When searching the internet today for news on what Christians are doing to reaffirm our country as a nation under God, I came across the First Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio and what just a few people can do to honor God and push back on the atheist movement in our land. (also see related Our Nation Under God articles). Here is the story
From the Cleveland Daily Banner:
ACROSS AMERICA is a vision of white crosses placed in front yards of homes in neighborhoods, the city, county, state and nation. In the photo, Ella Keller, left, Darlene Davission, Judy Detwiler, Barbara Gilbert, Mary Manery and Roseann Whitson. One thousand crosses will be distributed this morning at 9:20 at First Baptist Church on Stuart Road.
Davisson said she had no idea the email would spawn a project.
“I just liked the email that described how an atheist in Frankenmuth, Mich., was successful in having two crosses removed from a bridge. From that point, the atheist campaigned to have other religious symbols bearing crosses removed from public view, including the cross from the city shield. At that point, hundreds of residents made simple crosses and placed them in their front yards.
According to a May 2008 story by the Michigan Messenger, the city council refused to move the cross and the atheist dropped the issue after he did not receive a single bit of encouragement from other residents, friends or family.
Davisson and her friends blogged and chatted about the Frankenmuth crosses being a good idea. The idea of planting crosses also sat with Barbara Gilbert as a good idea, but instead of turning to God to set things right, she turned her full attention toward politics.
“But, I realized that if I am a woman of faith, why don’t I turn to the only one who is going to resolve all of these manmade dilemmas,” Gilbert said recently at her home.
“This came back into my mind and it sat there for awhile. Then it moved to my heart until it was just a burning sensation inside me and I knew I had to act on this.”
So, she obtained 3,000 feet of 1/4-inch by 2-inch pine from Cleveland Plywood, 1,000 feet of lathe and six gallons of white paint, invited friends to her home and they went to work.
Wonderful things happened even when the wood laid in Gilbert’s garage, she said. A delivery man asked what she was doing with the wood.
“I told him and tears began running down his face and he had hope just knowing someone was sharing an inspiration that gave hope,” she said.
“We know the power in the cross and crosses are going to be planted all across America starting right here in Cleveland.”
Gilbert said the name of the initiative came to her after hearing about a prayer walk called, “Across Bradley” in preparation for Easter.
“We are beginning to realize we need to turn to prayer for our trying times,” she said.
“I only have to realize God has his eye on this community. This community has two sensational projects: Across Bradley and ACross America.
“We need to be one nation under God. It worked for years,” she said. “If it works, don’t change it. We need to repent because we have been an embarrassment to ourselves and then we need to ask for his forgiveness because he died on the cross. He has paid the price so all we need to do now is turn to him.”
Read more: Cleveland Daily Banner – 1 000 white crosses go up today
