When I was young, I used to hear the saying if you don’t vote you can’t complain. We know it is not that simple! Sometimes people don’t know if their vote really makes a difference, or they don’t know who they should vote for. Some may feel that they are voiceless. But, regardless we prayerfully cast add our voice through our ballot.
People across the Nation will be taking to the polls to vote in the local elections. No matter who we like, dislike or are indifferent to in terms of elected councillors, mayors, MPs, or Prime Ministerial Candidates, we are to pray. Today there will be voting for various roles, these include on this Polling Day:
- Local government elections in England
- Local authority mayoral elections
- Combined authority mayoral elections
- Greater London Authority elections
This is a good time to be intentional in our prayers. 1 Timothy 2:2 says.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.
So today we pray for wisdom and discernment for those who will be voting in the local elections but also those in authority. We pray for our communities that they will be transformed, and areas of social injustice will be addressed.
After we pray it is our time to act, this means where we can, we vote and then we keep participating in democratic processes. We also through the appropriate systems hold our leaders to account whilst continuing to pray.
A reminder the rules have changed and you require photo ID to vote, a list can be found here: Voter-ID accepted forms photo ID.
We have an allocated page on our website around elections. Please take a look: https://southwark.anglican.org/mission-ministry/faith-in-action/justice-peace-and-integrity-of-creation/elections/.
Happy polling!
