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Has the Flag Run Its Course in Our Sanctuary? In my sanctuary, on the right side of my pulpit lectern, stands an American flag. The ‘stars and stripes’ has been common-place in American sanctuaries since the Civil War (1865) and varying races and social groups participate in this practice. International churches also ‘wave the flag’ in their sanctuary, making this practice universally recognized by many as a religious standard. Yet, if we look at this tradition carefully, this article will revisit the concept of ‘flag waving’ and will question if AME churches should participate in the act. The United States Congress has made a public statement on how the American flag should be displayed. When presented, the “flag should occupy the position of honor and be placed at the clergyman’s or speaker’s right.”1 Statutes also demand that, “any other flag (nonU.S. flag) so displayed should be placed on the left of the congregation or audience as they face the chancel or platform.”2 By so doing, placing the American flag to the right of the altar, has both biblical and cultural ties to supremacy. A United Methodist Church (UMC) journalist in 2013 went so far as arguing that “placement on the left and that higher placement signifies higher honor than other-flags, like the biblical or denominational flags on the left.”3 In 2017, author Joe Carter argued in The Gospel Coalition that “Civil Religion Has No Place in God’s House.” This statement included removing the American flag from the sanctuary. According to Carter, there “is a vast and unbridgeable chasm between America’s civil religion and Christianity. The God of America’s civil religion is not the God who died on the cross.”4 Carter’s argument is even more complicated when Americans have desired a reboot of the American flag as far back as Martin R. Delany in 1852, as considering the racial tension forever embedded many have argued for true ‘equal’ representation. within the embodiment of the American flag. Sasha The Rev. Henry Young Arnett, while serving as a Weitman argues that “flags are one of the ways professor at Wilberforce in 1904, circulated one of nations establish their individuality as separate from 5 black America’s first flag designs. This prototype other groups of people.” So when considering the had “Frederick Douglass, Major Martin R. Delaney, ills of slavery, segregation, and systematic oppression Bishop Richard Allen, the Late Bishop Daniel A. under the American flag, many have identified the Payne, and Booker T. Washington on the flag.”7 flag as a symbol of racial degradation.6 African
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20th and 21st Century African Americans carried and still carry on the traditions of the Rev. H. Y. Arnett. Replacement flags for the traditional American flag include: The Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League Flag (UNIA), Republic of New Afrika Flag, Congress of African Peoples Flag, All-African People’s Revolutionary Party Flag, Black Liberation Army Flag, the David Banner ‘Official Black Fist Flag,’ Black Lives Matter Flag, and the most recognized Black Diaspora Flag. There are examples of the aforementioned flag flying in AME sanctuaries, including Mother Bethel in Philadelphia, PA, and Metropolitan in Washington, D.C. I have also observed sanctuaries that chose to implement no flag at all. Whatever your congregation chooses to do, the decision shouldn’t be dictated by a fear of disrespecting the AME ‘way’ or even Uncle Sam. There is no mandate in the AME Church concerning flag selection, and the United States of America does not have the right to force its flag upon any congregation. If anything, this article should at least start the conversation if it is best for your congregation to move a flag out of your sanctuary, or enhancing the sanctuary’s flag to something that celebrates the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ. ❏ ❏ ❏
1 United States Statutes at Large, Seventy-seventh Congress, Second Session, 1942, Volume 56 — Part I, Public Laws states in Section 3 (k). 2 IBID. 3 “Should We Have Flags in the Church? The Christian Flag and the…”. 2022. Discipleship Ministries. https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/should-we-have-flags-in-the-church-the-christian-flag-and-the-american-flag. 4 Carter, Joe. 2022. “Civil Religion Has No Place In God’s House.” The Gospel Coalition. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/civil-religion-has-no-place-in-gods-house/. 5 S. R. Weitman, “National Flags: A Sociological Overview,” Semiotica, VIII/4 (1973), pp. 338–49. 6 IBID. 7 “Flag for the Negro,” New York Times, 1 July 1904.
Celebrating the 137th Church Anniversary of St. John AME Church Dr. Bridget Floyd
St. John African Methodist (AME) Church, Huntsville, marked its 137th anniversary on March 20, 2022, at the 10 a.m. worship service. The theme was “A Legacy of Faith and a Bright Future,” with a scriptural emphasis on Matthew 16:18. The service was hybrid in terms of recorded and in-person participants, with the latter adhering to Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. The Mass Choir and musicians were inspirational under the direction of Brother Reggie Pearson, with Brother Phil Lee leading the choir and congregation in singing the opening hymn. Pastor Maurice Wright II preached the sermon for the anniversary service. A nostalgic review began the service with a video presentation of photos of people and events over the years. After which, the Women’s Month tribute to women of St. John continued, highlighting two “phenomenal women.” Ms. Joy Wright highlighted Sister Claire Philadelphia and Attorney Genevia Fontenot. Congratulations to these outstanding ladies. Sister Maeola Peoples gave the welcome and announcements. Pastor Wright introduced Deaconess Sarah “Granny” Bell, “the oldest and longest serving St. John member,” as the worship leader. The Deaconess Board recited the Call to Worship: Deaconesses Earnes-
tine Barnes-Ivery, Eva Smith, Willie M. Heyward, Charlsie Brooks, Gwendolyn Baldwin, and Mary Powers. The Reverend Meriam Garrett gave the invocation after the opening hymn. Scripture readings were as follows: Old Testament, Psalm 100 by Addison and Breanne Bradford; The Epistle, Ephesians 1:15-23, Sister Jana Goggans; The Gospel, Matthew 16:13-18, Sister Mattie Ezell. Pastor Wright preached the third sermon in his series “What Shall We Do with the Church?” entitled “Don’t Sleep on the Church.” The scripture reference was Acts 20:7-12. He noted the negative impact of “sleeping”/inattention at this point, including social, economic, and political factors. He emphasized that “there are people sleeping on the church,” resulting in a negative impact on the youth and leadership; ministries are not as fulfilling; the message is “watered down.” He urged soberness and vigilance to avoid the negative impact. The first point made by Pastor Wright was, “The Word is for you.” There is something for every believer present when a sermon is delivered. He noted that “the Word of God always meets its target.” He encouraged participation in the church, noting that “church is not a spectator sport.” His second point was, “You can be in the right place but be in the wrong place at the same time.” In the text, the man was in the right place—the church, but in the wrong place—sitting in the window on the third level, which would allow for inattention or distractions. He cautioned that this could cause believers of today to miss their blessing because they could not focus fully on the Word. Additionally, Pastor Wright emphasized that “there is always light in the church” and that we must always “pay attention to the light,” which allows us “to see as well as be seen.” He noted that in the text, ...continued on p13
