In America, this Sunday comes in the middle of a holiday weekend as the country will be awash in the patriotic celebration of Independence Day. That will certainly affect attendance but for those who do come to worship there may also be the expectation that the occasion will be observed with the singing of patriotic hymns or acknowledged in some other fashion. That can pose a dilemma for preachers who want to keep the focus on the gospel -- particularly on this weekend. It is all too easy to give in to the temptation to let a strain of American exceptionalism bleed into our proclamation.
