July 4, 1776 is a somewhat arbitrary moment to celebrate. The Declaration of Independence was actually passed on July 2, 1776. The official signing of the Declaration was on August 2, 1776. The first shots of the Revolution are said to have been fired on April 19, 1775. The final surrender of the Revolution was October 19, 1781. Still it is the date that we choose. In reality, any day will do to mark the dream to which the United States has committed itself — that all are created equal and have an equal right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The earliest patriots spoke of the United States as an experiment. At some level we are always more of a dream, a hope, a possibility than we are a reality. I hope you will have a joyous celebration on July 4th, that you will commit yourself to the possibility of “liberty and justice for all.” Even more, I hope you will join us on July 5th to commit ourselves to the dream of God for the whole of creation, as we remember the dream of a table big enough for every person and a meal that unites us all. We will be on Facebook and on the radio.
Pastor Tom