Upcoming and Recent Events
Newsletters
Upcoming Events
A Service of Prayer for Our Nation
October 17th, 2024 - 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
The Carter Center, Cecil B. Day Chapel
How can people of faith uplift our shared values and humanity and guide us to disagree better in these challenging times?
Join senior faith leaders from Georgia on October 17th, 2024, at The Carter Center for a multi-faith assembly to help us all prepare for the election ahead and the healing that must follow.
We will be reminded of our common responsibilities to God and our neighbors to act with love and kindness to all, as we are each entrusted with the care of our nation, our children, and the generations to come.
To share the flyer, click here
Days of Prayer for the Health of Our Democracy
October 18th - 20th, 2024
How can we use our places of worship to disagree in good faith?
Two weeks before the election, we invite Georgia faith leaders to lead their congregations in prayer for the health of our democratic republic. Through our common values in prayer, we will uplift our shared humanity and begin to heal as a nation.
Last November, twelve months before the election, we asked faith leaders to reflect on a prayer for our democratic republic to help unite communities and ensure a peaceful election period for all. We will be repeating this effort this October with the intent of reaching as many congregations as possible.
We offer this sample prayer for your consideration.
To share the flyer, click here.
Rapid Response Workshop: "Organizing for Community Safety This Election Season"
October 24th, 2024 - 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
This is your chance to mitigate potential political violence and mis/disinformation by joining fellow Georgia DRN members and experts to prepare for the November 5th election and the weeks that follow. With help from an outside expert on political violence, we’ll explore how this phenomenon is harming our communities. Together, we’ll discuss the potential for tension surrounding the election and we'll develop practical strategies that we can implement together to keep our communities safe. The outcome of this session should be a unique, cross-partisan rapid response cohort that can tackle threats in real time. We hope to see you there!
Register here.
Recent Events
How Faith-Based Leaders Can Contribute to Depolarization and Civil Civic Discourse Webinar
October 10th, 2024 - 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Join faith and civic leaders for a multifaith discussion about how faith-based groups and leaders can foster dialogue, promote understanding, and address some of the most challenging issues society faces today.
Self-Care & Conflict Resolution Webinar
September 26th, 2024 - 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Join Dr. Lidia Martinez for an inspiring webinar on mastering conflict resolution. Learn how to bridge the political divide and cultivate healthier communication, personally, professionally and politically--transforming the way we connect in these critical times.
Tour Fulton County's Election Facility
September 19th, 2024 - 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Understanding how elections work is key to providing accurate and credible information to others. The Temple, through its Faith Leaders for Trusted and Safe Elections Season initiative, is organizing a group of faith leaders to attend Fulton County's Election Hub & Operations Center (EHOC) in Fairburn, GA for a tour.
Please sign up here, all are welcome!
Georgia DRN Media Messaging Strategy Meeting
September 18th, 2024 - 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Do you want to use your social media for good?
The Georgia DRN and Faith Forward Democracy are looking for ambassadors interested in sharing non-partisan messaging throughout the election season that will provide reliable information to their networks about key election-related issues.
If you are interested, please sign up here.
Georgia Civic Excellence Awards Dinner
August 15th, 2024 – 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm
On Thurs., Aug. 15, the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network hosted the Georgia Civic Excellence Awards Dinner to bestow awards upon eight leaders from Georgia politics and civic organizations. The awards were presented to individuals from both sides of the aisle for integrity shown in working to foster understanding for community members and trust in the electoral system.
“We are proud to honor the work of these and so many Georgians who are committed to constructive public engagement and pursuing their differences respectfully,” - Former State Senator Don Balfour, Senior Advisor to the Democracy Resilience Network.
To read the full announcement, please click here
The Awardees and members of the Georgia DRN from Left to Right: Jeff Totty, Emory Morsberger, Don Balfour, Michael Thurmond, Tom Crick, Helen Butler, Ann Cramer, Tom Price, Rashad Richey, Randy Rainwater, Tommie Williams (not pictured)
Politics, Polarization, & Peacemaking
The Outlet Community Church - 3039 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA
July 25th, 2024 – 8.30am – 3.30 pm
On July 25, the American Values Coalition is hosting a day-long conference in Atlanta on Politics, Polarization, & Peacemaking at The Outlet. The meeting targets pastors and congregation leaders and will provide tools to help heal the wounds in our divided communities. Speakers include Elizabeth Neumann, Justin Giboney, Troy Jackson, Daniel Bennett, Caleb Campbell, and Phil Herndon.
Faith Leaders for Safe and Trusted Elections
July 24th, 2024 – 9.00 – 11.00 am
Ismaili Jamatkhana at 685 Dekalb Industrial Way, Decatur, GA
This in-person meeting is convened jointly by The Temple, The Carter Center, The King Center, and partners to assemble faith leaders and followers to begin training and planning for engagement to preserve peace and support safe and trusted elections this fall. Those in attendance will map out a collective way forward and share best practices for each individual faith community to get involved.
Deputy Registrar Training for Voter Registration
July 16th, 2024 - 6.00 pm
The Fulton County Voter Education and Outreach (VEO) was held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church where the non-partisan comprehensive team trained interested citizens to register people to vote.
For information on future VEO events and voter education resources, please visit their website here.
Interfaith Prayer for Global Peace
July 12th - 16th, 2024 - 9.00 - 10.00 am
The Interfaith Prayer for Global Peace was an in-person and remote event held at the King Center. The prayer program opened the King Center’s annual Be Love Day, which seeks to strategically define and unleash the true power of love to unite humanity, cultivate true peace, and create a sense of community.
Peace at The Primaries
May 14th, 2024
Faith in Public Life, in partnership with the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network, hosted a non-partisan round table discussion titled “Peace at the Primaries” to understand what they can do to reduce the chance of violence during the election period and around the polls and to launch its Georgia Peacemakers Program.
Democracy Resilience Network's Trip to Belfast, Northern Ireland
May 11th - 16th, 2024
Twenty-five multi-denominational faith leaders and Democracy Resilience Network leaders, including five representatives from Georgia, visited Belfast, Northern Ireland for a learning and planning retreat organized by The Carter Center and Rethinking Conflict, the organization founded by Rev. Dr. Gary Mason. The intent of the visit was to study experiences of the almost 30 years of civil war known as the “Troubles,” including the dynamics of identity-based politics, peacebuilding, and the role of faith communities, both for good and for bad.
Disagreeing Better over Waffles and Wine
April 30th, 2024 - 7.00 - 9.00 pm
Disagree Better with Waffles and Wine was a cross-partisan gathering in Cobb County of senior former politicians, community leaders, and faith leaders to model healthy civic disagreement.
The meeting drew inspiration, in part, from the National Governors Association's initiative to Disagree Better.
Politics, Polarization, and Peacebuilding for Faith Leaders – A Faith Forward Network Webinar with Pastor Caleb Campbell
April 25, 2024 – 1.30 – 2.30 pm
A webinar for pastors who want to faithfully disciple their congregations, staying true to a Christ-centered gospel of love amid increasing political divisions. This conversation helped pastors and ministry leaders confront polarization and toxic division in their churches, communities, and denominations. The content was born out of the successes and failures of pastors and ministry leaders seeking to engage their polarized Christian neighbors with deep love.
Pastor Campbell is the Lead Pastor at Desert Springs Bible Church, in Phoenix, AZ. He is the founder and director of Disarming Leviathan Ministries which produces a podcast, explainer videos, and training material to equip people to engage divisions with their congregations.
A Multifaith Working Meeting for Safe and Trusted Elections
April 15, 2024 – 8.30 - 10.30 am
The Rothschild Social Justice Institute of the Temple, the Carter Center, the Faith Forward Network, and the King Center hosted a multifaith working meeting for safe and trusted elections. This meeting heard what faith leaders have planned for the upcoming election season, identified gaps, and discussed further how we can work together to ensure our elections proceed peacefully and fairly. A follow-up meeting will be on July 24 (see above).
A Service of Prayer for our Nation
February 8, 2024 – 6.30 – 8.00 pm
The Carter Center, Cecil B. Day Chapel
We live in an increasingly divided society. How can people of faith help us to ease these divisions and guide us to more peaceful ground?
On February 8, 2024 at The Carter Center, senior faith leaders and other community members came together to pray for our cherished nation, especially as we enter the election year.
Faith Forward Democracy is part of the Georgia Democracy Resilience Network,which is supported by The Carter Center.
November 3-5: Faith Forward Democracy Day of Prayer
How can we use our places of faith to disagree well
On the weekend of November 3-5, twelve months before the 2024 presidential election, we ask faith leaders in Georgia to lead their congregations in reflection on what can be done to reduce the sense of division that is afflicting our country.
By praying together, we can begin to help ourselves, our families and our communities reduce the temperature in our country and ensure a peaceful democratic election process for all.
If this is of interest, please share this information in your networks and please sign up for more information on events and activities.
We offer this sample prayer below.
Sample Prayer for Our Nation
Loving and Gracious God,
We give you thanks for this, our cherished nation that you have entrusted to our care for our children and generations to come.
We live in a time of disharmony and are troubled by our growing divides. We pray for the unity and protection of our country.
Remind us that no matter our beliefs or our views, we are all made in your image, even those with whom we disagree. Together, let each of us commit to seek harmony and reject division. Let us be inspired by the better angels of our natures.
Help us as people of faith to remember our calling to peace and to find the wisdom to make our places of worship into places of healing. Let us reunite in a common commitment to our shared democratic norms and the rejection of violence.
Give us the courage to help ourselves and others to the path of respect and love.
Give us the strength to listen to those with different views so we may better understand their hopes and fears.
Give us an open heart to find common ground and, where we cannot, to disagree well.
We pray for our leaders so they may guide us with love and wisdom for the betterment of all.
These things we ask in the name of all that is holy and good.