God of distributive justice, throughout Scripture we are old of your vision of an equal and just creation. Woman and man were created in your image, slaves are to be set free, and grace is give in abundance to all of creation. As we celebrate the life of this country, we are reminded of the ideals which we have set up for ourselves: that all people are created equal and are to be given equal rights to life, liberty and happiness. And yet, even as we say these words we know that we have fallen short on even these goals. There are people who are not given equal status and are victims of sexism, racism, heterosexism or any other ism which is used to marginalize people. So while we hold these ideals up and strive for them, we repent for the times where we have stunted their development. Give us the strength to stand up for not only for our rights but for the rights of others. For we know that it is only in the giving that we receive, it is only in the dying that we live.
Providing God, in our neighborhoods and around the world there are people who are homeless, hungry and alone. Empower us to work with your Holy Spirit to find solutions for these problems. In cities and in nations there are people enslaved to consumerism, greed, and oppressive governments. Empower us to work with your Holy Spirit to rid these evil powers and help usher in a kingdom of generosity, selflessness and grace. We admit that we cannot do this alone, we need you, and at the same time we recognize that you need us to be your hands and feet. We celebrate that you call us to be your coworker in this world and on this day we renew this call on our lives. Give us the courage to live our lives as our great teacher Jesus, your Christ lived. Give us the courage to stand up against the evil in the world and encourage us to work to share the greatest power of all – Love. Finally, we give you thanks for the ability to worship in a country which gives us the freedom to do so.