In the Episcopal church of my teen years an American flag stood on one side of the chancel and the Episcopal Church flag on the other side. The Book of Common Prayer, then the 1928 Prayer Book contained propers for Independence Day—a collect, an epistle, and a gospel.
The Hymnal (1940) had a small section of hymns for National Days, followed by a list of suggested hymns for use on such occasions. Among those hymns was “God of our fathers, whose almighty hand,” which to my way of thinking it is the most appropriate hymn to use on a National Day or the Sunday after a National Day.
Our services, whether Morning Prayer or Holy Communion, always included a Prayer for the President of the United States and those in civil authority or, in case of the Communion Service, a petition for all Christian rulers.
The church did not have processions with multiple American flags at the offertory like some churches in South Carolina. There was no pledge of allegiance. The offertory was brought forward in the usual way without any fanfare. The Apostles’ Creed or the Nicene Creed was our pledge of allegiance.
After church everyone went home to barbecue or to do whatever suited their fancy. It was pretty low key.
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