New Jersey church remembers war dead with ‘Field of Flags’

Town hard-hit by 9/11 deaths honors service members, veterans

by Gregg Brekke | Presbyterian News Service

The 2015 ‘Field of Flags’ at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Middletown, New Jersey. (Photo provided)

LOUISVILLE – For five years Westminster Presbyterian Church in Middletown, New Jersey has assembled a memorable display on its Great Lawn each fall. Beginning in 2012, the church’s Field of Flags display has contained one American flag for every service member killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. In 2015 the number was 6,841. This year, when the congregation puts out flags Saturday, October 15, the number of service persons killed has grown to 6,860.

The flags will remain on display for a month, being disassembled Saturday, November 19.

Westminster’s pastor, the Rev. Joseph Hein, says the church got the idea from a member who’d seen such a display at a congregation in Connecticut. “The session (church council) was very interested in the idea,” he says, due to the area’s proximity to several military facilities and in support of the veterans in the congregation.

But the idea hit even closer to home for many people in the church and especially in the surrounding community.

“The 9/11 attack that kicked off the [Afghanistan and Iraq] wars, the largest concentration of those killed at the World Trade Centers lived in Middletown, New Jersey,” says Hein. “We’re 26 miles from New York City and following news of the attacks the whole area went up to Mt. Mitchell—the highest point in town—on the morning of 9/11 to see the towers in flames. Not to mention, so many people were lost from Middletown.”

At the first display of the Field of Flags, Westminster invited the Connecticut church to be part of the display. Members of the Connecticut church travel to Middletown, loaning the New Jersey congregation its flags from the previous year.

“The response was overwhelming from the community and congregation. It was the most emotional response to anything I’ve seen in my life. People photographing the flags—dozens of cars stopping to photograph the flags every day. Veterans would get out to salute the flags. Survivors of 9/11,” Hein says, his voice trailing off overcome by emotion.

“Family members who’d lost loved ones in the war stopped too,” he says. “One woman in particular stopped and lay among the flags—taking the whole experience into her soul.”

For three years the congregation held a community-wide memorial service in conjunction with the Field of Flags. The last time the service was held two years ago, Westminster invited the families of the 119 New Jersey service members killed in the wars to attend the memorial. After taking a hiatus, the memorial service will be held again in November. Owing to the increased death toll, 124 New Jersey families will be invited to attend this year’s service of remembrance.

“There is a sense at these services and in the display, that we’re remembering loss and praying for peace,” says Hein. “None of the veterans I know—yes, they went into combat to defend the ideals and institutions of our nation—don’t desire peace. The second year [2013] we balanced our attention, remembering not only those who were lost, but those who come home with the sounds and memories of war still in their mind.”

As the display and services shared its focus with returning combatants and their needs, the church has partnered with veterans organizations skilled at PTSD and re-entry assistance to ensure families received needed support after they leave the service.

“We’ve also focused on the cost of war,” says Hein. “We lined our property with signs talking about the lasting effects of war. For instance, how many military related suicides happen, traumatic brain injuries and others.”

He says the services of remembrances have focused on healing, praying for peace and praying for enemies. “This is important,” says Hein. “Jesus said we should pray for our enemies as well.”

Hein says Westminster has become identified with the Field of Flags as it continues to capture the attention of the continued loss felt in the community 15 years after the events September 11, 2001. It’s especially impactful to those who lost relatives, colleagues and friends that day, something the community will never forget.

“Each year we have over 70 volunteers who come out to set up the Field of Flags from the congregation and the community,” says Hein. “We’ll continue this event for the foreseeable future. The support is very strong.”

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