OVERTURE from Calvary/Fellowship/Lowcountry/Palmetto/Pee Dee Presbytery (to CPOC)

"Issue a Declaration of Thanksgiving for the United States of America (USA) on the Occasion of the 250th Anniversary of the Nation's Founding"

Whereas, God's Word calls His church, "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever" (Psalm 136:1) in whatsoever comes to pass according to Jesus Christ's sovereign rule and reign over all men and nations; and,

Whereas, we confess that "the providence of God doth, in general, reach to all creatures; so, after a most special manner, it taketh care of his church, and disposeth all things to the good thereof" (WCF 5.7); and,

Whereas, a pastoral letter published and circulated to Presbyterian congregations by the Synod of New York and Philadelphia in 1775 counseled colonial American Presbyterians in solemn terms, "In particular, as the Continental Congress, now sitting at Philadelphia, consists of delegates chosen in the most free and unbiassed manner, by the body of the people, let them not only be treated with respect, and encouraged in their difficult service; not only let your prayers be offered up to God for his direction in their proceedings, but adhere firmly to their resolutions; and let it be seen that they are able to bring out the whole strength of this vast country to carry them into execution," which prayers the Lord abundantly and affirmatively answered; and,

Whereas, the Synod's pastoral letter of 1775 further urged American Presbyterians, "We would also advise for the same purpose, that a spirit of candour, charity, and mutual esteem, be preserved and promoted towards those of different religious denominations. Persons of probity and principle of every profession, should be untied together as servants of the same Master; and the experience of our happy concord hitherto in a state of liberty, should engage all to unite in support of the common interest; for there is no example in history in which civil liberty was destroyed, and the rights of conscience preserved entire," which state of liberty the Lord was gracious, merciful, and kind to preserve; and,

Whereas, colonial American Presbyterian preachers and pastors defended the sacred cause of liberty from pulpits across our land, including Dr. John Witherspoon, the only minister of the Gospel to serve as a delegate to the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia, who delivered on May 17, 1776 a sermon entitled The Dominion of Providence Over the Passions of Men on Psalm 76:10, in which he preached, "The knowledge of God and his truths have from the beginning of the world been chiefly, if not entirely, confined to those parts of the earth, where some degree of liberty and political justice were to be seen"; and,

Whereas, God's Word reads, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Timothy 2:1-2); and,

Whereas, the success of America's War of Independence has resulted in the enshrinement of certain civil liberties and individual rights in the Constitution of the United States of America, including that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assembly, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances" (First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States), all which ensure the freedom of Christians to worship God as He has ordained in His Word, for "God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship" (WCF 20.2); and,

Whereas, the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) since its founding on December 4, 1973 has ever and always endeavored to be a national Presbyterian Church ministering in (and beyond) the territory of the United States of America as a Church faithful to the Scriptures, true to the Reformed Faith, and obedient to the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ; and,

Whereas, the Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, working in collaboration with a Committee of Five, in a rented room in Philadelphia merchant Jacob Graff Jr.'s home (now known as the Declaration House) on the corner of Seventh and Market Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776; and,

Whereas, God granted success to the Patriot cause in large part through the efforts of South Carolina Reformed and Presbyterian worthies such as French Huguenot Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion (c. 1732–1795) and Scots-Irish Presbyterians, including "Fighting Elder" Andrew Pickens (1739–1817) and the daring militiamen who served under General Daniel Morgan (1736–1802), who himself later joined the Presbyterian Church; and,

Whereas, the General Assembly shall have the power: "In general, to recommend measures for the promotion of charity, truth and holiness through all the churches under its care" (BCO 14-6.k.);

Therefore, be it resolved that the 53rd General Assembly issue a formal "Declaration of Thanksgiving for the United States of America (USA) on the Occasion of the 250th Anniversary of the Nation's Founding" on July 4, 2026 by publishing the foregoing statements together with this resolution, to be spread upon the minutes and published electronically by the Administrative Committee through byFaith.