Saint Patrick's Peace Parade In Boston On March 16th
Veterans For Peace
For Immediate Release
Attached: Press Release, Parade Flyer, Open Letter to Residents of Boston
CARLOS ARREDONDO – GRAND MARSHAL OF
SAINT PATRICK’S PEACE PARADE
Boston, Mass. – March 3, 2014 – Carlos Arredondo and his wife Melida will be the Grand Marshalls for the Saint Patrick Peace Parade, the alternative parade, in South Boston on Sunday, March 16. Carlos is well known as one of the heroes of the Boston Marathon bombing. He was captured in a now famous AP photo wearing his white cowboy hat as he rushed bombing victim Jeff Bauman to a waiting ambulance. Carlos and Melida have been long time members of Veterans For Peace, having joined the organization shortly after Carlos’ son Alex was killed in Najaf Iraq by a sniper in 2004. Their only other son Brian, who never recovered from the loss of his beloved big brother, committed suicide in 2011 at age 24. Carlos and Melida have committed themselves to helping veterans families and working for peace as members of the Boston chapter of Veterans For Peace.
Carlos is honored to be the Grand Marshall of the Saint Patrick’s Peace Parade with his wife Melida. “Boston Strong means all of us uniting together whether at a tragedy or against bigotry and exclusion, or the need for peace”, stated Carlos. “There is a lot of controversy surrounding these parades,” Carlos said. “We should all come together, combine the two parades into one big parade and allow everyone, straight, gay, peace, old and young to all participate together celebrating Saint Patrick.”
Melida Arrendondo, Carlo’s wife, also a Grand Marshall of the parade added, “After this year where a bombing took place in Boston, inclusion of the LGBT community and Veterans For Peace is an important part of keeping Boston Strong.” “We are a diverse community,” added Melida, “and we should be proud to march together as one. Our diversity is what makes us different and is our strength as a city and a nation.”
Veterans For Peace will once again march one mile behind the traditional parade. There are eight separate divisions in the Peace Parade, each division is essentially their own parade with very distinct messages. The eight division are: Veterans For Peace, Peace, Religious, LGBT, Environmental Stewardship, Political, Labor, Social and Economic Justice. Last year the parade had six bands, floats, vehicles, Bread and Puppet Theatre and 2,500 participants.
“Some have called the Saint Patrick’s Peace Parade a protest parade,” said Pat Scanlon, Coordinator of Veterans For Peace and the lead organizer for the Peace Parade. “It is not! It is an alternative parade brought about because of the discriminatory and exclusionary practices of the organizers of the first parade.” Some people refer to the second parade as the gay parade. Scanlon emphasizes, “It is a Peace Parade, in fact the only Peace Parade in the entire country. Our parade is welcoming and inclusive. The LGBT community is free to celebrate who they are as people and as gay members of our community. There is an LGBT Division where all are welcome to carry rainbow flags, signs, and banners and wear T-shirts with such messages as “I’m Irish, Gay and Proud”.
The parade organizers invite individuals and groups to join their parade. “People and groups are welcome to come and join one of the eight divisions,” added Scanlon. The Saint Patrick’s Peace Parade will assemble at 1:00 pm on D Street, just off West Broadway in South Boston. Look for the black and white Veterans For Peace Flags. Erin Go Bragh.
Web: smedleyvfp.org Twitter: @smedleyVFP Facebook: facebook.com/smedleyvfp
####
Note: Forming Up At 1 PM For A 2 PM Step-Off
THE QUESTION OF GRACE???
ReplyDeleteWhat is grace?
What is the grace of God?
What is the benefit of God's grace?
Grace is an unmerited favor?
The manifestation of God's grace is God's free gift of salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ.
The unmerited favor is salvation. Grace is not the favor.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith;and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (NASB)
Salvation is the gift of God. Grace is not the gift.
Romans 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. (NASB)
Men are justified because of God's grace, however, it only comes through Jesus Christ.
The benefits of God's grace is only accessed through faith in Jesus Christ. God does impute grace to a selected few. God does not impute faith to a preselected, chosen few, so that they may be saved.
Acts 5:1-2 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom also we haveaccess by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.(KVV)
Men access God's gift of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Grace if not the gift men receive from God. Men receive the GIFT OF SALVATION by faith in Jesus.
Acts 5:1-2 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.(NASB)
Men justified by faith. Men are not justified by grace alone. Without faith men do not receive the free gift of grace, which is salvation through Jesus Christ.
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvationto all men. (NASB)
God's grace is available to all men.
HOW DO MEN ACCESS GOD'S GRACE?
1. FAITH: John 3:16, Mark 16:16
2. REPENTANCE: Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19
3. CONFESSION: Romans 10:9-10
4. WATER BAPTISM: Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21
THE GIFT OF GRACE IS NOT GRACE ITSELF. THE GIFT OF GOD'S GRACE IS SALVATION THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!
YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com