In a historic parish like ours, I can't let a major national event go by without looking to our archives. St. James witnessed the 100th, 150th, 200th and now 250th anniversary of our country's founding. In my search, however, I've also learned that St. Jamesians have been committed, from our founding, to observing a slower summer. :) Which means both bulletins and newsletters for the months of July and August are in short supply. I did find--and will print in this Sunday's bulletin--the bulletin from July 4, 1976, which fell on a Sunday. A reflection there reads, in part:
Two centuries, twenty decades, two hundred years--it is too much to recollect, too little time to set a trend. But we Americans pause a while to reflect--a needed discipline, too little observed these days. And as we reflect upon our nation's life we have to choose our viewpoints carefully. We need to scale the peaks of our nation's history, and we must recall the shadows of its valleys as well. Neither rose-colored glasses nor jauncided eyes will give us the vision we need for assessing the past or plotting the future.
Because we, in the church, try to take the long view, it's often the case that reflections from the past are perfectly suited to the present. This simple observation to look at our country with neither jaundiced eyes or rose-colored glasses strikes me as timeless, and wise. I'm choosing this weekend to celebrate all that we are in our wonderful diversity. Even the things my "jaundiced eyes" see can be cause for gratitude. Our struggles and disagreements reveal our passion and engagement as a people. May all of it, and our passionately different opinions, be cause for rejoicing this weekend.
I pray you all have a wonderful Fourth of July celebration. In church on Sunday we'll include prayers for our country in the Prayers of the People. Victoria has also thrown in a few hymns and musical pieces to help us celebrate this big occasion. The Scripture readings will be as previously assigned--the church's history and customs are far older than our country's--but we'll be sure to mark the event with the honor and joy it deserves.
And for those reading this fifty or a hundred years hence, let it be on record that (as I always say) church doesn't stop in the summer! See you Sunday. -Mother Storm
