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James 1:17-27

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, comes from above – these words comprised the opening phrase of this past Sunday's Epistle from James's letter to the early Christians, and sets the theme of what our NEWARK ACTS Interns are doing in our diocese for the next eleven months.

There is nothing more basic and natural than to be generous of our time, talent and treasure. For the past two years I have witnessed and received abundantly from from our NEWARK ACTS Interns. Their generosity is boundless and their commitment to serve is one clear witness to who they are and why they have chosen to serve.

This past Sunday while in church I was listening to the Epistle being read. My immediate reaction was to be drawn to the work of our interns and how they are creating a new community made up of young adults who sense a call to leadership with a heart for ministry that is dedicated to fairness and social justice. I continued to ponder how their work and the Epistle fit in with Election 2012.

In Tampa Florida last week the Republican Party gathered to nominate their Presidential and Vice presidential candidates with a platform of where they stand on the social and economic issues facing our country. The Democratic Party gather this week in Charlotte, North Carolina to do the same thing and we all are now given small snippets of their deliberations and actions. The news shows will feed us information from policy wonks and political pundits and in November we will cast our ballots to select a President and Vice President to lead our nation for the next four years.

I was speaking with the interns about what it was like when Jesus lived and what were the pundits and policy wonks like then. One intern said it did not matter all that matters is "what would Jesus do." My response was simple; "What did Jesus do." We know he gave of himself to every one he met and we are called to give generous of ourselves and seek him in all whom we meet.

Conventions or not, debates to follow and a constant barrage of advertisements geared to persuade us on how to vote on November 6th. I think of what Jesus did and that was to hear all and not to be consumed with all the fluff. The NEWARK ACTS Interns and I invite you all to ACT into your FAITH, and invite the policy wonks and pundits to join us as we experience the bounty of God's GRACE. Perhaps we will build a new and simple way to choose our leaders and put all the money spent in the election to feed, cloth and educate the starving in our diocese, country and the world?

Let us go forth rejoicing in the Holy Spirit!

Erik

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