Pastor Steve’s Blog July 7, 2019 I saw this reflection on my Military Chaplain’s website this past week and I thought I would share it with you. After reading the reflection I would encourage you to read Psalm 85. It starts like this: “You showed favor to your land, O Lord; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.” The theme for Psalm 85 is reverence to restoration. I think our country today could take a few lessons from our founding fathers when it comes to subject of prayer. Please be in prayer for our country. Prayer still underpins our independence. History Reflection for the Fourth of July How Prayer Underpinned American Independence by Stephen Lynch Prayer played an important role in the American struggle for independence. The First Continental Congress (Sept. 5-Oct. 26, 1774), comprised of delegates from all the colonies except Georgia, met for the first time, in September 1774. In a letter to his wife, John Adams described the spiritual backdrop as the colonies were about to launch the Revolutionary War for independence. "When the Congress met, Mr. Cushing made a motion that it should be opened with prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay of New York and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina because we were so divided in religious sentiments - some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists - that we could not join in the same act of worship. "Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said that he was no bigot, and could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety and virtue who was at the same time a friend to his country. He moved that Mr. Duche, an Episcopal clergyman, might read prayers to Congress the next morning. The motion was seconded and passed in the affirmative." Adams continued: "Accordingly, next morning the Rev. Duche appeared with his Episcopal vestments and read the 85th Psalm. I never saw a greater effect produced upon an audience. It seemed as if heaven had ordained that psalm to be read on that morning. "George Washington was kneeling there, alongside him Patrick Henry, James Madison, and John Hancock. By their side there stood, bowed in reverence, the Puritan patriots of New England, who at that moment had reason to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their humble households. They prayed fervently for America, for Congress, for the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston [whose port had been closed and in which British troops were being quartered. "And who can realize the emotions with which they turned imploringly to heaven for divine help. It was enough to melt a heart of stone. I saw the tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave, pacifist Quakers of Philadelphia."