Worship

The smallest Indian reservation in North America belongs to the Mattaponi tribe in eastern Virginia. The reservation consists of only 125 acres. The Mattaponi signed a treaty with the Virginians in 1646. The treaty provided for an annual visit by the tribe to the governor of Virginia to renew their pledge of loyalty. They have kept that practice to this very day. Every year the Mattaponi appear before the governor of Virginia. They bring him gifts of fish and fowl as prescribed by the treaty - and they declare their loyalty. We do something like that when we come to church. We bring our gifts, and we declare our loyalty to the Christ who governs our lives.

-Robert Shannon, Preaching March/April 1999