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Today we celebrate the Fourth of July—a day when we gather with family and friends, wave flags, and give thanks for the blessings of living in a country where we can worship freely, speak our minds, and strive for a more perfect union. It’s a day to remember the sacrifices of those who came before us and reflect on the values of freedom and justice that shape our nation.

As we celebrate today, I also feel the weight of what true freedom means. Freedom is not just the absence of tyranny; it’s the opportunity—and the responsibility—to love our neighbors, seek peace, and work for justice. True freedom calls us to build communities where everyone can flourish, where dignity is honored, and where we care for the most vulnerable among us. Independence Day reminds us that our rights come with a call to live out Christ’s commandment to love God and love one another.

And yet, even as fireworks light the sky tonight, we know our world is aching. Violence continues to steal lives and produce fear—from our own neighborhoods to places across the globe. Violence doesn’t just happen far away. It’s here—in cycles of poverty, racism and abuse. It’s here when words become weapons or when fear and anger build walls between us. It’s here when we stay silent in the face of injustice. I believe Jesus calls us beyond silence—Jesus calls us to be peacemakers in our words, our prayers, and our actions.

That’s why I was so moved this week by Catherine Kirkendall who sat before the United Nations to speak about the horrors of human trafficking and exploitation. Catherine’s voice carried hope for those hidden in the shadows of abuse, reminding us that peacemaking is not only about stopping wars but about fighting for justice, dignity, and freedom for every child of God. Her courage is a gift to the world and a challenge to each of us.

Our United Methodist Social Principles remind us:

“The church deplores war and all other forms of violent conflict and urges the peaceful settlement of all disputes. We yearn for the day when there will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice.”

Yes, we yearn for that day. But yearning alone isn’t enough. As followers of Jesus, we are called to work for peace—to speak love into a hurting world, to build bridges instead of walls, and to teach our children kindness and empathy. Peace is not passive; it takes courage, humility, and faith.

Today, as we celebrate our nation’s independence, let’s recommit ourselves to use our freedom well: to care for our neighbors, to stand up for what is right, and to be instruments of peace in our community and beyond. Let us remember that our love of country should never outweigh our love of God and neighbor—and that true freedom means working so all people can experience the life God intends.

So today, and every day, let’s hold close in prayer all who suffer from violence: families who grieve, communities torn apart by conflict and hate, refugees seeking safety, and children trapped in cycles of poverty and exploitation. May the Holy Spirit comfort them, strengthen them, and bring justice. And may we, as Christ’s church, live boldly as peacemakers, believing that the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it.

Let’s keep praying, keep loving, and keep working for the day when swords are beaten into plowshares, and peace flows like a river across every land and into every heart.  See you Sunday at 11 AM!

Peace, Pastor Tracy