They love a parade in Philly

by Robert Mitchell

The Roxborough Citadel Corps recently participated in Philadelphia’s annual Independence Day Parade of Sunday Schools and Churches, the oldest such event in the city.

Samuel Lawson, a local Sunday school teacher, started the Sunday school parade in 1831 as a fun and outdoorsy event for children; Roxborough Citadel has been participating for the last 15 years. It is now the only Sunday school parade still active in the Greater Philadelphia area.

“It’s definitely community involvement and having the community see that we’re present and around for assistance,” said Jill Myers, who attends the corps and is the building services/property department manager at The Salvation Army’s DHQ in Philadelphia. “I think it definitely showed the community that we’re there and we’re there to help.”

As onlookers lined Lyceum Avenue, about 20 volunteers from the corps, including a nine-piece musical ensemble, rode on a trailer provided by the Emergency Disaster Service (EDS) fleet. The group joyfully played “Onward Christian Soldiers,” while children and adults from Roxborough Citadel handed out information about weekly programs and upcoming events like VBS and a backpack distribution for back to school.

“This was a wonderful opportunity for the corps to be out in the community and walk alongside with other churches to share the gospel,” said Myers.