This Sunday, as we mark Independence Day weekend, we’ll think about human freedom.  America’s national symbol is the Bald Eagle, embodying the beauty and joy of freedom.   That Eagle is our third bird in our summer sermon series, “Consider the Birds.”

To think more deeply about human freedom, we’ll turn to what is called, “The Gospel of Freedom,” Paul’s Letter to the Galatians.  In this letter we find those beautiful words: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Frankly, Paul’s rhapsodic words sound a lot like a commencement speech.  Commencements – remember those?  They were gatherings we used to have, back before 2020?  We’d bring together all these young, hope-filled grads, and inspire them with speeches like Paul’s.

But what happens after commencement?  Why do so few of those grads return for their fifth or their tenth reunion?   What do we do with that freedom we’ve earned upon our graduations?   Why do we stumble and give up our cherished dreams of serving a greater good?  We settle into serving ourselves — our hungers and pleasures, even hurting others we had promised to always love.

Join us this Sunday – in person or podcast – and learn from Paul’s Gospel of Freedom.   We’ll do some serious “birdwatching” of the Bald Eagle and human freedom.