Monday’s thoughts
“Who Put The Flags In the Sanctuary?”
On the first Sunday in July we are going to look at what it means to be patriotic and Christian. What is a Christian patriot?
Since I’ve been here at the church I had not seen the flags in the Sanctuary. It may be they had been put there prior to the rennovation but I hadn’t seen the flags put in the Sanctuary. The last church I served had flags in the Sanctuary. They were put there in honor of a young man who was killed in Viet Nam. Some of the churches I’ve served have had flags in the Sanctuary and some have not. Next Sunday begins the fifth year of my appointment here. The flags were not in the Sanctuary when I came.
After we completed the Sanctuary rennovation one Sunday morning the flags appeared in the Sanctuary. I don’t know who put them there. The person who prepares the Sanctuary for worship didn’t know. None of the ministers knew. The trustees of the church didn’t do it.
We have spent some time talking about having flags in the Sanctuary and what it meant to have them there. We have determined we would put the flags in the Sanctuary three times a year. They will be in next Sunday (prior to the fourth of July), they will be in on Memorial Sunday, and they will be put back on the Sunday in November when we honor Veterans. The Worship Committee has approved this plan and the Administrative Council has agreed.
The larger issue is the one we will consider next Sunday. What does it mean to be patriotic and Christian? What is the role of the church when it comes to support of or critique of our nation’s foreign policy?
What do you think it is?
Do we have a responsibility to study and critique what we are doing as a nation? Is our job mainly to support our leaders? If we offer criticism of our policy does that mean we are not being supportive of the men and women who are carrying out the policies they are being asked to execute?
I will never forget how divided we were in our country during the Viet Nam War. That remains a subject that brings division and controversy. What do you think the role of the church is related to patriotism? I look forward to hearing from you. Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net and if you are willing to allow others to see and respond to your thoughts click on the “comments” box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
