Community prepares for annual Fourth of July parade.
ROXBOROUGH >> The 21st Ward Fourth of July Association will present the annual Independence Day Parade of Churches and Sunday Schools July 4.
PRE-PARADE EVENTS
The 21st Ward Fourth of July Association will sponsor Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser Breakfast at the Andorra Shopping Center Saturday, July 2, from 8 to 10 a.m. Flapjack Fundraiser tickets were distributed to church representatives to sell for $7 per person and $4.50 for kids 8 and under. No tickets can be sold at the door. Tickets are available from any church representative to the association or by calling 215- 482-6513.
The 21st Ward Fourth of July Association is hosting the 4fourthth annual Fourth of July Decorating Contest, open to all residents and businesses on the Parade Route— Lyceum Avenue between Manayunk and Ridge. There will be a $100 cash prize. Judging will take place the afternoon of July 2. Three community judges will judge entries upon the following criteria: display of the 2016 parade theme (“If the Lord does not build the house, then in vain do the builders labor.” Psalms 127:1, adapted from NAB) with patriotic and historic creativity
Decorations should have been on display, weather permitting, by June 26 through the Monday after the Fourth of July. The winner will receive the prize immediately preceding the parade and will be invited to march at the beginning of the parade. If youwant to participate, call the association vice president at 215483-2156 with your questions for last-minute entry before the July 2 afternoon of judging.
2016 PARADE
God bless America! This is our prayer. Let us all hang together, share the patriotic spirit and honor the men and women who gave birth to our country, the United States of America. Come dressed in your service uniform or your red, white and blue, carry your Bible, ring your bells, wear your tin cup on a ribbon around your neck and march with us or watch our hometown Independence Day Parade of Churches and Sunday Schools on Monday, July 4.
In 2016, the 326th anniversary of old Roxborough Township and in an effort to bring more people to the parade, the 21st Ward Fourth of July Association has invited specific community groups to march in the community’s Independence Day Parade. Groups will include Northwest Veterans, Jeanette’s School of Dance and the Wissahickon Braves Cheerleaders.
July 4 will mark the 186th year of our community’s sacred Independence Day Parade of Sunday Schools and Churches. In our community, it is the 109th year vhurches have joined the Sunday schools in the combined parade march to honor Christ Jesus. The Independence Day Parade will begin at 9 a.m. sharp at Manayunk Avenue at Lyceum Avenue. Participants will march up Lyceum Avenue to Ridge Avenue, before continuing with the post parade hometown picnic celebrations. The association asks the residents of these streets to move their cars so the parade can be viewed without obstructions!
St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church, Manayunk, which was started in 1831, the same year as the parade, is celebrating its 185th Jubilee Anniversary of service to Christ and community and will be the lead church in our hometown’s Independence Day Parade of Sunday Schools and Churches.
According to the custom of the 21st Ward Fourth of July Association, it is the lead church’s privilege to honor Samuel Lawson, founder of this community celebration, by parading with the bronze tablet dedicated to his memory and displaying it throughout the year. It is the honor of the lead church to choose the parade theme. St. John the Baptist, under the under the pastorate of the Rev. Msgr. Kevin C. Lawrence, has chosen: “If the Lord does not build the house, then in vain do the builders labor.” Psalms 127:1, adapted from NAB.
Grand Parade Marshal the Rev. Michael I. Tally Sr. (pastor of Lighthouse Missionary Baptist and alumnus of Galilee Baptist) will be supported by Assistant Grand Marshal Carol Spangenberg (Leverington Presbyterian) and Assistant Parade Marshals Joe and Renée D’Amore, Jack Craighead and friends (Leverington Presbyterian), Fran D’Amore Danowski (Immaculate Heart of Mary Roman Catholic and Roxborough Presbyterian), Ralph and Claire Morgan (St. Timothy’s Episcopal) and Richard Humphrey (Community Bible Fellowship Roxborough).
Seventeen churches are scheduled to march, two more than in 2015.
Epic Church is marching in the parade for the first time.
Josie D. Heard African Methodist Episcopal Church, under the pastorate of the Rev. Bertha Johnson, is scheduled to march in the 2016 parade after an absence of many years.
Any church that wishes to march in a future parade is welcomed to contact the association president at 215-482-6513.
There is no raindate for the parade. If, because of serious inclement weather, the parade is canceled by the grand marshal, the parade will be held next year with St. John the Baptist in the lead.
Police will post temporary “No Parking” signs a day or two before the parade reminding residents to move their cars from the parade route (Manayunk, Lyceum and Ridge avenues) and access streets (Conarroe Street near Manayunk and Ridge avenues.). SEPTA bus routes will be detoured for the duration of the parade.
At Community Bible Fellowship (formerly Roxborough Baptist Church), members and friends will offer freeE ice cold “Lemonade in the Shade” and free soft pretzels to marchers and watchers. Fourlegged friends will be able to quench their thirst at the doggie water bowls.
The 21st Ward Independence Day Parade of Churches and Sunday Schools will begin with the salute to the flag of the United States of America and the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance led by Hugh Sinnott, commander of the Hattal-Taylor V.F.W. Post 333, followed by the playing and singing of the national anthem. The Hattal-Taylor Post Color Guard will proceed up the parade route with the association’s president, Linda Marie Bell (Andorra Baptist), and vice president, Kathleen “Kathy” Hack (St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic).
The Good Timers Band will play for three churches, St. John the Baptist, Wissahickon Pres by terian, and Green Lane United Methodist. The Cameron Highland- ers, the bagpipe band of renown in Philadelphia and the suburbs, is scheduled to march with the block of Episcopal churches.
The 21st Ward Fourth of July Association will hold the 14th annual Fourth of July Raffle. Assistant parade marshals will have tickets at the parade.