Using two lanterns posted atop what was then the tallest structure in Boston, Paul Revere and friends made their historic warnings about British troop movements — one if by land, two if by sea — 250 years ago. The Old North Church commemorated “Paul Revere’s Ride” in late April with compelling talks and soaring music at the historic Episcopalian house of worship and national landmark, including a keynote address by a celebrated historian, Dr. Heather Cox Richardson. The National Council of Churches was among the organizers of the Lantern Service, held in the sanctuary at Old North Church and online.
Churches across the country rang bells at 6 p.m. Eastern Time Friday, April 18, as part of Let Freedom Ring! The bells at Old North Church, then known as Christ Church, are the oldest in the United States. Watch the Old North Church’s Let Freedom Ring! proceedings here. The speakers, leading off with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, begin at the 1:08 mark.
Wu said that the executive director of the Paul Revere House, Nina Zannieri, told her two things during a recent family visit: Revere’s ride was in fact “a collective effort,” and the ride occurred during a time of uncertainty in the Colonies.
“I’m still struck by the uncertainty of what Revere would find as he left his home that night — of who might find him … and what might become of him if he was found,” Wu said. “What events might he be setting into motion as he rode from Charlestown to Lexington? What kind of future would he hammer into being with the hooves of his horse? At every point in his journey, Paul Revere made a choice … a choice to press on or turn back … Knowing now what hung in the balance that night, just how much was at stake, that fragility was shocking — how easily it could have all fallen apart at any point.”
To continue to press on in the face of uncertainty “is more than resilience — it’s faith,” Wu said. “Faith that there is a right and a wrong and that what we do in each moment matters. Faith in the community and the people around him. Faith that his friends would hang the lanterns as asked. Faith that friends would row him to safety. Faith that a horse would be ready and waiting. Faith that when he was caught just outside Lexington, his fellow riders would continue carrying forward the message that freedom is worth fighting for and the fight had arrived. Faith that this brand of merchants and farmers would give every last breath in defense of their liberty to secure a better future for the people they loved. Faith that an idea is enough to hold off an empire, that the seed of freedom once sprouted will not be uprooted. It may bake in the heat, freeze in the cold, be bruised by the elements, its branches broken or bent. But the roots will always be there for those with the courage to tend them, and the faith to face down whatever uncertainty may stand in the way.”
“Tonight, I am grateful for our continued belief in each other and our refusal to fail,” Wu said. “May we always be a beacon of hope for the world and our nation, and may our faith guide us forward. Freedom is worth fighting for, and the fight has arrived.”
The Rev. Dr. Matthew Cadwell, the vicar of Old North Church, noted that 250 years ago, April 18 fell on the Tuesday after Easter. “We wrestled with how to observe this momentous anniversary while respecting the day’s religious significance,” Cadwell said. “Determined that it was important to honor both, we see a profound confluence in that Good Friday honors and remembers sacrifice, courage, the willingness to take risks and a trust that we will be led through desolation and uncertainty into something better, more hopeful and more alive.”
William Francis Galvin, secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, read from Revere’s account of the night of April 18, 1775. “What Revere and his associates did was put everything on the line to protect the things they believed in,” Galvin said. “So should we.”
Mike Ferguson, Editor, Presbyterian News Service, Interim Unified Agency (Click here to read original PNS Story)
Let us join in prayer for:
Hayley Scheir, Mission Specialist I, Advocacy Support, Executive Directors Office, Interim Unified Agency
Corey Schlosser-Hall, Deputy Executive Director, Interim Unified Agency
Let us pray:
Dear Lord, thank you that no matter who we are, you love us. Thank you for your presence with us today. Amen.
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