Celebrating More Than America’s 250th

This Flag of Freedom Stands Concert

When we first talked about a patriotic concert three years ago, I saw it as an opportunity to fill a need in our community. We knew the nation was moving toward its 250th birthday, and it felt like the right time to create something that helped people pause, remember, and give thanks. I did not want it to become a complicated production for the sake of being complicated. I wanted it to be meaningful. In the first year, we paired music with a little narration. By the second year, we realized the music itself carried the message well, so we leaned into that. This year, everything came together in the strongest way yet.

One of the gifts of this concert was the partnership between our church choir and Majestic Voice. I had known Hal Wright for years, and when he stepped into leadership with that group, I saw how much heart and strength they brought to the community. Bringing our choir alongside them felt natural. This year, 88 singers stood on stage, and our people loved being part of something bigger than what we usually experienced on our own. Majestic Voice brought strong vocals, and our church offered a warm, welcoming place for those voices to be heard. It felt like a true partnership, and I think people could sense that.

Members of our veterans group played a meaningful role in the evening. They served as the color guard, opening the concert with the dignity and reverence the occasion deserved. During the program, we called out those who had served in the military, asked them to stand, and the room responded with heartfelt applause. We also took donations to support our veterans outreach ministry. Honoring those who served was not an afterthought. It was woven into the heart of the evening.

What stayed with me most was the spirit in the room. People came ready. There was anticipation before the first note, and it stayed with us all the way through the final song. The audience responded, veterans were honored, familiar songs invited people to join in, and even a few voices called out with encouragement during the evening. That kind of engagement told me people were not just attending a program. They were sharing in it.

For me, this concert was about more than one event on a summer calendar. It was one more way of saying to our neighbors, “We are here, and we care.” I believe churches should meet people in many different ways, not only when life was easy, but especially when life was hard. If someone came for a concert, I hope they left knowing where to turn for help when in a difficult season of life. I hoped this concert reminded people that faith, gratitude, and community still mattered, and that our church wanted to be a steady light in the place God had planted us.

Dave Schroyer,
Worship Pastor