gun Safety is the organization that ranks states on the strength of their gun laws. Missouri is ranked 40 out of 50 for strength of our gun laws, meaning that we are in the group of states with the weakest laws. And 1,377 people die by guns in Missouri every year.

Our mission to prevent gun violence would benefit greatly from the passage of some common-sense gun laws, such as mandatory background checks on all gun purchases and a waiting period (e.g., 48 hours) between purchase and taking possession of the weapon, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines for civilians, and a “red flag” or ERPO (Extreme Risk Protection Order) law, which allows law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from someone who is an immediate danger to themselves or others.

As voters, we can choose candidates who pledge to pass life-saving legislation. A non-partisan website, gunsensevoter.org, provides a list of all candidates who have promised to support such legislation. It’s easy to search the website for your own legislative districts and candidates. I urge you to pray for God’s guidance as you vote, and especially as you consider how your vote can have an impact on gun violence in our state and our nation. As we say in the prayer of St. Francis, “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.”

It is said that one raindrop raises the sea. A torrent of raindrops can become a tidal wave—powerful enough to change the face of the landscape. This year, your vote can be that raindrop.

We are living through a climate crisis that is no longer something we can dismiss as a problem for the distant future. Wildfires are forcing families from their homes. Historic heat waves are threatening lives across Europe and around the world. Reservoirs in the American Southwest are reaching dangerously low levels, threatening both water supplies and the production of hydroelectric power. These are not isolated events. They are warnings.

The climate is changing rapidly, and the consequences are already being felt by our neighbors, our communities, and our children. The question is no longer whether the climate is changing. The question is what we are willing to do about it.

And the answer must be bigger than recycling our cans, changing our light bulbs, or remembering to bring reusable shopping bags. Those things matter—but they are not enough.

The challenges we face require major changes in the way we produce energy, power our transportation, use our land, grow our food, and protect our forests and water. We need public policies that encourage clean energy, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, protect our natural resources, and give future generations a livable planet. That will require political will. And political will begins with us.

We often underestimate the power of a single vote. One vote can seem insignificant when measured against the enormous challenges facing our world. But democracy works precisely because millions of individual choices come together. One raindrop raises the sea.

Your vote is not insignificant. It is one small act of hope that joins millions of others. It is your opportunity to say what kind of world you want to leave to your children and grandchildren.

So when you vote this year, look beyond the slogans and personalities. Look at the policies. Look at the candidates’ records. Ask who is willing to protect the earth we have been given and who is willing to make the changes necessary to preserve it. Then vote. Let your vote be a raindrop.

Let millions of raindrops become a tidal wave of political will—strong enough to change the landscape and give future generations a healthy, sustainable home.

Our island home is worth saving, and every one of us has a part to play.

God bless you this season and always.

For well over a century, the state of Missouri has had an Initiative Petition Process that allows citizens to put propositions and constitutional amendments on the ballot, as well as to recall legislation passed by the Missouri State Legislature. The Initiative Petition Process is incredibly difficult. It takes the work and resources of thousands of people over several years to place any initiative on the ballot.

I first got involved in a citizens’ ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in Missouri above the federal minimum wage in 2006 because I saw everyday in my ministry how hard it was for working people to make ends meet. (The fight to make ends meet continues and there have been successful ballot initiative campaigns to raise the minimum wage again in subsequent years.)

In 2024, Missourians collected over 300,000 valid signatures to force a statewide vote to end the ban on abortion and add the Right to Reproductive Freedom Amendment to our state constitution. In November of that year, a majority of Missourians voted in favor of that amendment. Voters made it clear that we do not want politicians to make medical decisions for us and our families.

During the 2026 Missouri Legislative Session, despite overwhelming testimony against it - including my own - a majority of legislators decided to ignore the will of the people of Missouri by placing an abortion ban on the ballot again this fall. Legislators do not need to collect hundreds of thousands of valid signatures to put issues on the ballot; they can do it with a simple majority of their peers. 2026’s Amendment 3 would ban abortion again, just two years after Missourians voted to make abortion legal.

Amendment 3 must be defeated to make it clear to the Missouri Legislature that the will of the voters must be respected. The democratic process and Missourians' vote in 2024 must be upheld. Additionally, the Amendment 3 campaign is using lies about trans children and their healthcare as weapons to undermine democracy, which is absolutely despicable and un-Godly. Gender-affirming surgery for trans children is already banned in Missouri, is not performed by licensed physicians anywhere, and does not need to be banned in the Missouri Constitution as well.

In order to protect our democracy in the long term, a “No” Vote on Amendment 3 must be coupled with a “Yes” Vote on

Amendment 6. Amendment 6 would prohibit the Missouri Legislature from overturning the will of the people as expressed in statewide votes on ballot issues, for example, when the General Assembly overturned statewide votes to implement paid sick leave, banning puppy mills, and as they are attempting to do this year with Amendment 3.

In addition to voting No on 3 and Yes on 6, another way to protect democracy in Missouri is to sign up to be a non-partisan Election Protection Volunteer. Election Protection Volunteers help to resolve issues that voters have at the polls, connecting voters to non-partisan attorneys through a hotline and making sure that every vote is counted, without intimidation or interference. You can find more information at https://protectthevote.net.

I write again because I have trusted the hard-fought-for right to safe, legal abortion and access to birth control and family planning since I was a teenager in 1973 when the landmark decision of Roe v. Wade was passed. This right of choice, of autonomy over our own bodies must continue to stand for my daughter, granddaughter, trans siblings, your family members and for all of us.

On Tuesday, November 3, Missourians will be given once again the chance to vote on Amendment 3 and affirm our previous vote which reinstated the right to abortion in our state constitution. Does Amendment 3 sound familiar? It should! Missourians already voted Yes for the right for abortion to be reinstated in our state constitution, thereby giving us the right to choose for our own bodies and not have legislators choose for us. Using the same Amendment number is designed to trick us into voting YES again. This time, we need to vote NO. Missouri’s 2026 Amendment 3 is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that would repeal the abortion rights amendment passed in 2024 and reinstate a near total abortion ban, with limited exceptions. It would also constitutionally ban gender-affirming care for minors. Voting “NO” on Missouri’s 2026 Amendment 3 keeps the 2024 voter-approved abortion rights protections in place and blocks a new amendment that would ban most abortions and prohibit gender-affirming care for minors. The right to safe, legal abortion and the right to access birth control and family planning are rights that Episcopalians have affirmed repeatedly. Missouri’s legislature’s desire to uphold the abortion ban violates not only our 2024 vote but also religious freedom for Episcopalians, other Christians, all Jewish traditions, people of other religious beliefs and people who do not hold religious beliefs. Our bishop, the Rt. Rev. Deon Johnson, is one of fourteen clergy plaintiffs who sued the State of Missouri over its abortion ban because it violates the separation of religion and state.

Because of Missouri’s ban, abortion was and still often is functionally illegal. Medical providers fear prosecution and malpractice, even when a mother’s life is clearly in danger. The same surgical procedures are often used when someone miscarries, which has put people who miscarry or have ectopic pregnancies in great danger. The right to access Plan B (a form of contraception, not an abortifacient) has never been universal in Missouri. In the Dobbs Decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Justice Thomas indicated that the right to contraception and same-sex marriage could fall next. Recent reports have shown that maternal and infant health in Missouri is abysmal. Because of Missouri’s continuing desire to ban abortion, Missouri is losing medical residents and physicians who specialize in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Labor & Delivery and Ob/Gyn Departments are closing across the state - further endangering the health of women and infants.

Jesus never shamed women. God loves and cares for all of us, without exception. People who have abortions - most of whom already have children - are making the best decisions they can given the sinful constraints of the economic, political and social systems in this country where so many claim to affirm family values, yet we, as a country do not provide paid family leave, universal healthcare, or low-cost quality childcare. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are called to strive for justice and peace, to respect the dignity of every human being and to vote for autonomy over our own bodies; vote for our freedom to choose. Vote NO on Missouri’s 2026 Amendment 3 and keep our right, the freedom to choose for ourselves and our voter-approved abortion rights protections in place for all of us.

As Episcopalians, our faith shapes how we care for one another, seek justice, and participate in the life of our communities. In the Baptismal Covenant, we promise to "strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being." That commitment extends beyond our churches and into the public square. Throughout Scripture, God calls us to defend the vulnerable, seek justice, and build communi- ties where all people can flourish. The prophets spoke against oppression and exclusion. Jesus proclaimed good news to those on the margins and called his followers to love their neighbors in tangible ways. As people of faith, we are called not only to pray for a better world, but to help shape it.

One way we live out that calling is by voting.

We affirm that every person is created in the image of God. We celebrate the gifts, leadership, and sacred worth of LGBTQ+ people. We believe that racial justice, human dignity, and the flourishing of all God's children are not political talking points; they are Gospel values.

Elections shape the conditions in which our neighbors live, work, learn, worship, and thrive. They influence public policies that affect real people and real communities. As voters, we have a responsibility to consider how our choices impact those who are most vulnerable.

For example, Amendment 3 would extend Missouri's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. Decisions about healthcare are deeply personal and should be made by patients, parents, and qualified medical professionals. If medical standards are violated, providers should be held accountable, not the patients and families seeking care.

Faithful Christians may disagree about candidates and specific issues. What unites us is our responsibility to participate thoughtfully, prayerfully, and faithfully in our democracy. This November, make a plan to vote. Learn about the issues. Pray for wisdom and discernment. Encourage your family, friends, and fellow parishioners to participate as well. God calls us to hope rather than cynicism, and to engagement rather than indifference. We are called not merely to wish for a more just world, but to help build it. The prophets remind us that faith is not passive. It calls us into the world. It calls us toward justice. It calls us to stand with our neighbors.

This November, let us answer that call.