For Such a Time as This: How Our Communities Are Responding

by Stephanie Cooper

Last month, Alexis Tardy offered our community a reflection on Esther 4 that met many of us right where we are: tired, emotionally overwhelmed, and trying to stay faithful in a moment that feels heavy from every direction. She drew parallels between Esther’s exhaustion in the palace and our own temptation to pull back from the world as violence and fear swirl around us. And yet, Alexis reminded us that Esther is called back to herself by someone who loves her enough to tell her the truth. She reminded us that courage doesn’t appear out of thin air; it is cultivated in community, through prayer, fasting, and the shared work of discernment.

What Alexis named so clearly is that we, too, are living in our own “such a time as this” moments. Even when the risks are real and the stakes feel impossibly high, we’re invited to imagine what holy boldness might look like in our particular contexts. We do not act as isolated heroes. Rather, we are a people held, supported, and encouraged by a wider community committed to justice.

In response to Alexis’s reflection, many of you reached out:

One pastor shared that a Bible study on conflict transformation, written decades ago and now used across many global peace networks, has become an unexpected guide in this moment. They described how resources like this help ground them as they accompany people facing fear, uncertainty, and the daily reality of harmful policies.

Another pastor, serving an interim congregation, told us what they are witnessing week after week: people carrying real grief, staying informed, strengthening convictions, and trying to transform their worry and anger into meaningful action. And alongside that engagement, this pastor noticed how deeply people are leaning into worship right now, finding the grounding they need for the work ahead.

And another congregation shared that they have done the work to secure their property as a safe space, especially as ICE agents threaten all corners of our lives and terrorize vulnerable families. They’ve also increased their support for local organizations keeping neighbors housed and fed, knowing that protection and provision both matter in times like these.

These responses remind me why the Alliance exists at all. Being part of this network means showing up in our own local context, trusting that our small offerings join with the offerings of others to create something larger than any one of us could manage alone. It means holding one another up when the world feels fragile and leaning into the kind of courage that grows only in community. We’re grateful for every way you continue to witness to God’s justice and compassion right where you are.