Pastor Tom brings the HPcc Weekly Gatherings to an end.

A tattered flag flies over a nearby Hardee’s, a reminder of how fragile the union it represents? Do we remain indivisible? Is there liberty and justice for all? Is our democracy stable or teetering on the edge?

For many the church has become either irrelevant, misguided, or downright dangerous as it goose-steps behind religious-nationalistic leadership. If a deranged populist says black is white or 2+2=5, heads bow in submission and arms rise in adoration, while others look on with dismay or disgust.

Every autumn growing up, the Andrews family front yard doubled as the neighborhood football field. Boys from all over Pinecrest would gather after school, choose up sides and slug it out until the sun would tell everyone to go home.

Sometimes those words make me extremely happy, after visiting the dentist for instance. But ironically, they can be exceptionally painful, especially if coming from a long-time friend. I heard those words this past week from a friend of long stories, good laughs and exchanged gifts.

It was the biggest game in my high school career. Jefferson and Stuart vied for first place in the Northern District. The Washington Post even sent out a reporter to cover the excitement…and exciting it was…nip and tuck down to the very end.

Actually, my name was mentioned several times in this article, but never in a good way. “Jefferson’s final bid for victory, a follow-up basket by Steve Greenstreet, was disallowed when the officials ruled time had expired. Earlier, Tom Andrews missed a free throw with 12 seconds left that would have tied the game…. Andrews later grabbed a loose ball and threw up the shot that led to the disputed ruling.”

Is it any wonder that Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Like the rest of us, I am sure Jesus figured out that little children are a heck of a lot more fun than most any adult.

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.       Galatians 4:4-5