Sunday, May 30, 2010
Memorial Day Flags Planted @ Tinney Chapel
Click on any image above to view it in larger format or click on the arrow below to view the video of this outdoor flag-planting ceremony.
The Planting Of The Flags On Memorial Day
A new tradition may have been born today at the quintessential country church: Planting flags on Memorial Day on the lawn of the three crosses of Tinney Chapel UMC.
Across the fence, haymaking was in progress. See photos above. But, as congregants of Tinney Chapel filed out of the historic sanctuary to approach the lawn of the three crosses, all were carrying small American flags, each personalized with the name of an armed forces veteran--either in honor or memory.
All the flags were planted in the green grass surrounding the three crosses left over from our Easter Sunrise Service. Again, see photos above. Some of these flags will later be moved to cemeteries and planted again at the graves of those who gave the last full measure of devotion: Their lives.
Pastor Sue Gross conducted a Memorial Day call-and-response ceremony, at times straining to be heard over the sound of the haymaking machinery. On the other hand, what better indication that ours is truly a historic rural church that still sits on the same acreage that was originally carved from what had once been the farms of Ambrose Tinney, who donated the first acre in 1900, and Donald and Corinne Tinney, who donated another two acres to build the family life center just a few years ago.
Several of our church's living veterans of World War 2 were present for today's Memorial Day ceremonies, inside and outside, as well as some veterans of more recent wars.
After this moving outdoor ceremony, the congregation moved inside the family life center for a hearty lunch which was blessed by Pastor Sue Gross.
Amen.
