Good morning on this Memorial Day weekend. Memorial Day was formally called Decoration Day and was established in 1868 to honor those who had died during the Civil War. The formal declaration read in part, " The 30th day of May is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades, who died in defence of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form or ceremony is prescribed, but Posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit." It was expanded after WWI to honor all soldiers who died in any war or military action and is observed on the last Monday of May each year as a federal holiday.
It is a day to do the following:
(1) Remember those who gave their lives for our country to preserve our freedoms
(2) Honor their memory through ceremonies, parades, and other expressions of recognition and appreciation
(3) Decorate the graves of the fallen
(4) Thank God for their sacrifice
May we all honor them and the price they paid. Let freedom ring!
Tomorrow's sermon is the second part in the series, Everything I Needed To Know About Relationships, I Learned In Scripture. I'll look forward to seeing you there.
Mel Brown