Dear friends,
As followers of Jesus, we are called to welcome the stranger and to stand with those who are vulnerable. In this time of heightened fear and uncertainty for immigrant and refugee families across the country, we seek to respond not with fear, but with prayer, compassion, and faithful action. Our website has been updated with a page to offer concrete ways to engage through learning, accompaniment, advocacy, and practical support, so that our faith is not only something we believe, but something we live.
In this moment, we are grateful for the leadership and pastoral witness of our bishop. Bishop Rob has offered a reflection that speaks directly to the moral and spiritual questions facing Christians today, particularly as immigrant and refugee communities continue to experience fear, detention, and injustice across our country. We are sharing his words with you as part of our parish’s ongoing prayerful discernment about how we live our faith in troubled times.
In his essay, Which God Are We Following?, Bishop Rob reminds us that following Jesus means protecting the vulnerable and working for justice and peace, not through fear, domination, or coercion, but through love, humility, and faithfulness to the way of Christ. His reflection invites us to examine who we are becoming as disciples and how our public witness reflects the God revealed in Jesus.
In solidarity with those who are detained, frightened, or living with deep uncertainty, we share these resources and Bishop Rob’s reflection as expressions of our hope-filled commitment to love our neighbors as ourselves.
With gratitude for our shared life in Christ,
The Rev. Aaron B. Jenkyn
associate@stjohnsnh.org
603-294-0956
Which God Are We Following?
The Rt. Rev. A. Robert Hirschfeld
January 29, 2026
In the wake of the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, and just months after the murder of Charlie Kirk, I find myself asking a question that feels unavoidable in this moment of national grief and division: Which God are we following?
Are we following Jesus the Christ or are we following Zeus?
This may sound provocative, but it cuts to the heart of the crisis facing American Christianity today. The God revealed in Jesus is not a god of retribution, domination, or brute force. He is a God who, though all-powerful, chooses vulnerability. A God who refuses coercion. A God who empties himself.