Church near Pennsylvania Capitol becomes peace hub hoping to protect democracy in divisive election

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - Grace United Methodist Church is located just steps from the Pennsylvania State Capitol. Between the two buildings, the church recently installed a pole. It reads: "May Peace Prevail on Earth."

The timing and location of the "Peace Pole" were both intentional and symbolic.

It was done to commemorate the International Day of Peace last month. But also, "in recognition of the political climate that we're in," said the Rev. Anna Layman Knox, the church's pastor.

From her office window, she has a view of the Capitol's majestic dome inspired by Michelangelo's design for St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. But on the Capitol steps she has also witnessed rallies across the political spectrum, and she knows that the current heated election rhetoric could escalate into violence.

She hopes her church's stand for peace will inspire others to do the same as the voting results come in.

During a recent Sunday service, Layman Knox asked congregants to pray for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and to be mindful of their words. Wearing a stole in the rainbow colors of the LGBTQ+ flag, she said, "We pray for our nation in our division and our hope."

Pennsylvania's Capitol, in perhaps the most pivotal of swing states, could be a crucial venue if the upcoming election leads to worsening political divisions.

It's where some of the first protests erupted in 2020 supporting Donald Trump's lies of a stolen election. The string of demonstrations eventually exploded into the Jan. 6 insurrection, where Trump's supporters stormed into the U.S. Capitol in a deadly riot.

In recent weeks, evangelical leader Sean Feucht, an outspoken Christian Nationalist, led a pro-Trump demonstration outside the landmark building in the capital city of Pennsylvania, saying "the enemy can't have this state."

At a nearby nondenominational church, billionaire Elon Musk backed Trump reiterating his false claims about election fraud.

Fear of violence recently prompted Layman Knox to join Choices and Voices for Peace, a coalition of faith leaders from across Pennsylvania who gathered at the state Capitol urging civility ahead of the election.

"Tensions have been rising, and all of our religious traditions preach peace and love," said Rabbi Ariana Capptauber of Harrisburg's Beth El Temple. "We know that that's the highest value in our country - and our highest value."

After their demonstration at the Capitol rotunda, the interfaith group - including rabbis, priests and imams - walked across to Grace Church to share a meal and plan how to peacefully fight against the looming threats.

"We're protecting our communities," said the Rev. Erin Jones, who works for a state advocacy arm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, which organized the peace rally. It also led a petition asking Pennsylvanians to respect each other as they head to the polls.

"The choices we make there will be a statement about the way we want to live together here and now and the kind of tomorrow we want to leave for our children," read the petition signed by more than 300 faith leaders.

American voters are deeply concerned about the election and what could come next for the country, including the potential for political violence, according to a new poll.

The findings of the survey, conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, show that about 4 in 10 registered voters say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about violent attempts to overturn the results after the November election. A similar share is worried about legal efforts to do so. And about 1 in 3 voters say they are "extremely" or "very" concerned about attempts by local or state election officials to stop the results from being finalized.

"I fear that there will be violence, and I hope that there can be unity," said Carly Wolf, 23, a Grace Church member and a college senior majoring in justice studies. She was outraged when she recently learned a group carrying swastika flags marched in front of her church on their way to the Pennsylvania Capitol.

"Regardless of the election results, the protests at the capitol need to be peaceful," she said.

Although she prays that it won't be necessary, she said she'd be ready to join counter peaceful protests to protect the Capitol and the Harrisburg community.

"I'd be willing to put myself on the line," Wolf said. "We shouldn't allow that kind of hate speech to happen. We've seen what happened on January 6, and it's important to protect the sanctity of our capitol."

Grace United Methodist Church is known as the church that saved Harrisburg from losing its status as the capital of Pennsylvania.

Since the early 19th century and throughout the Civil War, there were efforts to return the capital to Philadelphia. The pressure increased after a fire destroyed the Capitol building in 1897.

Since Harrisburg lacked a space large enough to accommodate the legislature, the church opened its doors to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. In just a few days, "all religious items and furnishings were removed," the church says on its site, "and desks, chairs and spittoons were installed."

Lawmakers worked from the church's sanctuary and the Sunday school rooms for two years until the Capitol was rebuilt.

"There has been historically this profound connection between what it means to be a church and what it means to be an advocate and to be engaged politically in the community," Layman Knox said.

Grace Church has taken that principle seriously, she said. "Being political isn't about being partisan. It's about providing for and living into the greater good for all."

"Even now, it acts as a sacred space for people across denominations and interfaith gatherings to gather, to pray and to organize for advocacy efforts that happen up at the Capitol," Layman Knox said.

After touring the Capitol building on a recent Sunday, Scott Bassett, a Pennsylvania-born retired teacher who lives in California, reflected on the work of faith leaders.

"I'm hopeful that they get along so much that they can pass on that message to all citizens here," he said at the Capitol steps overlooking the soaring steeple of Grace and other churches that dot downtown Harrisburg.

"I can appreciate what they're doing for this country and for the state of Pennsylvania."

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