Although sent inside by uncertain weather, Jerusalem Western Salisbury Church held its 135th Memorial Day program in the church sanctuary to honor in a solemn and respectful manner those who served in our country’s military.

Joshua Fink, the church’s honor guard drum major and U.S. Army National Guard retired Command Sgt. Maj. Ernest Fenstermaker, braved a light drizzle outside to raise the United States flag from memorial half staff to full staff at the stroke of noon at the church’s memorial park May 27.

The honor guard then was drummed in to present the colors. The honor guard and visitors then stood at attention as Bethlehem vocalist Evelyn Stewart sang the national anthem.

The church’s pastor, Rev. Donald Brown presented words of welcome and invocation, followed by the anthem, “America.”

Fink presented historical notes regarding the church’s memorial program over the past 135 years. Fink then read Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, which he called “perhaps the most elegant memorial ever written.”

U.S. Army National Guard retired Command Sgt. Maj. Ernest Shankweiler read a tribute to honor fallen veterans of all this country’s wars. He asked visitors to always be on watch for veterans with military identity caps or shirts and to take the time to thank them for their service. “And,” he said, “if you see a Vietnam veteran, also bid them ‘welcome home’.”

With tolling bells, a wreath laying and the strain of taps by Allentown bugler Richard Shankweiler, the program entered its 136th year of respect and honor.