Nearly 50 Bainbridge residents, representing at least two different island religious institutions, have signed a letter to President-elect Donald Trump in a plea for decency and an offer of spiritual support.

The letter originates from the Episcopal Church in Western Washington, Diocese of Olympia and urges the controversial politician to “affirmatively and unequivocally condemn any instance of hate, violence, intimidation, harassment, aggression against any of our brothers and sisters with whom we share this country” through a public pronouncement.

Posted at the Episcopal Church in Western Washington website, the letter had gathered almost 850 names as of late last week, and the signers continued seeking additional supporters to likewise attach their own names up to the Dec. 20 deadline.

“As you are a professed follower of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we believe you have empathy in your heart and want the best for our nation and the people of the United States,” the letter, addressed to President-elect Trump, reads. It further asks the Commander-in-chief-to-be to “publicly condemn violence and acts of hate or aggression against women, minorities, the poor, disabled, veterans, the unemployed, immigrants, those of different religions and beliefs, those who are gay or transgender, or the working poor.”

Bainbridge signatories are comprised of members of both Grace and Saint Barnabas Episcopal Churches, including several reverends.

The Right Reverend Greg Rickel, Bishop of Olympia, said he was inspired to pen the letter after reading a similar one disseminated by a diocese in Pennsylvania and hearing worries and concerns from many parishioners in the wake of the election.

“Many people are concerned, especially in our ethnic congregations,” Rickel said. “We have a lot of concern about what this means.”

This, of course, being the election result and the new president, a development that left many of the people Rickel spoke to prior to crafting the letter conflicted.

“I had a few people coming to me and saying they weren’t sure they could pray for President Trump,” Rickel remembered.

“I was quite frankly appalled by that,” he added. “If we can’t pray then we’re not who we say we are, and I will absolutely stand up and say that we will pray for him. We will pray for his administration and for the future of our country.”

The letter, in fact, takes care to inform Trump that the signers “will continue to pray for you.”

“We will pray for you in our liturgy, churches and homes,” it reads. “We are the bishop, clergy, and laity of the Diocese. We are Republicans, Democrats, Independents and other political parties. We comprise a cross section of America; we are a variety of political beliefs and opinions. We are those who voted for you and those who did not. Although we are diverse, we share in an unshakable common faith in the transformative and life-giving power of Jesus Christ.”

Visit www.ecww.org/let ter-diocese-olympia-presi dent-elect-trump to read the full text.

The letter received a great amount of support almost immediately. Rickel said he was “heartened” by the response.

Some, however, were less enthusiastic.

“I’m getting some pushback,” Rickel said. Several people found the tone of the letter to be “very partisan,” he said. Others advocated a more complete separation of church and state, citing the letter as an example of inappropriate religious activism.

“They find it to be me being a liberal who can’t accept the election result,” Rickel said. “I believe separation of church and state was meant by [the Founding Fathers] not to say that neither would ever speak to one another, but that neither would ever become one another and I totally believe in the latter part. One should not become the other.”

Rickel said it would be more inappropriate in a democratic society for the church to “sit in the corner and be quiet.”

Grace Church members, inspired by the letter, were already endeavoring to add their voices, the church’s music and arts director Ann Strickland said.

“I indeed feel so inspired by his leadership,” she said of Rickel. “We have started a post-election discussion and action group at Grace to foster conversation and interfaith action with an emphasis on human rights, the environment, immigration and building relationship with other faith communities.”

The group will meet on every other Sunday, beginning Jan. 8, at 11:15 a.m. in the church’s music room.

The letter will be both printed and mailed and emailed to the Trump administration, Rickel said, though he’s not exactly planning to hold his breath while awaiting a response.

“I’m not living under any illusion that President Trump’s going to read this letter and suddenly have some deep, warm feeling,” Rickel said. “He may never get the letter. But the letter’s important not just for what it says but also as a convenient we’ve made with ourselves to do these things, which include praying for him and his administration and includes engaging ourselves. Because I think the one thing we saw in this election is you can’t stay home. You need to be engaged in this.”