Tidings from Bethlehem July 2026

“Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain,

some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. If you have ears, hear!”

Matthew 13:8-9- (NRSVue)

Not long after receiving this newsletter you may be celebrating our country’s semiquincentennial; that’s a fancy way of saying 250^th birthday. I am all for recognizing the milestone, and I will certainly be enjoying the festivities taking shape in the days ahead. I am a patriotic person. I love our country and remain deeply committed to that democratic project that was inaugurated in earnest by insisting that, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights...” I am grateful that while our country strove mightily to afford this kind of dignity to its citizens, a commitment to religious liberty was simultaneously embraced. Giants of the faith have roamed our land, and in the process led us to a deeper understanding of our how a commitment to faith might augment the quality of our life together; Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., and Dorothy Day to offer just a few examples.

But, speaking of roaming there is just one more character from our shared history that I would like to acknowledge in this brief newsletter article. And that person is: John Chapman. You may or may not recognize the name, but I would be willing to wager that you would recognize Mr. Chapman’s alias, “Johnny Appleseed.” Yes, Johnny Appleseed was a real person. Johnny was on the American landscape between the years of 1774 and 1845. He may not have worn a tin pot on his head, but much of the other stuff that you have heard about Johnny Appleseed just might be true.

Just think about this, Johnny Appleseed was a believer in Jesus. His commitment to Christ shaped the way he lived. The way he lived not only benefitted his neighbors; his way of life also permanently reshaped the landscape for the better.

Johnny Appleseed certainly had his faults and failings, but he genuinely loved this land and travelled it extensively. He loved to ramble and relish the richness of God’s creation. Haven’t we all savored a “Sunday drive” occasionally? If Sundays were too busy, many others managed an annual road trip. It didn’t have to be far, just a little change of scenery meant a deeper appreciation of the country. And just a friendly reminder, “this land is your land; this land is my land!”

Next up, it’s worth noting that Johnny Appleseed was no mere consumer. As Mr. Chapman ambled over large portions of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, he attempted to cultivate a meaningful legacy. He really was planting apple trees as he made his way through the countryside. To plant a seed, especially a seed that would potentially result in a productive fruit tree; you have got to have faith, faith that there are creative forces at work in the world that will bring new growth. And faith that there will be a grateful group of people to eventually reap the harvest of what you have sown.

As we celebrate in the days ahead, I pray we might double down on our commitment to faith. The Gospel calls us to trust that while things do not look exactly like we want them to today, we still have the freedom to plant the righteous seeds that could result in a life-giving harvest for the generations to come.

Go in peace, serve the Lord… and a happy 250^th to you all! If you get the chance, maybe have a piece of apple pie to celebrate. Maybe offer a little blessing before you eat it, “Oh, the Lord is good to me, and so I thank the lord, for giving me the things I need: the sun, and the rain, and the…” Well, you know the rest.

Yours in Christ,

Pastor Dan