2026 Veteran's Day Letter - Bishop Jerry Ogles
Anglican Orthodox Church
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDING BISHOP
P.O.
Box 128
Statesville,
N.C. 28687
Phone: 704-873-8365
Email: aocworldwide@anglicanorthodoxchurch.org
Website: www.aocinternational.org
From the Desk of the Bishop:
Veterans Day Letter of the Anglican Orthodox Communion 2026
“That which ye have already hold fast till I come.” Revelations 2:25
It is told that the Jews, on return from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls, worked with one hand on their swords and the other to lay stones. This was necessary to defend against the ceaseless attacks of those who despised to see the Walls and Temple rebuilt.
If a nation intends to build a stable nation guaranteeing liberty and justice for her people, she must build with one eye on the building and the other on the enemy - both foreign and domestic. Nothing of worth comes freely except our salvation in Christ - so, we must maintain until He comes diligent and strong to protect those rights He alone can grant to us. The struggle for our Liberties is not occasional but ceaseless. The world politic hates liberty. Since Liberty is a gift of God, the world hates God, too, and even the mention of His name, as well.
What is the cost of Liberty? It is purchased in the shedding of blood of the warriors willing and eager to defend it. Liberty has always come at the cost of blood - even our redemption was paid with the blood of our Lord at Calvary.
The national cost of a nation’s liberty must be paid and purchased at the cost of blood, too. The blood and dedicated service of soldiers and veterans stand as earnest for the debt of liberty we owe. When a veteran signed his name, and raised his right hand of allegiance, he wrote a blank check to pay that cost - even the cost of his own blood if necessary. Though that ultimate cost was not always required, it was nonetheless pledged if need be.
Veterans Day precedes the Advent Season when we are mindful of our need of a Savior to whom we owe repentance. But the spiritual war is constant and unrelenting. We seek the Lord’s face to relieve us in the struggle, but He may withhold His mighty Hand until the heat of battle is most intense. In December of 1944, BGen Anthony McAuliffe and the 101st Airborne Division were trapped and surrounded by far superior German armor and infantry. It seemed impossible that the few troops at Bastogne could hold out to victory, but victory was on its way in the rapid advancing Third Army under General George S. Patton. Bastogne was relieved and the siege of the German army broken at his arrival.
The same is true today. Our veterans have suffered frequently from seeming defeat, but have been graced to endure until help arrived at the last moment.
As Christian soldiers and veterans, we must persist to victory knowing the promise of our Lord to return at the last trump to be an immutable promise written in blood. The ultimate victory belongs to Him and has already been sealed.
May God bless our Veterans - not only this day - but every day of their future life; and may we , as a people, never fail to express our gratitude, respect and love for their selfless service.
In Christ Alone during TRINITY SEASON,
Bishop's Blog
https://anglicanorthodoxchurch.blogspot.com/
JERRY L. OGLES, D.D.
Presiding Bishop
The Anglican Orthodox Church, Worldwide Communion
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