During the day on Tuesday, Memorial Baptist Church in Columbia will function as a polling place. But after the polls close, Pastor Kevin Glenn hopes to bring voters from all different perspectives together.

“People of faith have become known more for their political affiliation than for their proclamation of the way of Jesus and his ethic of unconditional love,“ he said.

This church is one of 24 in Missouri and several hundred nationwide participating in Election Day Communion. 

Glenn said the event is “the invitation to put aside everything that divides us, and focus on what unites us as people of faith.”

Participating churches will hold services focused on unity. Each service will include the Christian tradition of taking communion.

Beliefs about communion vary from church to church, but Glenn sees a strong element of hospitality and community:

“Even when Jesus set up his table for the Last Supper, he invited, you know, a zealot, a tax collector, someone who would deny him, someone who would doubt him, even someone who would betray him. And all of those people came together," Glenn said.

People of all faiths are welcome to attend Election Day Communion services.

Other participating churches include Rock Bridge Christian Church in Columbia, Court Street United Methodist Church in Fulton, and Community Christian Church in Jefferson City and several others throughout the state.

For more information, go to electiondaycommunion.org.

Listen to the story here.

This story was produced in partnership with KBIA 91.3 FM, the local NPR affiliate.