Minister's Corner - May 2025

I was recently asked to officiate at a ceremony for a couple renewing their vows.

I was also recently talking with someone who reported that they were in a room with a mix of recent American citizens originally from other countries and birthright U.S. citizens. The short point being that how and why’s of American civics, how the branches of government work and the understanding of the basic principles of government, was better understood by those born outside the United States.

It got me thinking…

What if like jury duty, registering for the draft, and filing taxes, native-born American citizens were periodically required to take a refresher course in American Civics, or participate in a renewal of vows.

What might those look like? What might we as Americans be asked to reflect on? What would, or should, a native-born American citizen be asked to attest to?

Here are a few to chew on…

I vow to hold true that the balance of power between our legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government has been a greater source of stability than inefficiency for our government.

I vow to hold true that any government or politician that seeks to control the freedom of the press should themselves be held suspect of wanting more control than our government has historically been willing to grant leaders.

I vow to be cautious of any leader, party, or agenda seeking to constrain, disarm, or dismantle the regulatory arm of government, as motivated by an exaggerated desire for their own economic freedom or political control.

I as an American citizen commit to being wary and resist those who wish to violate the delicate balance of power that has existed for 250 years.

I vow to be wary of politicians whose temperaments and behavior suggest that they are driven by an excessive narcissistic and/or anti-social behavior, I vow to be wary of politicians who make political appointments on the basis of loyalty over competency.

These are just a few. As we witness the speedy, seemingly reckless challenge to so many long-standing American norms I invite you, to periodically pause and ask yourself, as you already likely are, what the real motivations might be for any newly proposed change in law.

Rev. Steve