Episcopal Churches to Hold Election Prayer Vigils
Episcopal churches nationwide plan prayer services on the eve of and on Election Day, Nov. 3.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Elections
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The Episcopal Church has scheduled prayer vigils in churches across the United States on the eve of the general election and on Election Day, Nov. 3. Five Episcopal bishops are set to join an all-day online prayer vigil organized by the Benedictine Way.
Why it matters
The vigils frame the election period around prayer and civic engagement, with organizers citing concern about voter suppression and the need to defend democracy. The church states it does not endorse individual political candidates.
The schedule consists of publicly announced listings from the Episcopal Church and the Benedictine Way, with five bishops confirmed for the online vigil. Participation levels for the in-person and online services have not been reported.
The players
Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church is a Protestant denomination and the U.S. branch of the Anglican Communion.
Benedictine Way
The Benedictine Way is a religious community that organized an all-day online prayer vigil for Election Day.
The details
Episcopal Church prayer vigils will take place in individual churches and online. The Episcopal Church's Division of Public Policy, Partnership and Witness is hosting an 8 p.m. Eastern compline service on Nov. 3 led by the Rev. Sarah Shipman, director of Migration Ministries.
Timeline
Nov. 2: 20-minute election-eve service at St. Ignatius of Loyola in New York at 6 p.m. Eastern.
Nov. 3: Benedictine Way all-day online prayer vigil begins at 8 a.m. Central.
Nov. 3: Online compline service at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Nov. 5: Online 'Vote Faithfully' networking call at 1:30 p.m. Eastern.
Political Context
The Episcopal Church's Office of Government Relations has assembled an election engagement toolkit addressing misinformation, disinformation and political violence. The prayer vigils extend that civic-focused work into religious observance during the election period.
Church members who attend the vigils may join in-person or online services on Nov. 2 and Nov. 3. Episcopalians can sign up for action alerts through the Episcopal Public Policy Network to follow civic engagement efforts.
The takeaway
Churches are using scheduled prayer and online services to mark the election period. Readers interested in participating can check local Episcopal parish listings for specific times and locations.
What happens next
The Episcopal Church has scheduled an online 'Vote Faithfully' networking call at 1:30 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 5 following the election.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in the Elections section for context on the upcoming vote.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Episcopal News Service.
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