Could we not argue that America is about freedom, whether we live it out or not, but it really is about freedom, equality and the pursuit of happiness. And that's what church is all about.

What this denomination stands for is, really, is the universal vision of all people being treated fairly under the law as God sees us in His sight.

We don't see ourselves as just a place where we come to worship but as a beacon and a bearer of the culture and a bearer of what makes us a people. But I like to say that this is not necessarily unique to us. It is really what America is all about.

Our calling is not just within the walls of the congregation, but we are part of the life and community in which our condition resides.