Join us for the Whitemarsh Township 4th of July Parade and for our Bell Ringing on the 4th of July! On July 4, 2026 the Township Parade will begin at the church in the morning followed by St. Peter’s re-creating the first reading of the Declaration of Independence in front of the church, following the traditional ringing of the church bell at 2 p.m. The French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, written by the Marquis de Lafayette will also be read, followed by a picnic in the gazebo. Everyone is invited to attend one or both events!
If you have any questions regarding the parade please contact Matt Clark and if you have any questions regarding the bell ringing please contact John Shiffert.
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church will hold an outdoor event to celebrate the Semi quincentennial following the 2026 annual Whitemarsh Township Fourth of July Parade. St. Peter’s event will be part of its traditional Independence Day bell-ringing, which starts at 2 p.m. Parking available across the street from the church.
After the bell-ringing, there will be a public reading of both the Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.The latter historic document, written by the Marquis de Lafayette, and based on the Declaration of Independence and his consultation with its author, Thomas Jefferson, was a first draft written amid the French Revolution in the 1790s. Following the readings, there will be a picnic in the church gazebo by the parking lot. In conjunction with Lafayette’s role in American independence, the American Friends of Lafayette will have their educational panels about the Marquis on display at St. Peter’s that day. There will also be self-guided tours of the St. Peter's Cemetery, where a dozen Revolutionary War veterans are buried, as well as a half-dozen Oneida Scouts who were part of Lafayette's force at the Battle of Barren Hill on May 20, 1778, and fell during the battle. Questions? Contact John Shiffert, M.A., or the church office
