By Judith Roberts
The night sky will once again be lit up in celebration of Independence Day as Temple Baptist Church hosts its 26th annual patriotic program and fireworks, named LoveLincoln Freedom Fest.
Reggie Bridges, senior pastor at Temple, said the program provides the community a context to thank God for the political and social freedom granted in this country.
“Every good gift comes from above, including our political and social freedom,” Bridges said. “We are so blessed to have this freedom, and we should take a moment to thank Him for it. And I believe we should also demonstrate our gratitude for those He has used to secure that freedom for us. We specifically pause to recognize our veterans and their vital role in protecting our liberties.”
One part of the program is the Procession of Patriots, which all veterans are encouraged to attend.
“If you are willing to take part in this powerful part of the service, just meet in the church’s fellowship at 7 p.m. (tonight),” Bridges said. “Our worship ministry team — choir, orchestra, audio and visual personnel — put a great deal of effort in planning and presenting our LoveLincoln Freedom Fest. Some components are always a part of our celebration: The Pledge of Allegiance and ‘The Star-Spangled Banner,’ the march of our veterans, the playing of ‘Taps’ in remembrance of the fallen, prayers of gratitude, and the singing of various patriotic songs including our entreaty that ‘God Bless America.’ This year, we will also have some of our children involved in the service as well as they represent the 50 states united in one ‘America the Beautiful.’ I’m convinced it will be very moving for all who attend.”
Bridges added that this event is free and open for anyone who wants to attend.
“We hope that families from across North Louisiana will join us for both our program and the fireworks. We truly believe that they will be encouraged, inspired, and hopefully, challenged,” he said. “We have had over 1,700 people in one program before, but typically one service will have about 1,400 participating together. The doors of the Sanctuary will not open until 7 p.m., but people will begin arriving on campus before that. Of course, there will be thousands more who enjoy the fireworks from various locations around our campus. Some will find their parking spots hours beforehand. And while I love the fireworks, I believe you miss the full import of the night if you fail to attend the program.”
The patriotic program will begin at 7:30 p.m. and generally lasts an hour. The fireworks will begin when it’s determined it’s dark enough, which Bridges said is usually a few minutes after 9 p.m. and conducted by Pyromania Fireworks.
“I believe this is one of the moments where we can unify together,” Bridges said. “Unfortunately, there are too many things that divide us, but this celebration should be shared by all. We simply give thanks to God for our freedom, recognize our military personnel for their service, and commit to responsible citizenship. Who can’t get behind that?”
