As our country prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary as a free nation this summer, memories of America’s bicentennial in 1976 come to mind. I especially remember the homemade lanterns we fashioned and the old liberty tree where we hung our special night lights. Colonial outfits were the rage during that national celebration. My mother sewed 18th‑century clothing for my brother and me, and my parents bought professionally crafted attire from the period. Our local community made lamps from old coffee cans, punching holes with a hammer and nail to form a pattern. Those lanterns, glowing in the branches of the big old tree near the UCC church close to our home, felt like tiny beacons of hope suspended in the summer night.

Fifty years later, that image of the light and the tree remain in my heart. When I see the tree with my mind’s eye, I think of the tree of the cross which is the true tree of life from which God’s mercy and healing flow. When I recall the lanterns and candlelight of those celebrations, I remember the light of the world, Jesus Christ, who continues to shine with an energy that not even the darkness of death can overcome. My prayer for our country is that we remain deeply rooted in the mystery and wisdom of God’s love, drawing strength from the One who is forever the way, the truth and the life.

As we mark this milestone in our nation’s story, the symbols of lanterns, liberty trees and candlelight invite us to reflect on the sacrifices that shaped our past and the responsibilities that form our present. Remembering Jesus and His life of sacrificial love helps us honor those who labored to establish this great nation, while also calling us to elevate those who still struggle to experience life, liberty and true happiness in our current day. May the light of Christ guide our steps, and may the tree of life steady our roots, as we seek to more fully engage in the Spirit inspired work among us to build a hope filled future for all God’s children that is consistent with the abundant life that Jesus envisions that everyone is to experience and enjoy.