Rev. Mark Hughes- Guest Minister
Dexter Criss – Guest Speaker
Mary Beth McNulty, Worship Associate
Preached on July 5, 2026—the 250th anniversary weekend of the nation’s founding and the same date Frederick Douglass delivered his searing July 5, 1852 address—this sermon refuses a shallow patriotism and instead tells the truth about the legacy of slavery through Reconstruction, Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, and today’s backlash. Grounded in the traditions of prophetic witness, liberation and costly faith, the message examines the religious distortion of the moral narrative, the paralysis of “moderation” in grave times, and the urgent work of reclaiming a republic we have failed to keep—through accountable action for multiracial democracy, right now.
Reverend Mark Hughes is a community leader, organizer, advocate, trainer, racial justice activist and abolitionist. He is Founder and Executive Director of the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance (VRJA). Mark is the Co-Chair of the Health Equity Advisory Commission. He is the Chaplain of Howard Plant, Post 782, Burlington Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Dexter Criss of Plattsburgh, New York is a chemistry professor, a self-taught musician, and a cultural bridge-builder whose work has quietly shaped generations of students and our wider community. For the last 25 years, he’s served as the Artistic Director of the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir.
Join us for worship at 10 a.m. in person or online. Find the livestream link and order of service on the Live-Streamed Worship page, or go to our YouTube channel.
Following the service, all are welcome to Coffee Hour on the Lawn (weather permitting).