<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>The following are the readings for U. S. Independence Day (July 4)
according to the Episcopal (ECUSA) lectionary. All readings are taken from the
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>OLD TESTAMENT: Deuteronomy 10: 17 - 21 </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Deut 10:17 (NRSV) For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords,
the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, 18 who
executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers,
providing them food and clothing. 19 You shall also love the stranger, for you
were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear the LORD your God; him
alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall
swear. 21 He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great
and awesome things that your own eyes have seen. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>145 Exaltabo te, Deus (ECUSA BCP)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1 I will exalt you, O God my King, *</DIV>
<DIV> and bless your Name for ever and ever.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2 Every day will I bless you *</DIV>
<DIV> and praise your Name for ever and ever.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be
praised; *</DIV>
<DIV> there is no end to his greatness.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4 One generation shall praise your works to
another *</DIV>
<DIV> and shall declare your power.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>5 I will ponder the glorious splendor of your
majesty *</DIV>
<DIV> and all your marvelous works.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>6 They shall speak of the might of your
wondrous acts, *</DIV>
<DIV> and I will tell of your greatness.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>7 They shall publish the remembrance of your
great goodness; *</DIV>
<DIV> they shall sing of your righteous deeds.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>8 The Lord is gracious and full of
compassion, *</DIV>
<DIV> slow to anger and of great kindness.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>9 The Lord is loving to everyone *</DIV>
<DIV> and his compassion is over all his works.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>NEW TESTAMENT: Hebrews 11: 8 - 16 </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Hebr 11:8 (NRSV) By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for
a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing
where he was going. 9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been
promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who
were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he looked forward to the city
that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 11 By faith he
received power of procreation, even though he was too old--and Sarah herself was
barren--because he considered him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from
one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the
stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore." </DIV>
<DIV>13 All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but
from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were
strangers and foreigners on the earth, 14 for people who speak in this way make
it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of the
land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. 16
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore
God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for
them. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 43 - 48 </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Matt 5:43 (NRSV) "You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your
neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray
for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in
heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on
the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you,
what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if
you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others?
Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly
Father is perfect. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>An alternative:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>OLD TESTAMENT: Isaiah 26:1-8</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>26:1 (NRSV) On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We
have a strong city; he sets up victory like walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the
gates, so that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. 3 Those of
steadfast mind you keep in peace— in peace because they trust in you. 4 Trust in
the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>5 For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height; the lofty city he
lays low. He lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. 6 The foot
tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy. 7 The way of the
righteous is level; O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous. 8 In
the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you; your name and your renown
are the soul’s desire.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>47 Omnes gentes, plaudite (ECUSA BCP)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; *</DIV>
<DIV> shout to God with a cry of joy.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared;
*</DIV>
<DIV> he is the great King over all the earth.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>3 He subdues the peoples under us, *</DIV>
<DIV> and the nations under our feet.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>4 He chooses our inheritance for us, *</DIV>
<DIV> the pride of Jacob whom he loves.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>5 God has gone up with a shout, *</DIV>
<DIV> the Lord with the sound of the ram's-horn.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; *</DIV>
<DIV> sing praises to our King, sing praises.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>7 For God is King of all the earth; *</DIV>
<DIV> sing praises with all your skill.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>8 God reigns over the nations; *</DIV>
<DIV> God sits upon his holy throne.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered
together *</DIV>
<DIV> with the people of the God of Abraham.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>10 The rulers of the earth belong to God,
*</DIV>
<DIV> and he is highly exalted.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>NEW TESTAMENT: Romans 13:1-10</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>13:1 (NRSV) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for
there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have
been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God
has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a
terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the
authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; 4 for it is
God’s servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid,
for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to
execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be subject, not only
because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6 For the same reason you also
pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very
thing.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>7 Pay to all what is due them—taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom
revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. 8
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for the one who loves another
has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; You
shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not covet”; and any other
commandment, are summed up in this word, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 10
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the
law.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>GOSPEL Mark 12:13-17</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>12:13 (NRSV) Then they sent to him some Pharisees and some Herodians to
trap him in what he said. 14 And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know
that you are sincere, and show deference to no one; for you do not regard people
with partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful
to pay taxes to the emperor, or not? 15 Should we pay them, or should we not?”
But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, “Why are you putting me to the
test? Bring me a denarius and let me see it.” 16 And they brought one. Then he
said to them, “Whose head is this, and whose title?” They answered, “The
emperor’s.” 17 Jesus said to them, “Give to the emperor the things that are the
emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were utterly amazed
at him.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">Chad
Wohlers<BR>Woodbury, VT USA<BR>chadwohl@satucket.com<BR><A
href="mailto:cwohlers@bridgew.edu">cwohlers@bridgew.edu</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>