“Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can." - John Wesley

For those marginalized, we pray for you. For those silenced, we pray for you. For those suffering because of exclusion and injustice, we pray for you and we are with you. For our beloved church, the United Methodist Church, our denomination, our LGBTQIA+ brothers and sisters and our entire community: we pray for you, we love you, we are with you and we will fight for you. For in Isaiah chapter 41, verse 6 says, “Each one helps the other, saying to one another, “Take courage.”” May this time of reflection and healing serve as a reminder that in God's love, we are one, we are equal, and we must work to remain united. What unites us is far greater than what divides us. Trust that Northern California's Christmas Institute (CI) in the California-Nevada Annual Conference of the Western Jurisdiction stands firm in our sentiment of OPEN HEARTS, OPEN MINDS, and OPEN DOORS, welcoming ALL. And ALL means ALL. Let us move forward with love, respect, understanding, grace, and patience, for God is at work in the hearts of our young people who are ready to take action “When the Fight Calls” and ensure change until the day “We'll All Be Free."