Join St. Luke’s Historic Church & Museum in a day of appreciation and community as we honor Veterans and their families. St. Luke’s “Honoring our Veterans Event” will be held on Saturday Nov. 18 and will feature a schedule packed with activities and opportunities. There will be representatives of various Veteran organizations, including the Veterans Administration, opportunities to find employment and support, and living history presenters to share U.S. Military history. There will be reenactors interpreting for the War of 1812 through the Vietnam War. This event is just a small token of our appreciation for those who have honorably served.
The history of St. Luke’s is replete with those who have fought to preserve our freedoms, especially the right to religious freedom. Today, the United States has no established religion, allowing every individual the liberty to embrace or abstain from religious practices according to their own beliefs.These freedoms, however, stand in stark contrast from the realities of the Colonial era and the Western World since the 4th century. Religion and Government had been married throughout history and it was the cause of many tragic conflicts and persecutions.
Here at St. Luke’s we honor this history and the individuals who fought to ensure that our freedoms continue to be a hallmark of our democracy long into the future. Some of these individuals are even interred within St. Luke’s cemetery. Although we remember the past, it is also important that we ensure that those who have served and are still with have the opportunities to live healthy and prosperous lives. We owe it to them to provide opportunities to flourish and share their gifts.
Our Honoring our Veterans Event is one way that we aim to create a sense of community for the Veterans of the Hampton Roads area. St. Luke’s believes that creating community is not just about recognizing contributions made by our veterans, but also celebrating their individual stories. We would love to hear your stories of service. Your story is an important part of the history of this Country and we would love to be the vehicle through which you share it.
Our opening ceremonies will be at 11:00 AM on 11/18. There will be the raising of the colors, a keynote speaker, historical remarks, and living history presenters. The living history portion of the event will run the full day from opening at 9:30 AM until closing at 5 PM. The event is free but if you wish to take a tour of the Old Brick Church the prevailing rates apply. We hope you will join us for this important day to honor those who have so faithfully served our Nation. St. Luke’s is proud to be a partner with our area Veterans organizations in saying thank you!
Above: A flag placed on a veterans grave in St. Luke’s Memorial Park Cemetery
Above: Members of a 15-member all-female living history unit from Williamsburg pose for a photo.
Above: Members of an all-female living history unit interpert WACs during WWII.
Enjoy this article? Please consider supporting St. Luke’s with a donation!
About the Author
John Ericson is the Education Coordinator and a Public Historian for St. Luke’s Historic Church & Museum. John holds a degree in History from Roanoke College and a Masters of Divinity from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg. In addition to John’s role at St. Luke’s, he is the Pastor of Reformation Lutheran Church in Newport News, Virginia. John is married to Oneita Jamerson Ericson, a native of Isle of Wight County, Virginia. They have three sons, Matthew, Thomas, and James, as well as two granddaughters, Carys and Lennon. The Ericsons currently reside in Hampton, Virginia. John has been teaching Reformation History and the Early American Religious Experience for more than thirty years.