ANDERSON, Ind. —
When the sanctuary lights are switched off inside Cross Roads United Methodist Church, worshippers can see the image of a Christian cross imposed over the U.S. flag.
The image, intentional and planned, shows up during patriotic-themed services such as this Sunday’s Fourth of July-related worship services at 8 and 10 a.m.
“It’s breathtaking. To see that silhouette coming through the large flag. It’s a God and country moment,” Pastor John Hackney said.
The flag is not intended to replace the image of the cross, which hangs on a wall behind the pulpit.
“We don’t worship the flag. We don’t worship America. We worship God,” Hackney said.
Instead, the flag is a symbol of American freedoms, Hackney said.
“God has blessed our country and this is our way of saying thanks to God,” Hackney said.
Hackney, along with pastors Gene Smith and Gina Kirkland, present patriotic sermons for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the Fourth of July. U.S. flags usually hang around the church at the corner of Scatterfield Road and Cross Street.
The patriotic themes developed when some of the congregation, which averages 290 on Sundays, attended South Anderson United Methodist Church. Five years ago, that congregation merged with Park Place United Methodist Church.
In the last few years, however, congregation member Bud Riley has coordinated the display of dozens of flags outside the church.
Riley, an Army veteran who served in Korea in 1961-62, believes the church setting, atop a hill overlooking Scatterfield, is like a billboard for patriotism.
“We believe we should let it be known that we’re a Christian nation,” said Riley, 73. “We’d like for this to be infectious.”
Riley, along with his son, Sam, store 30 flags in Riley’s garage, though they hope to transfer them to a shed at the church. This weekend, they set up the flags outside the church.
On Veterans Day, the crosses are set up in the form of a “V.” On Easter, they are laid out in the shape of a cross.
“So,” Riley added, “we’ve been thinking about this thing a lot.”
However, the indoor flag that spotlights the cross came about by, perhaps, divine intervention.
“The only practical place to put it was right in front ... but the only problem is that it covered the cross,” Hackney said.
“Then we noticed that the lights behind the cross were so bright that they were shining through the flag and you could see the image of the cross coming through the flag.”
Contact Scott L. Miley, 648-4230, scott.miley@heraldbulletin.com
Local News
Related Photos
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A cross is silhouetted behind an American flag at Cross Roads United Methodist Church in Anderson on Friday. The church is displaying several flags inside and out for the July 4th holiday. Don Knight
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