On October 14, 1994, President Bill Clinton signed into law the resolution unanimously passed by the U.S. Congress, which established the fourth Sunday of every July as Parents' Day. Since the creation of this annual day of commemoration, local groups and activists in communities large and small have creatively launched many activities around the theme of Parents' Day, designed to celebrate and strengthen the traditional, two-parent family.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Parents Day Council (PPDC), we would like to invite you to celebrate Parents Day on July 27th, 2003 by hosting a sermon and a renewal of marriage vows ceremony to honor model parents from your church and community.

In this age of easy divorce and escalating illegitimate births, all too many children are being denied the positive, nurturing and essential relationship of being raised by both father and mother. Currently, forty percent of America's children live in a single parent household and by the time they reach age of 18, sixty percent will have lived with a single parent. Statistics overwhelmingly show that such children are six-times more likely to be poor. They are also more likely to be sexually abused, involved in criminal activity, abuse drugs and alcohol, do poorly in school, have children out of wedlock and commit suicide. Almost all of our nation's social ills can be traced to this break-up of the family. We have in the process created a culture that prioritizes the self-gratification and selfish interests of individuals above their moral responsibility to be responsible and loving parents towards their children. We are now paying a bitter price for that culture.

We, at the PPDC, which welcomes the inclusion and participation of people of all denominations, faiths, races and national origins, believe that America's families can only be restored through a new, cultural and religious revival that emphasizes and celebrates the God-centered family ideal.

There are numerous ways in which Parents' Day can be observed and we support the successful activities many have already implemented to encourage responsible parenting in our society. However, it is the earnest hope and prayer of the PPDC that we can help develop Parents' Day into a non-sectarian but spiritual observance, similar to Thanksgiving, to celebrate the God-centered family ideal.

On July 23, 2003 at our Nation's Capital we will have a special Parents Day Award's Ceremony, with members of Congress, prominent business leaders, clergy and several State "Parents of the Year" will be in attendance.

Also, on July 24 the PPDC will host an award ceremony and reception at our State Capitol in Harrisburg for the selected 12 Parents of the Year from cities across Pennsylvania. These Award Recipients will be selected from "Parents of the Year" from various churches and organizations throughout the state of Pennsylvania. We sincerely hope that you take advantage of this opportunity to nominate members from your congregation who qualify as "Model" Parents, and families for Parents Day 2003.

Please nominate (see nominating form) Parents of your Congregation to receive this most prestigious Award and have a special commemorative Sunday Service on July 27, 2003 (fourth Sunday of July).

May God Bless you, your family, and your ministry.

Sincerely,

Dr. Frederick and Lourdes Swarts
Pennsylvania Parents Day Council chair couple

• Clarion Hotel, Scranton, PA
  July 20, 2003
  from 5:00 - 7:30 pm
• Philadelphia City Hall, Office of the Mayor (Conversation Hall)
  July 23, 2003 from 5:00- 7:00 pm
• State Capitol Capitol Rotunda
  Harrisburg
  July 24, 2003, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm
• 2003 Award ceremonies

To register for these events, please contact:

Scranton: Lourdes Swarts at 570/ 842-3205
Philadelphia: Kevin Convery at 215/ 725-2393
Harrisburg: Phyllis Bennett/Vera White Reynolds at 717/561-0314 or 717/255-3085

Or via email at [email protected]

The national Parents of the Year for 2001 are William and Nancy Devlin of Philadelphia. They have five children. They shared about their experience in opening up the Urban Family Council, an inner city pro-life and pro-family ministry. In 1985, while everyone was moving out of the city, they moved into urban Philadelphia to begin their ministry, which focuses on marriage, fatherhood and abstinence issues. Their family is committed to sharing the love of Christ with those in the inner city. William even shared the story of how he was stabbed one night repeatedly by a robber, and how he nonetheless tried to share his faith with him until he collapsed from his wounds.