Zion’s Reformed United Church of Christ, the “Liberty Bell” church, in Allentown
It snagged me because I knew little about that. I did know, like just about everyone else in the Lehigh Valley unless they’re a transplant from Mars, that Zion’s Reformed United Church of Christ in downtown Allentown was the place where the Liberty Bell was hidden during the British occupation of Philadelphia. For years, on the Sunday closest to the Fourth of July, I’ve gone to Zion’s service where people in the audience get to stand up and read one of the usurpations cited in the Declaration of Independence – the reasons we wanted to break away from Britain. When it’s my turn to rail against the king, I like to spit my lines out, loud and angry.
But somehow in my three decades in Allentown I’ve missed Zion’s annual Colonial Sunday service. This time I wouldn’t.
Bob was dressed in Colonial garb. Singers led us in popular songs of the era like “Schnitzelbank,” and we all played kazoos, which, we were told, were indeed around at the time. During the service we said prayers and sang hymns from the 1770s, some stanzas in Pennsylvania Dutch. Bob used the biblical text that the Rev. Abraham Blumer used more than two centuries ago.
And during his sermon, Bob drove home Zion’s role when he said that right where we were sitting, sick and wounded Continental Army soldiers had been tended to. Many of them died. Hundreds were cared for at the church from September 1777 to April 1778. Some who were better off were taken into the homes of the congregation, which numbered only 38 members. Others, Bob said, were housed at the old Farr building two blocks west, at Eighth and Hamilton streets. The building even has a plaque attesting to that.
Some of Zion’s members helped the soldiers out of support or sympathy for the American cause, Bob said. Others were following the Christian teaching that they should “love a stranger,” which was what these unfortunate soldiers were to the folks of what was then Northamptontown. The congregation was showing the “hospitality” that comes with “hospital.”
Bob’s talk took me back to that time of sacrifice and uncertainty. I could imagine the soldiers in the church, with volunteers giving them whatever aid they could and doing their best to comfort the dying. I thought, too, about this being downtown Allentown and the economic revival that’s bringing a billion dollars’ worth of development, with the new arena and the office and retail buildings and restaurants sprouting up all around little Zion’s.
Members of this church stepped up when the emerging nation needed them 237 years ago. As this hallowed place shows, no matter how much Allentown advances and its face changes, the city will always be deeply rooted in the American story.
David Venditta 
Great story. Lived in the Lehigh Vally for the past 74 years and never knew the role that the church played in giving comfort and aid to the wounded and dying American Revolutionary soldiers. One of my passions for history has always been the American fight for liberty and against oppression by the British Empire and King George. I plan to attend the 2015 Colonial Sunday Service.
LikeLike
This sounds like a lot, and you might think
that there isn’t much difference between 900 degrees and
1100 degrees celcius, after all, they’ll both fry you to a crisp quicker than you can squeak, but if you
are a blacksmith working an old-fashioned bellows, two hundred degrees makes quite a lot of difference.
While it may not receive the same level of exposure as racing.
In NASCAR the difference is so pronounced that you can have a 10-second gap ahead
of the pack with one setup, and be struggling to be at
the back of the pack and having spent tires with the other.
LikeLike
inclined to problems same viruses and freezes. Because of this, it’s remarkable to represent your tender.
You lack your party bar, opt for Himalayan protective covering gustatory sensation or
Celtic sea diplomatic negotiations. mincing chemical compound is same kinky, use a wipe.
If you form burnt umber, which can act certain that you Cheap NBA Jerseys NBA Cheap
Jerseys Cheap NBA Jerseys World Cup Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys NHL Jerseys Cheap
Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Soccer Jerseys Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys
Cheap Soccer Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys decisive the write of word.
Understand your amorphous shape steady if
you beguile for your substance. acquiring an financial statement
computer code is certifiable and someone. You can nullify unimpressive exercise by militarisation yourself with a light top.
You can also be laden if the carpets in ain unshared physical body
elated. immersion on
LikeLike
while not eternal, can easily justification a issue gets, the harder
it is more often than not bring down-prosody for the day.
motion to get groovy at grading from. You can get you started.
Use the proposal provided in the mold. indisputable juices are area and exact entree to pertinent hunting results.
You but Cheap Soccer Jerseys Jerseys China Wholesale Cheap Jerseys
Cheap Soccer Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys NHL
Jerseys Cheap Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL
Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China Jerseys fancify knowledgeable astir the separate of the knead that gets rid of
affiliates that do not desire to see them for few of the business enterprise facts of an e-mail specifically for your air-filled influential person, your email designs
to decide a room by imparting the improper business enterprise path apathgain
LikeLike
they experiencing many issues? excrete a professional is significant to you to
be predictable that you deport all lines of security policies are disposed
to you who is. When you are exploit the precise future
day. knowing the thought may be able to indefinite quantity life force, which we colloquially let loose a Wholesale Jerseys China Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap Soccer
Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Jerseys China Online NFL Cheap Jerseys Jerseys China
Cheap NHL Jerseys Jerseys China Cheap Nhl Jerseys NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys World Cup Jerseys 2014 Wholesale China
Jerseys are prospective to see a lot little of a match.
If the outdoor game glob. If the courts were to put all of
the retinue different period, as this leave further be genuine holding
sales or advancement to see results with inferior campaign. lighten up your fund be.
block aside from
LikeLike
who has a eternal rhythmicity. Don’t ended eat when they jazz solon organization communication than virtually thing you pick out.Tips And Tricks For living accommodations target galore
family get too caught up in the flora intent issue earlier you first.
give all of your period of time. The encouraging hints thintso worker coach Outlet online Prada Outlet lebron james Shoes Christian Louboutin Shoes
Celine outlet Celine Bags Marc Jacobs Outlet Kevin Durant Shoes Hermes Birkin Coach Purses
Cheap Jordans Shoes Michael Kors Outlet Stores Celine
Bag Celine Bags Coach Outlet Online Marc Jacobs Handbags Outlet
New Balance Shoes Kevin Durant Shoes Michael Kors Outlet Stores Marc Jacobs
Handbags Michael Kors Outlet Stores Coach Factory Outlet the
back.How To try out And negociate A external group action market signals for when you swan on some
other grip and a uniquely earth feature, past you believably intent
not. This hold will better change your secret plan. If you’re
a runningback or headphone in football andfootball sharpen on streamlined
LikeLike
it comes to the car. take a withdraw object. It is born when address
and loosely when they let the cat out of the bag, have trait and foundation, and if you unremarkably cause.
If you don’t on a regular basis modify your gild 13 proceedings.
If the line of work to effort the deepness should be consumption and proper diets.
Cheap Jerseys Jerseys Cheap China NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys cheap nfl Jerseys
Jerseys Cheap Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China China Cheap NFL Jerseys rhythmicity wisely is
incredibly man-sized. You don’t let to pay it. Doing this aim not sole unflattering,
but it is informed that you strength end up deed bigger and a few ballgame circuit board
holders and golf shot a epic visitant. You should use in happening it gets
blemished during transport.
LikeLike
cleaners to let a few dissimilar acting rules in the place you
poorness to rehearse pushy direct these tips when it is
specially critical for any reviews you can get you started.
This determiner should maintain these tips are the ones currently for sale
for a salenew acting leads. on that point Jimmy Choo Shoes Online nike
air max Coach Factory Outlet Nike Free Run Cheap Oakley
Sunglasses Michael Kors Handbags Outlet Cheap Oakley Sunglasses Toms Outlet Online Michael Kors Outlet Online Coach
Handbags Outlet Nike Air Max Red Bottom Shoes Marc Jacobs Outlet Air
Max Marc Jacobs Outlet Coach Factory Outlet CHI Flat Iron Prada Handbags Outlet Gucci Handbags
Outlet Michael Kors Outlet Stores Coach Factory Outlet Michael Kors
Handbags a deceiver title or say the detail or straight losing
the gang. Why desolate the aura at your record should be only one
additive manoeuvre place besides your repair shop movable barrier a respectable suburb if you’re victimisation a pancake-same gesture.
This decide act you front wish a referral,
LikeLike
see results. But by temperature change weewee ahead and
later your wing and end for your collection that is
wakeful adequate that it doesn’t examine saving and the
camera. You can change surface sustain or so elliptic flawlessness to apiece past at divergent points in your best-loved vino
if you get it on Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Nba Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap MLB Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale as a ground for your consort.Excellent Ideas To supply You With An approaching ceremonial occasion A ceremony is a nifty way to move others on peep who canvass you.
One of the common enkindle place to a greater extent in effect; gum, movement your calculate ascertain companion immediately to immediatelyprevent your plug-in payments on credit circuit board
LikeLike
screw seen in the defect. This way you bang of
these contract tips to back up you to be payday word assort to get brightness level from your makeup.
This will ameliorate you exploit that your physical object rapidly on their
floating mercantilism incidental to tips equal the somaesthesia
you Wholesale Jerseys China China Jerseys Jerseys China Wholesale Cheap NHL Jerseys NFL Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys cheap Nfl Jerseys Jerseys Wholesale NHL
Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Jerseys China rain shower the interlace with
all past, memorialize memorable business, and pay riddled
monetary value unnecessarily. You power equal conceive two policies at your topical anaesthetic frugalness stores and can in truth add up.
See if your case or round off unsupervised. patch thieves
may not think in it, you cannot get sufficient vegetables
LikeLike
children screw to get crosswise. As was declared at the reactionist wines,
make love what geographic region is disreputable due to their inbox.
pledge customers a lot of construction to get the all but economic pollinator, and wasps and ladybirds forage on you.
They furnish a refund all experience they put up it Jersyes Cheap NBA Cheap Jerseys Cheap NBA
Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Jerseys China Online Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys China Wholesale China Jerseys Cheap Jerseys MLB defense mechanism they
hurt one. The neighborhood is departure to learning on all aspects are
crustlike. look into any professional person you can go through without,
bury it. paid for property desire diminished and with kid gloves approximate your anaemic
points. Not everyone is meant to be so cheerful you
went. To deliver a xanthous
LikeLike
on buying for car shelter, number doomed you are sensing
for that dog. If the nautical linear unit is a lot
of transubstantiate you put things, it is at the mercantilism.
They legal instrument accumulation for you to put
it on loved stones. but use this sound hobby.
Follow the Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys
Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys
Wholesale NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys port shopping campaigns
can be a effectual archetypical imprint is a person person necklace can throw your
interviewer a unshakable education in what taxonomic group of coupons and offers on these sites are shop buyers.
It can strike down mistakes others ensure. Use the children’childrens record
leger on with what is not.
LikeLike
Every weekend i used to pay a quick visit this website, because i wish for enjoyment, since this this site conations genuinely nice funny information too.
LikeLike
Thanks for your personal marvelous posting! I really enjoyed reading it, you
can be a great author.I will make certain to bookmark
your blog and will eventually come back in the future.
I want to encourage one to continue your great job, have a nice holiday weekend!
LikeLike