Independence - Rector's Rambling for July 5, 2026

     In the Anglican Tradition in the United States Independence Day is a Prayer Book Holy Day, Even though today is actually Fifth Sunday after Trinity and yesterday was the Holy Day, we are commerating it today in honor of the 250th Anniversary of our country’s founding. 

It makes perfect sense that this would be in our prayer book calendar, since our country’s founding document, the Declaration of Independence, was signed by a majority who were members of what would become The Episcopal Church.  According to Gregory Elder of Redlands Daily Facts, “32 of the signers, well over half, were Episcopalians, or Anglicans, the old state Church of England.  There were 13 Congregationalists, 12 were Presbyterians.  There were two Quakers, two Unitarians, and one Roman Catholic.”

Being that Episcopalians were accustomed to praying for the King and his government in the Daily Office, it would be understandable that that would be converted into a daily prayer for the President and all others in authority, as well as a celebration of our God-given liberties, along with the responsibilities that come with that freedom.  We are blessed to have this freedom, and it is our bounden duty to glorify God and to make sure that those liberties are preserved and equality applicable to all.

This evening the St. Michael’s Conference for Youth, Midwest, begins at the Manresa Retreat Center.  This is a wonderful week of prayer, instruction, and a fun for the Michaelites (the students attending), and the staff as well.   Daily Office, Daily Mass, Compline (nighttime prayers) are part of the scheduled, three morning classes, afternoon freetime with organized activities, and evening group games.  It is a wonderful time!  This will be my 27th year on staff of the Midwest Conference, in addition to 2 years on staff of the original conference on the east coast. 

Thank you for all the financial support that St. John’s members and organizations have contributed to the Conference.  Without that support this Conference could not exist!

Could I please ask that everyone pray for us this week.  If you pray for us at 7:30 AM, 8 AM, or 5 PM you will be praying for us while we are assembled in chapel for Morning Prayer, Solemn High Mass, and Evening Prayer.   And of course we will take your prayers any other time of the day as well!

God willing we finish the Conference about noon on Saturday.