This commentary is from the Rev. Devon Thomas, pastor of Ascension Lutheran Church in South Burlington.

First, I must encourage everyone to accept the results of the 2024 election. The people have spoken and while many Vermonters struggle with this choice, we still have a responsibility as citizens of this nation, to respect the integrity of our elections. That doesn’t change the fact that I feel a lot of anxiety about the election.

Reverend Dr. King said that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice. It’s hard for me to believe that today. Still, I have to try to believe.

For the first time in American history, the people of our country elected a man convicted of 34 crimes and who attempted to overturn a legitimate election. Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States. No matter how much I disagree with his beliefs and positions, I must accept the vote of the American people and look to future discourse within the laws of our country if I want to see change.

As a pastor of a church in Vermont, this election has shown me that my values ​​of love are not shared by most Americans. We are deeply divided in our understanding of human rights, civil liberty, common decency and religious truth.

As a Christian, when I say that God gave us a savior, I am referring to a man who preached that we should feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and heal the sick; he teaches that when we lift up the poor and oppressed, we honor him (Matthew 36:46). I must now recognize that my understanding of savior is very different from that of many Christians today, because they just elected their savior to office on a platform that casts out the oppressed and turns a blind eye to their suffering.

I am reassured to know that I am not the only one feeling this extreme anxiety. After seeing the state election results, I am deeply proud of the people of Vermont because, although we disagree on policy, our vote from my hometown of Georgia in the United States Senate demonstrates that we share ethical and moral values of similar love. Vermont is still a community that believes neighbors should love neighbors, and in my anxiety, it means everything to know that my neighbor loves me. This place of love is where justice is reborn in the universe.

I ask everyone who shares my anxiety to channel this frustration into loving action. Unfortunately, I fear that we will witness many injustices in the future. This incoming administration has promised mass deportations and military action against American citizens. Hopefully this is just political rhetoric. The American people have decided our nation’s path, and it is up to the people of Vermont to decide our state’s path within the nation.

Please help our state become a moral example for America in times to come. Take your anxieties and fears and transform them into loving actions. Lift up the poor, the sick, the hungry and the oppressed where we have the power to do so.

There is a lot of good work to be done here in Vermont. We are facing a housing and homelessness crisis, and you can give what you can to housing trusts and organizations like CVOEO, United Way, JUMP, and COTS that serve poor and unhoused people. As we fight for social justice, consider supporting groups like the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance and the Pride Center who are working to bring inclusion and equity to all Vermonters.

Please help keep the light of neighborly love alive and strong in Vermont. Love is the defining fabric of our Vermont community, and I predict that our love will be an example to the rest of the world.