At 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 18, the 82 members of Tyrone Presbyterian Church will commemorate the anniversary of Presidents’ Weekend and Transfiguration Sunday with “A Festival Of Seven Patriotic Carols” led by the choir, and a Transfiguration Sunday message by the Reverend Robert Larimer.
Thirty-six years ago in 1971, President Richard Nixon and Congress established Presidents’ Weekend to honor all of our 43 American Presidents, and especially George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Since God commanded that citizens should show respect for authority, 82 Tyrone Presbyterians will show respect for the office of the president by hosting “A Festival Of Seven Patriotic Carols”.
Following the pledge to the flag by long-time church member, Gilbert Swayne, the Westminster Choir will lead the audience in singing one stanza each of these seven patriotic carols in chronological order — My Country ‘Tis Of Thee (1832) / Eternal Father, Strong To Save (1860) / The Battle Hymn Of The Republic (1863) / God Of Our Fathers (1876) / America The Beautiful (1893) / God Bless America (1918) / Let There Be Peace On Earth (1955).
At the offertory, church organist Richard Merryman will present Irving Berlin’s 1949 patriotic gem based on a poem by Emma Lazarus — Give me your tired your poor / Your huddled masses yearning to breath free / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore / Send these the homeless, tempest tossed to me / I lift my lamp beside The Golden Shore.
An immigrant from Eastern Europe, Emma Lazarus penned these words in 1883 as part of a campaign to raise funds for the erection of The Statue Of Liberty on Bedloe’s Island in New York Harbor in 1886. The people of France donated the statue to the people of the United States. Finally in 1903, Americans engraved the words of Emma Lazarus at the base of The Statue for immigrants to ponder as they set foot on the shores of this land.
Since Presbyterian Interim Pastor Norman Huff is recovering from back surgery, guest preacher for morning worship on Presidents’ Weekend will be retired Presbyterian Pastor Robert Larimer of Pittsburgh Presbytery. A native of Pittsburgh, Reverend Larimer served as pastor of the Noblestown Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh Presbytery for thirty-five years. He and his wife have been married for fifty years, have four grown children, nine grandchildren, and since 2000 have resided in the village of Skelp in Sinking Valley.
On this Sunday before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent, Pastor Larimer will preach on the Transfiguration of Christ on a Mountain, using this text from Mark 9: 7 — Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them. Then from the cloud came a voice saying, “This is My Beloved Son, Listen To Him!”
As Lent 2007 swiftly approaches, 82 Tyrone Presbyterians invite all believers to join them for 10:30 worship this Sunday, February 18 as they commemorate Presidents’ Weekend with A Hymn Festival, and Christ’s Transfiguration with The Morning Message by Pastor Larimer.
