Worship Resources for July 5, 2026

This year the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Many church leaders are wondering how (or whether) to acknowledge this occasion in worship without promoting Christian nationalism, a political ideology that confuses and conflates Christian identity with national identity. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) rejects and renounces Christian nationalism—particularly as it reinforces systemic racism, stokes political violence, undermines religious liberty, and excludes people of other faith traditions. (For more information, see this statement and resource from the General Assembly Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Relations.)

The following resources and guidelines for worship seek to offer an alternate, corrective approach for planners and leaders of worship on July 5, 2026, and throughout the year. Compiled by Rev. David Gambrell, Ph.D., Associate for Worship; Rev. Sally Ann McKinsey, Editor, Call to Worship; and Rev. Aimee C. Moiso, Ph.D., Manager of Social Policy Witness; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.); photo credit: Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins.

Opening Sentences (two options)
Confession and Pardon
Guidance for Preachers
Prayers of Intercession (three options)
Notes on Hymns
Visual Symbols
Further Reading and Resources

Opening Sentences

Draw on scriptural verses, such as these from the psalms, that emphasize God’s sovereignty and justice and care for the whole world.

(A) Based on Psalm 96

O sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Declare God’s glory among the nations;
tell all the people of God’s marvelous works.

Say among the nations: The Lord is sovereign!
God will judge the peoples with equity.

Let us worship God.

(B) Based on Psalm 145

O Lord, you are gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
You are good to all people,
with compassion for all of your creation.

All your works give thanks to you, O Lord,
and all your faithful people bless you.
They speak of the glory of your realm
and tell of your wondrous deeds.

You are faithful in your words, O Lord,
and gracious in all your deeds.
You uphold all who are falling
and raise up those who are bowed down.

Let us worship God.

Confession and Pardon

Offer prayers of confession that express our repentance for systemic and structural evil as well as personal sin.

Let us open our lives to God’s healing presence,
seeking peace with God
and reconciliation with our neighbors.
Let us be mindful not only of personal evil
but also of our communal sins
of family, class, race, and nation.

Let us confess to God whatever has wounded us
or brought injury to others,
that we may receive mercy
and become for each other
ministers of God’s grace.

A time of silence is kept.

Merciful God,
in your gracious presence
we confess our sin and the sin of this world.

Although Christ is among us as our peace,
we are a people divided against ourselves
as we cling to the values of a broken world.
The profit and pleasures we pursue
lay waste the land and pollute the seas.
The fears and jealousies that we harbor
set neighbor against neighbor
and nation against nation.
We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom,
of intellect and reason,
and have turned them into bonds of oppression.

Lord, have mercy upon us;
heal and forgive us.
Set us free to serve you in the world
as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ.

Hear the good news!

Who is in a position to condemn?
Only Christ, and Christ died for us,
Christ rose for us,
Christ reigns in power for us,
Christ prays for us.

Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation.
The old life has gone; a new life has begun.

Know that you are forgiven
and be at peace. Amen.

Book of Common Worship (WJK, 2018), 59, 734–735

Guidance for Preachers

When patriotic U.S. holidays intersect with Christian worship, congregants bring divergent and often vocal opinions about appropriate, meaningful, or respectful ways to mark civil occasions in church. This year, the 250^th anniversary of the founding of the nation — July 4, 2026 — falls on a Saturday, making it all but impossible for pastors to avoid it Sunday morning.

Much has been written about what Presbyterians believe about church and state, religious liberty, idolatry, partisanship, and worship—all of which are important. For pastors and preachers, though, there is only so much these historical, biblical, and theological resources can do in the face of the emotional and nostalgic weight the July 4 holiday will bring in 2026. The magnitude of the historic anniversary and the mixed emotions many are feeling in a divided nation only increase the difficulty of finding faithful words for a worship service and a sermon that will connect with worshipers and their expectations.

Given the heightened emotions of this moment, here are some approaches to consider:

(1) Engage rather than ignore the feelings people may bring. Name the diversity in the room — not just of opinions, but of emotions. Many people may feel a mix of emotions within themselves: pride about some aspects of U.S. history and achievement, and grief or shame over others. Affirming the panoply of emotional responses creates a welcoming space for everyone, and can help worshipers find points of connection with each other and with God in this particular moment.

(2) Redirect strong patriotic impulses for worship toward biblical and theological beliefs instead. Rather than rejecting outright the patriotic expressions we find objectionable or unfaithful, we can try to redirect them toward Christian convictions that hold onto the emotion but shift the center of attention. Channel pride about “the United States” into gratitude about the freedom to express our religious convictions and the value of religious liberty, or celebration of the fundamental idea that all people are created equal.

Sometimes it may be necessary to offer more direct guidance or correction about patriotism and Reformed Christian faith. Especially when emotions or tensions are high, however, worshipers are unlikely to be able to receive messages that make them feel guilty or shamed for their feelings. It can be helpful to think in terms of “redirection” rather than “correction,” especially when it comes to emotions. For example, a belief in American exceptionalism or supremacy may emerge from a feeling of comfort and assurance of God’s providence and care. That feeling is not inappropriate, and might be redirected toward the promise and hope of that care for all of creation and not just the United States. Likewise, a sense of being “special” or “set apart” as an American might not need to be negated as much as recognized and channeled toward appropriate and faith-filled ends, such as the recognition of diverse gifts of the Spirit given for the benefit of the whole, and the balance between gifts we’ve received and gifts given to others.

(3) Consider thematic approaches for worship and preaching. Civil holidays are an opportunity to offer a Christian take on a theme like “freedom” or “unity” that can help build common understandings and shared values. Alternatively, offer two contrasting themes in conversation with each other: “gratitude” and “lament,” in which the congregation offers both its gratitude and lament to God for what the United States is and has been; or “individualism” and “community,” in which the freedom and dignity of the individual is celebrated alongside the rights and responsibilities of the community, both of which are honored in Christian theology and in the idea that “God alone is Lord of the conscience” (Book of Order, F-3.0101. For an introduction, see “Lord of the Conscience: A balancing act,” from Presbyterians Today, 2003).

(4) Look for places of balance. In churches where the current sentiment is one of strong patriotism and pride in the United States, seek out opportunities to balance that patriotism with other orientations. If the church has a strong connection to international mission partners, consider highlighting what has been learned and gained from those partnerships in ways that can offset messages of American exceptionalism. In churches with strong resistance to the current U.S. administration, consider messages that uplift long-term hopes and dreams rather than simply lament and anger about the political moment, especially in ways that deepen spiritual practices and trust in God.

(5) Know and honor yourself as the pastor and preacher. One of the challenges for preachers can be feeling at odds with the congregation’s beliefs or orientations, which are sometimes exacerbated on civic holidays. It can be helpful to keep in mind the complexities of emotions that surround these days, and to remember that no one is a monolith — not even the pastor! The preacher’s emotions and beliefs are not distinct from the congregation’s, but are part of the larger dynamic of life together. Start by being honest and gentle with yourself about both your emotional responses to this moment in our national life and the reasons you feel the way you do, noting the connection between your life experiences and the feelings you bring. Take time to consider your own combination of pride, concern, hope, gratitude, and lament, and use that reflection as a starting point for connection with others and their experiences. Listen, too, to how these feelings are being expressed by your congregation members. In a time when social polarization pushes us to take absolute positions against the “other side,” the church community can still be a place that affirms the mixed-up feelings and complicated desires that exist within us all as we seek God’s wisdom together.

Prayers of Intercession

Offer prayers of intercession that call on God’s protection and provision for the people of every nation and express the hope of reconciliation in God’s realm of justice and peace.

(A) Based on Rev. 7:9–17; 22:20

Holy God, we come before you in prayer
hungering for justice,
thirsting for righteousness,
longing for peace.

We pray with a great multitude from every nation,
from all tribes and peoples and languages.
We pray with saints of every time and place,
those who have gone through the great ordeal . . .

Names of saints, martyrs, civil rights leaders, and other witnesses for justice and peace may be included here.

With all these faithful witnesses, we cry:
Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!

Now receive our prayers
for justice, righteousness, and peace . . .

After each petition, leader and people may say:

God of our salvation, hear our prayer.

A time of silence may follow each petition.

That the hungry may be filled with good things . . .
That the thirsty may be satisfied . . .
That the oppressed may be set free . . .
That the homeless may find shelter . . .
That the sorrowful may be comforted . . .
That enemies may be reconciled . . .
That the world may know peace . . .

Other specific petitions may be included here.

Let the day quickly come
when hunger and thirst will be no more,
when suffering and sorrow will be no more,
and you will wipe away every tear.

Until that day, keep us faithful—
watching, working, and praying
for the coming of your realm
of justice, righteousness, and peace.

Then we will share the feast of salvation.
Then we will rejoice around your throne, singing:
Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and might
be to our God forever and ever!

All this we pray in the name
of the one who has promised:
Surely I am coming soon.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Book of Common Worship (WJK, 2018), 614–616.

(B) From the 2013 Busan Assembly of the World Council of Churches

Lord, our God, creator of heaven and earth,
of all things visible and invisible,
the source and sustainer of life,
you who holds in unity and harmony
the multiple parts of the entire cosmos,
we thank you and praise you for your love,
for your wisdom, for your kindness and mercy.

Give us courage and strength to follow your way
and to be your witnesses to the end of the earth
so that the world may know your love.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you are our way to life, justice, and peace.

In you we are called to find our unity.
Come into the brokenness of our lives and our land
with your healing love.

Help us to be willing to bow before you
in true repentance
and to bow to one another
in real forgiveness.

By the fire of your Holy Spirit,
melt our hard hearts
and consume the prejudice and pride
which separate us.

Fill us, O Lord, with your perfect love
that casts out fear
and bind us together in the unity
that you share with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Lord, hear our prayer.

Make us instruments of your love, O God,
agents of your justice and peace.

Strengthen us to work for unity and harmony
between people of every race, color and creed.

Enable us to respect all of your creation
and to love one another as ourselves,
that we may serve one another
in humility, simplicity and joy;
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Worship (WJK, 2018), 616.

People of God,
for the sake of the world that God so loves, let us pray.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
We pray for peace in every nation—
that people will turn their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks
and study war no more.

Pray for the peace of the church.
We pray for peace in Christ’s body—
put an end to fear and fighting,
and help us to proclaim in word and action
the good news of salvation to all.

Pray for the peace of this community.
We pray for peace in this place—
for safety in our homes and streets,
for the prosperity of our neighbors,
and for the health of family and friends.

God of the future,
make us ready for the coming of your reign,
when you will bring everlasting peace
and renew the face of the earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Worship (WJK, 2018), 617.

Notes on Hymns

My Country ’Tis of Thee / AMERICA (GTG 337; PH 561): Composed for Independence Day in 1831, this hymn celebrates freedom and extols the sovereignty of God.
O Beautiful for Spacious Skies / MATERNA (GTG 338; PH 564): This hymn praises God for the beauty of America, but it also prays for God’s grace and correction when we go astray. See also “How Beautiful, Our Spacious Skies,” a 1993 reimagining of this hymn by Miriam Therese Winter.
Lift Every Voice and Sing / LIFT EVERY VOICE (GTG 339; PH 563): Written for a celebration of Lincoln’s birthday in 1900, this hymn is rooted in the African American experience in the United States. It is also appropriate for the Sundays before and after Juneteenth.
This Is My Song / FINLANDIA (GTG 340): Written between world wars in the early twentieth century, this hymn is a prayer for peace and humility among nations.
God of the Ages, Whose Almighty Hand / NATIONAL HYMN (GTG 331; PH 262): This hymn was written in 1876 in celebration of the centennial of the United States Declaration of Independence.
In This Time of Great Reflection / RESTORATION: Commissioned by Sojourners magazine and written by PC(USA) pastor Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, this hymn marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. See the accompanying note on her website or read more about it in this article.
We Weep a River of Our Tears / MATERNA: PC(USA) pastor Rev. Chris Shelton offers this hymn of lament based on Psalm 137, set to the tune for “America the Beautiful.”
In Christ There Is No East and West / MCKEE or ST. PETER (GTG 317, 318; PH 439, 440): This early twentieth-century hymn celebrates the unity and universality of the church throughout the world; the tune MCKEE is an African American spiritual melody.
Come, Now, O Prince of Peace / O-SO-SO (GTG 103): This hymn from Korea evokes the pain of division and the hope of reconciliation.

Visual Symbols

The Christian Church transcends national borders and allegiances. As members of Christ’s body we are united with Christians in every time and place as “fellow citizens with the saints” and “members of the household of God” (Eph. 2:19). For this reason, the display of national symbols such as flags in places of worship should be avoided. Such symbols contradict the witness of the universal church to the sovereignty of God.

Broyles, Vernon S., III. “When faith and patriotism collide: What is the relationship between our faith in Jesus Christ and our loyalty to our country?” Presbyterians Today (March 2002)
Dack, David. “Navigating the stars and stripes in the sanctuary,” Presbyterian Outlook (March 19, 2025; June 10, 2025)
Daniels, Harold M. “Do flags belong in church?” Blog post, Synod of the Trinity (July 5, 2018)

A Prayer for Responsible Citizenship

Lord, keep this nation under your care.
Bless the leaders of our land,
that we may be a people at peace among ourselves
and a blessing to other nations of the earth.
Help us elect trustworthy leaders,
contribute to wise decisions for the general welfare,
and thus serve you faithfully in our generation,
to the honor of your holy name;
through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Book of Common Worship (WJK, 2018), 629