I'd like to encourage everyone to read this blog post by my pastor, John Lindell, about "I Love America," which is my church's annual Fourth of July event.
ILA started 10 years ago as a simple idea to get the choir together to sing some patriotic songs and show a few fireworks. The church had just bought new property for our current building but had not started building, so the land was available. A few plans were made, and they hoped that 5,000 people would show up.
B and I were among the 13,000 who came that first year (I was pregnant with Big A!). The attendance shattered the goal then. But this year ... we had 120,000 people at ILA. The event is totally free for families. We have a midway, air show, Christian music artists, politicians (this year the Governor of Missouri and a U.S. Congressman spoke) and the like to entertain families throughout the day. The highlight, of course, is the fireworks show in the evening, which is choreographed to our choir (which is singing in the "living flag.")
The goal is to share the gospel as well as provide a great day of fun and fireworks to celebrate America.
ILA is an amazing, indescribable event. Our girls wouldn't even know how to do the Fourth of July without it. It's all they've ever known for celebrating the holiday.
I posted all my pictures on Facebook the day after ILA, but here are a few for those that didn't see them. But, seriously, read Pastor John's blog about the day. God is doing amazing things through ILA.
The choir members are standing inside that flag -- in this shot the choir, along with about 120,000 people are singing "God Bless America." Talk about goosebumps!
I love the last Picture of all of you together looks like you sall had a blast!!!
ReplyDeleteYou've been talking about this for years, and I want to go, I'm just never there in July. Maybe someday I will finally make it!
ReplyDeleteCraig