The 134th annual Memorial Day program will be held 11:45 a.m. May 29 at Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church, 3441 Devonshire Road, Allentown. The event will take place outside at the Veteran’s Monument, weather permitting. Otherwise, it will be held in the historic 1819 sanctuary of the church.

The program will begin with the entrance of the Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church Honor Guard and prelude music by the fife and drum duo of Joshua Arthur Fink, of Lower Macungie Township, drum major and Karen ElChaar, of Allentown, fife major, of “The Musick of the American Revolution of Salisbury and Allen Town,” an educational musical heritage ensemble of Flutations, Inc. of Allentown.

As is proper on Memorial Day, the American flag will be raised to full staff at noon, followed by the singing of the national anthem led by vocalist, Evelyn Stewart, of Bethlehem. Words of Welcome will be followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Additional music will be provided by the fife and drum, followed by the reading of the Gettysburg Address.

Stewart will then lead the singing of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

The Salute to the Deceased Veterans of All Wars will begin with the Tattoo, played by bugler Richard Shankweiler, of Allentown, followed by the tolling of the historic 1885 church bell. During that time, retired Command Sgt. Major Ernest R. Fenstermaker will move forward with the ceremonial wreath to present at the monument and will salute, following the placement of the wreath. A moment of silence will be followed by taps, played by Shankweiler and the echo for taps played by Larry Kichline, of Allentown.

The program will end with a procession around the cemeteries of the church, led by the Honor Guard and the fife and drum.

Children and attendees will decorate the graves of many of the over 400 veterans buried on the church cemeteries during that time, including 35 Revolutionary War veterans, four veterans of the War of 1812, 30 veterans of the Civil War and hundreds of veterans who have served after the Civil War.

Representatives from the Liberty Bell Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, Brownie/Daisy Troop 6032 of the South Mountain Service Unit and Girl Scout Troop 6928 of the East Penn and Salisbury School District Service Unit will be participating in placing flowers on the graves.

Donations will be accepted benefiting the Memorial Day committee.

The first log church was built in 1741 atop the hill along the “Little Lehigh Creek.” A second church was erected in 1769.

The cornerstone for the current church building was laid in 1819, with the building being dedicated in 1820.

Renovations were completed in the sanctuary in 1884.

Originally a Union Church of the German Lutheran and Reformed settlers in the area, today the church continues as a “Shared Ministry” of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the United Church of Christ congregations.

For more information about the church or the other events during the year, log on to the church’s website, www.jwsunionchurch.org or find us on Facebook at “Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church.”