Beautiful, Broken, Beloved: A Sermon Series for America’s 250th Anniversary
As Christians, we are called to neither idolize nor despise our nation. Instead, we practice faithful citizenship under the lordship of Jesus Christ. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States of America, we will consider early texts that shaped our civic identity and ideals, alongside Scripture. As we move toward this momentous milestone, may we tell the truth about who we are as a nation—beautiful, broken, beloved. Our nation’s foundation includes beautiful aspirations, our common life is broken in many ways, and yet we remain beloved by God. God calls every people, in every nation, toward justice, mercy, repentance, and hope.
June 7th – “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26
June 14th – “The Declaration of Independence” by Thomas Jefferson; Psalm 116: 1-2, 12-19
June 21st – “America the Beautiful” by Katharine Lee Bates; Romans 6:1b-11
June 28th – “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” by Frederick Douglass; Matthew 10:40-42
July 5th – “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson; Psalm 145:8-14
This sermon series is inspired by the interfaith work of faith250 which invites clergy and community leaders from multiple faiths to consider the meaning and blessing of our country’s founding.
