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From Charisma-
Someone proposed that they begin their deliberations with prayer. Two delegates, however, opposed the motion on the grounds that they were such a diverse religious group, including Anglicans, Puritans, Presbyterians and Quakers, that it would be impossible for them to pray together.
Samuel Adams, a Puritan from Boston who had been impacted by the Great Awakening, arose and said that he was not a bigoted man and that he could join in prayer with any person of piety and virtue who loved his country. He went on to say that, although he was a stranger to Philadelphia, he had heard of an Anglican minister, a Rev. Jacob Dusche (pictured), who was such a man, and he proposed that they invite him to come and lead them in prayer. Adams' proposal was approved and Dusche was asked to preside over a time of Bible reading and prayer.
As the elderly, grey-haired Dusche stood before the Congress, he began by reading the entire 35th Psalm, which powerfully impacted everyone present. It is a prayer of David for deliverance and begins with the words, "Plead my cause, O Lord, with my adversaries; fight those who fight me." The Psalm ends with praise for God's deliverance.
More here-
http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/58201-how-prayer-won-the-american-revolution
From Wyoming-
One of the things I have our congregation do is to renew our baptismal vows on a regular basis. We recite the Apostle’s Creed, which reflects what we believe, and then we reaffirm our Baptismal Vows, which we “hold” to express the ethics of living out what we say we believe in the Apostles Creed.
Like Paul, we sometimes not only see through a glass darkly, but we continue to do the things we ought not to do and not do the things we should. Paul says we need the help of God to do the right thing. That is why we need to regularly reaffirm these values, especially since we live and move and have our being in the midst of competing values and ethics in our culture. This can help us live up to the values we proclaim.
More here-
http://casperjournal.com/opinion/article_387f3f7b-94c6-5c70-aa03-16f96040e96e.html
From Huffington-
As we celebrate the 235th anniversary of our existence as a nation, we have many things for which to celebrate and be thankful. One of the bedrocks for our country which I most appreciate is the way we have maintained our sense of religious freedom and kept to the tenets of the First Amendment to the Constitution. Through life experience I have learned that our commitment to religious freedom requires renewal with each successive generation. Never can we take for granted that all of our citizens will understand and appreciate this crucial component of our history.In the current era of expanding religious diversity and pluralism, a striking number of our fellow citizens are voicing their opinion that we are an exclusively Christian nation with little room for other faith traditions. I have often wondered if there is something more to this attitude than a simple quest for religious purity. Scott Bader-Saye partially addresses this question for me in his book Following Jesus in a Culture of FEAR (Brazos Press, Grand Rapids: 2007).Bader-Saye raises for me the question of whether such Christian exclusivity could be built upon a foundation of fear, a fear that other religions will push Christianity from the center of the public square. As I read Bader-Saye's book I wonder if such ways of thinking are symptoms of the ever-present fears of life in a post 9/11 world. It seems to me that we may be at a societal crossroads at which we are faced with a choice between the embrace of religious diversity or the development of a Constantine-like city-state that is governed by the tenets of the scriptures. Yes, I recognize that life will never be as simple as an either/or decision, but the implications of these decisions are significant for me.More here-
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bishop-james-magness/a-religious-reflection-fo_b_887759.html
From Greenville SC-
Sunday's church service included cannon fire, as part of an Independence Day tribute at a downtown Greenville church.A cannon was fired multiple times, starting around 10 a.m. at Christ Church Episcopal on North Church Street."We notified the businesses and residences that it would be happening so that wouldn't startle anybody," Father Harrison McLeod told WYFF.While the church did not want to scare anyone, McLeod said the cannon fire was aimed at reminding people what it took to be able to celebrate the Fourth of July."We remember our independence as a country and the price that we've had to pay for freedom," McLeod said. "We wanted to honor the veterans -- those who have served previously and those who are serving now."Read more:
http://www.wyff4.com/news/28434711/detail.html#ixzz1R8awELXD
From Charisma-
