July 2024 Newsletter

July 2024

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On July 4 our country will celebrate the 248th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence beginning a long history of government as a Republic (we are not a true Democracy). The framers of our constitution speak boldly of our equality, liberty and our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have free speech, freedom of religion (meaning we can actually share our faith with others), the right to bear arms, to a speedy trial, and on and on oes the list of our rights and freedoms. We have been taught that God has given us these unalienable rights, not our government. As a matter of fact, the more laws that are made the more we actually give up our rights to the government.

With all the rights and freedoms we have, we have become a country that seems to be moving further and further from what our forefathers imagined. As we consider that the average expectancy of a democracy is around 200 years, we may wonder how much longer we will be able to sustain the Republic in which we live. Much like the Children of Israel constantly rebelled against God who chose them, delivered them, gave them a land and from whom He gave the world a Savior (Messiah, Christ), the same is happening in our country, except that no Messiah is given through our country. Although our country may have had very religious and even Christian moorings, over the past many years we have seen our society give in to the sinful nature of the world so that unfortunately even many of what were Christian churches no longer look like Christian churches but look like and espouse the sinful nature of the world.

As we celebrate our 248th Anniversary and while we continue to enjoy the freedoms we have, especially the freedom and right to attend Divine Service, perhaps we would do well to give thanks to the Lord that we continue to have such an opportunity and at the same time pray for forgiveness for our failings in the fight against the temptations of the devil, the world and our own sinful flesh which seeks to go the way of our sinful world and keeps us away from where God gives His gifts of Word and Sacrament.

I believe the comment that is often made, “Two things we do not talk about, religion and politics,” has been given to us by the devil because he does not want us to speak about two of the most important aspects of our lives. Indeed, how can we share our faith without speaking about “religion,” and how can we not continue to maintain our rights and freedoms without speaking about “politics.”

With all that said, we continue to remind ourselves that our Lord does rule over us through government, that all governments are from God (good or evil) for the purpose of keeping order, so that we might be reminded to pray for our leaders and that we might be good Christian citizens living our lives as priests in the priesthood of all believers always ready to give an answer for the hope that we have.

God’s richest blessings.
In His Service,


Pastor Bogs
1 Cor. 15:3-5