First Baptist Church: Flying the American Flag with pride and dignity

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) presented its Flag Certificate to First Baptist Church in Crowley Thursday. 

SAR presents its flag certificate to individuals, companies and government agencies that fly the Flag of the United States of America for patriotic purposes and fly it correctly. This means the flag must be lowered at sunset unless a spotlight illuminates it at night. The flag should only be displayed when the weather is fair unless an all-weather flag is displayed. And the flag should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning, when its condition is no longer a fitting emblem for display. 

First Baptist Church installed its flag display near its main church entrance in 1991. The idea for the flag display came from The Brotherhood, a men’s outreach group within the church whose members performed mission work to help families in need. 

“The Brotherhood wanted to recognize and honor church members who fulfilled their patriotic duty by serving their country,” says Ron Lawson, a Brotherhood member who participated in site selection and physical implementation of the flag display. “The names of church members who served their country are proudly displayed on a plaque in the church foyer and their patriotism is honored by our flag display.”

The names of several Brotherhood members are included on the plaque.

Flying the flag has been a source of pride to church members and brings joy to passersby who can see the flag flying majestically in the breeze. The flag is also visible at night since First Baptist has installed a spotlight to illuminate the flag, as required by the United States Flag Code when a flag is displayed at night.

The Sons of the American Revolution is a historical, educational and patriotic, non-profit corporation. It seeks to maintain and expand the meaning of patriotism, respect for our national symbols, the value of American citizenship and the unifying force of one nation and one people.

Membership in the Sons of the American Revolution is open to men who prove that they descended from a patriot who fought in or actively supported the American Revolution. A sister organization, Daughters of the American Revolution, is open to women who descended from an American Revolutionary patriot.

The Flag Certificate was presented to Pastor Cullen Clark and Associate Pastor Larry Evans by Bill McCain and T. J. Fontenot, members of SAR’s Attakapas Chapter and co-chairmen of that chapter’s Flag Committee. 

Several Brotherhood members who installed the flag display in 1991 are still active in the church and were present at the Flag Certificate presentation. They include Terry Edens, Ron Lawson and Kenneth Richard. Several Brotherhood members have been called home over the years while others have moved out of Crowley.

If you are interested in seeing if you are the descendant of an American Revolutionary patriot or perhaps are interested in pursuing membership in the SAR or DAR, go to www.sar.org or www.dar.org. And next time you are driving down East 4th Street in Crowley, don’t forget to look for Old Glory.