Independence Day Commemmoration

Back in May Elizabeth Kaeton wrote this post on her blog Telling Secrets. It began

This has been sticking in my craw for some time. And, some of you know how I get when something sticks in my craw.

I was not happy with the Memorial Day Celebration. Oh, I threw in some Patriotic hymns and prayers for our nation and one for 'heroic service', but they rang shallow for me, given all that is going on in the world - and in our country - right now.

So, I spent part of my holiday weekend making sure that the next Patriotic Holiday - July 4th - provides us some lessons in history.

Yes, I could preach on it, but I don't think I could be more eloquent than some of language of our historical documents.

So, inspired by one of my brothers, Ernest Cockrill, from El Camino Real, I decided to develop a sort of "Lessons and Hymns" with Eucharist for July 4th.

On the surface, it looks like a long service, but I wish to point out two things: (1) Most of the hymns are 1 - 3 verses long (or, short, actually, for an Episcopal service) and (2) there is no sermon, per se ;~)

All of the prayers come from the Book of Common Prayer. All of the historical quotes are, as near as I can figure, accurate.

So, tell me what you think. I trust your honesty.

PS - Please feel free to "steal, "borrow" or adapt this for your congregation, as you deem appropriate. Appropriate attribution will be deeply appreciated.

And that's exactly what Lois did, with a few changes inspired by conversations on the House of Bishops and Deputies listserv. You can see the service we did at Grace Church this morning on our Sermons blog.

This service is a mini history lesson for all of us. How many of us have actually read any of the Mayflower Compact? Abagail Adams' letter, or Sojourner Truth's speech, both of which brought some laughter to the congregation, are also little known. Enmegahbowh? Even if we were to believe the melting pot myth, our history consists of the stories of so many more people than a bunch of white men sitting in Philadelphia or Washington, DC.

And the music... Even when we disagree with what our government is doing, or the direction the nation seems to be taking, there is something about "The Star Spangled Banner" that brings a lump to our throats (even if the tune is an old drinking song!). And I can't hear "We Gather Together" without thinking about our Thanksgiving assemblies at my first grade school (before separation of church and state became such a hard and fast line).

This was the most meaningful church celebration of Independence Day I have ever experienced. Thank you Elizabeth, Lois, and everyone who contributed.

Peace,
Jeffri