A campaign encouraging homeowners to place crosses in their front yards has now spread to at least six states, with supporters hoping to spread an Easter message of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Facebook in recent days has been filled with thousands of pictures of crosses displayed by homeowners in Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Louisiana, Arkansas and Florida.
The “Faith over Fear” movement originated in Middle Georgia. (Some are calling it “Faith not Fear.”)
Many homeowners are putting Christmas lights on the crosses.
Susan Polhill of Louisville, Ga., told The Augusta Chronicle she got the idea after reading about Californians hanging Christmas lights during the pandemic to bring people cheer.
“I thought, ‘Gosh, that is awesome!’ It is the Easter season, so let us light up some crosses as they are packed with meaning,” Polhill said. “We post pictures on Facebook of all the crosses along with a special scripture or verse from a hymn or song. … The cross is a symbol of what Jesus has done for us, all people.”
The “Faith over Fears Crosses in Middle Georgia” Facebook page has more than 10,000 members. Similar pages have been set up by Christians in Arkansas and Louisiana. A Jefferson County, Ky., Facebook page has 11,000 members.
The Middle Georgia page encourages the community to place a cross “in your yard to bring hope and assurance that faith is always stronger than fear.”
“During this time of social distancing we can enjoy the beautiful crosses throughout neighborhoods and rural areas alike!” the page says.
Shelli Gibbons in Hart County, Ky., got the idea from her pastor.
“I think placing these crosses in our yards just has kinda given us something to take our minds off of everything and to put our minds and center our minds on God,” she told WBKO. “… Some people have made crosses with their porch posts. There is even a guy that shared he has a cross on the front of his semi-truck because that’s his main home.”
In Macon, Ga., two brothers built and sold wooden crosses until the governor issued a shelter-in-place order. They sold them for $20 apiece and used the proceeds to purchase snacks and drinks for hospital workers, 14-year-old Lane Rainey told WMAZ.
“I think we all need to pray, repent, and trust God and stop fearing, stop having a fear of the unknown. Just put your trust in the Lord and pray everything works out,” Rainey said.
Photo courtesy: Faith over Fear Crosses in Middle GA Facebook
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, The Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Comments are closed.