A number of churches offered refuge from a tense election season by holding candlelight vigils.
Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, the senior pastor at the Foundry United Methodist Church, said faith played a role in D.C. during this election season. The church invited people of faith to gather here, pray and express hope for the future.
Gaines-Cirelli said people of faith have a responsibility to be actively involved in the public sphere.
“There's a sense that if we talk about the division of church and state, it feels like churches or faith communities are not supposed to have a voice, you're not supposed to be engaged. And I think that's a mistake,” Gaines-Cirelli said.
Gaines-Cirelli said people of faith will have work to do no matter the outcome of the election.
“Regardless of who wins the election, we know this country is divided. There is extraordinary deep divisions and so the work of reconciliation, which is part of the work that Christ has given to the church, is going to continue to be our work,” she said.
Participant Jason Liu said he attended the vigil because he believes it is crucial for Christians to be involved in this election. He said that in his view, issues such as the climate and women’s rights are on the line.
“I feel like it's just really important to try to pray for peace, pray for safety but also pray for all the millions of people in this country that, you know, decisions our leaders will make will affect them,” Liu said.
Gaines-Cirelli said being a public witness of faith isn’t about making others join her religion. It's about helping people love God and love their neighbors.
Gaines-Cirelli said it’s significant that the vigil happened on Sixteenth Street because the White House is down that road.