Have a Blessed, Safe, and Happy 4th! The church office will be closed July 4. The answering service will be available for all emergencies.
Independence Day, July 4th
Today is the national celebration of our Nation's independence. As we celebrate, let us remember to pray that God will strengthen and bless America and make our nation a haven of liberty and justice for all — born and unborn. On April 19, 1775, American minutemen faced English soldiers on the village green in Lexington, Massachusetts. Someone — no one to this day knows who — fired a shot, and a battle followed, which marked the beginning of the American Revolution.
After the Battle of Lexington, the desire of Americans for complete independence from England grew stronger. Less than a month after that battle, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. On July 4, 1776, Congress issued a Declaration of Independence, announcing "that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states." For a time, it seemed to some that the fight for independence was a hopeless struggle, but an important American victory at Saratoga marked a turning point in the war. After that victory, the Americans gained a strong ally, France. With the help of France, the Americans went on to win a final victory over the English at Yorktown. The English Parliament then decided to make peace and accept American independence.
The thirteen states set out to form a new nation, and independence was won. There were strong differences among the states, but Americans came to understand the need for unity and devised a new government plan—the Constitution. The new government, under the Constitution, was faced with many problems, both at home and abroad. However, it found ways to solve these problems, and the United States began to grow rapidly.