TS_CNG/SUBURBAN/PAGES [S01] | 05/29/19
09:57 | BAUMEISTER
Abington The
MAY 30, 2019
INSIDE
SuburbaN
Patriot Mile takes off in Clarks Summit See page 3.
T H E VO I C E O F T H E A B I N G T O N S
AN EDITION OF THE TIMES-TRIBUNE • FREE • WWW.ABINGTONSUBURBAN.COM
A PATRIOTIC DISPLAY
ELIZABETH BAUMEISTER Suburban Subplots
A patriotic green
ELIzABEth BAUMEIStER / StAFF PhOtOS
Miss Comet, Nina Sampogne performs with the Abington Heights Marching Comets in the Clarks Summit Memorial Day Parade. For more photos from the parade, see page 6.
Louis DiMichele and Tony DiMichele show their patriotic pride.
The lush grass inside the Clarks Green Cemetery glistened with dew droplets under the blue, cloudless sky. Patches of buttercups splashed yellow into the scene. Birds sang from shade trees scattered among the tombstones. But the feature that stood out most in this Memorial Day morning scene was not a part of the natural landscape. It was the red, white and blue stars and stripes of the flags fluttering in the breeze, marking the graves of American servicemen and women. As I wandered the cemetery, reading the names and dates on those monuments, a steady stream of vehicles pulled in, parking alongside the dirt road. A small crowd gathered in front of the flagpole, awaiting the arrival of members of Abington Memorial VFW Post 7069 for the third of their four scheduled cemetery and memorial visits that morning. The ceremony, which included short prayers, raising and saluting the flag, and wreath presentations, was brief but sincere. If forced to choose one word to describe the atmosphere, I would use “respect.” Even the smallest children in attendance were quiet during the solemn event. And this respect was not only directed toward the deceased. Before and after the program, many people shook hands with the uniformed veterans Please see Patriotic, Page 7
Waiting for the parade to begin are, from left, Wyatt Phillips, Nolan Phillips and Sinea Yetkowskas, with dog, Rio.
The Abington Athletics baseball team ride in the parade, tossing candy to spectators.
JULIE JEFFERY MANWARREN | SUBURBAN LIFE
A 50-year heritage Church celebrates semicentennial
S. ABINGTON TWP. — 1968 saw big changes for Venard Road. Clarks Summit University (CSU), then Baptist Bible Seminary, had moved to Pennsylvania from New York. In September of that year, Rev. Clayton Howard Gray, the university chaplain, led a group of people to meet regularly for worship and preaching services on the campus. As the group grew they organized a local church. A constitution, articles of faith and a church covenant were adopted on Jan. 23, 1969. In May of 1969, the new church voted to call itself “Heritage Baptist Church.” The congrega-
tion called Rev. Charles Benedict as pastor in 1970. In 1973, ground was broken on eight-and-a-half acres across from CSU’s campus. Mel Walker was a student in 1972. He remembers when the church was meeting in Jackson Hall on the campus of CSU. He watched as the new church building went up. “It was an exciting time,” Walker shared. Over the years Heritage has had several expansion projects, adding an educational wing, a youth room and family room. Walker and his wife Peggy joined the church in 1989. “The first thing that got us interested in Heritage is
ELIzABEth BAUMEIStER / StAFF PhOtO
The flag is raised during a Memorial Day ceremony Monday morning, May 27 at Clarks Green Cemetery.
What’s inside Calendar ........................ 2 Obituary ......................... 4 Churches ........................ 4 Suburban Family ............. 5 Green Scene ................... 5 JULIE JEFFERy MANwARREN / FOR ABINGtON SUBURBAN
Heritage Baptist Church celebrated its 50th anniversary over the weekend, with a community block party on Saturday, May 25, a service and catered dinner on Sunday, May 26 and a float in the Clarks Summit Memorial Day parade on Monday, May 27. that it was close to where we lived,” Walker shared. “We visited when we came back to the area and never went anywhere else. The
number-one thing has been how the church has ministered to our children. They embraced and invested in our kids. They were con-
cerned about their walk with God, their development and their well-being.” Please see HERITAGE, Page 10
Contest .......................... 7 Just For Fun .................... 9 Sports ............................ 9
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