From The Desk of Deacon Judy
The Fourth of July – Rituals and Remembrances
Wisdom appears in the most surprising places.
In my marketing email from 1-800-Flowers, the founder and chairman, Jim McCann, offered his reflections on July 4th’s Deeper Meanings – celebration rituals and the courage of the founding fathers 250 years ago to form a Continental Army and Continental Congress to address the monarchal tyranny of the day.
What are your Independence Day rituals? Many may enjoy the Boat Parade on Lake Martin or other local community parades. Others have family or neighborhood gatherings, picnics or barbeques. Many colleagues in the diocese joined Bishop Sloan at Special Session during the Fourth of July holiday week.
For over thirty years, my Fourth of July ritual was to run the Peachtree Road Race. After turning a year older on July 2, it was a personal goal to participate in this 6.2 mile celebration with 60,000 of my closest friends on our nation’s birthday. I loved getting a blessing of holy water from the Dean of St. Philip’s Cathedral. I proudly wore my Peachtree Road Race tee shirt at our afternoon party with our neighbors.
These rituals speak to the value of gathering in community to enjoy time together and to offer thanks for our country and its traditions.
In 2025 we remember that 250 years ago our founding fathers dared to take a stand against the increasing oppression of a mad king. 1775 saw turning points in our nation, with the first shots fired at Lexington and Concord, and the subsequent preparations that led to the Declaration of Independence the following year.
Jim McCann writes:
“All across the country, preparations are underway for next year’s milestone celebrations. But I think there’s something powerful about reflecting today on the courage, decisions, and even disagreements that shaped the journey to 1776. There’s a lot we can learn from the way our founders wrestled with big ideas and hard choices, especially in a time when unity wasn’t easy — and still isn’t.
Every Fourth of July is not only a celebration, but also a reminder of the bold decision to chart a new course. It’s an invitation to keep moving forward with that same spirit. It’s a chance to ask what it means to be American today, and how we can keep striving toward the ideals first put to paper nearly two and a half centuries ago.”
Let us pray the Collect for Independence Day:
Lord God Almighty, in whose Name the founders of this country won liberty for themselves and for us, and lit the torch of freedom for nations then unborn: Grant that we and all the people of this land may have grace to maintain our liberties in righteousness and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen.
God’s peace,
Judy Q+
