FAIRVIEW, Ala. – During the evening of Independence Day, crowds filled Randall Shedd Fairview Town Park as the town’s First Baptist Church hosted its 18th annual Freedom Celebration.
Dr. David Chambers, Pastor of Fairview First Baptist Church, told The Tribune, “First Baptist Church of Fairview started it in 2002, real small show. I think we put in $325. Drew a pretty good crowd, though, and so the next year we made it a little bigger.”
“After that, the town came in with us, so they still help sponsor it. Superette still helps sponsor it, Welcome Baptist still helps sponsor it,” he continued. “Etha Baptist and the Methodist Church typically do; however, both of them had some conflicts this year that they weren’t able to [help], but they’ll be back in with us next year.”
Chambers said other area businesses over the years have helped sponsor the event, including. Merchants Bank who was “a big sponsor as well this year.”
“Typically, what we try to have is, we try to have gospel type singing, whether it’s Southern Gospel, Bluegrass Gospel, something like that,” he said. “This year, we’ve got Living Faith, [who are] out of Cullman and Danville. Their members are excellent, an excellent Southern Gospel group, that’ll also do some patriotic songs. [And] of course, we’re giving away free hot dogs, water, and that type [of] stuff.”
Purpose in Presentation
When asked their motivation for putting on the fireworks, Chambers answered, “It’s Independence Day. Our country’s been blessed with our independence, first of all, from Great Britain. But then, over the years, even since then, the freedom that we enjoy in this country that God has blessed us with, we want people to celebrate that.
“[And] so, we say it’s a freedom celebration because of our freedom from Great Britain–of course, that’s the initial aspect of it that we’re looking at on the Fourth of July. But, ultimately, the freedom that God has blessed us with, we want people to celebrate that. So we come together to do that.”
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