A flag retirement ceremony will be held at First Lutheran Church, 431 Cemetery Rd. Neosho, at 11:45 a.m. Sunday.
“After the (worship) service, we will move out to the pavilion and use the ceremony that was established by the American Legion, following all of the proper protocol and the ritual that is involved,” said Rev. Dr.
William J.P. Doubek III, pastor of First Lutheran Church. “We are looking for more flags if anyone wants to drop them at the church or bring them that day.”
They are looking for American flags that are torn, tattered, worn, faded, old and in really bad condition.
“The first thing of course is to inspect it and make sure that it’s no longer serviceable,” he said. “We don’t want to retire something that can be used.
They will inspect each and every flag.
“We pay homage to what the flag stands for and then we commit it to the flame,” Doubek said. “You place them one at a time on the fire, like a funeral fire, with all of the due and respect.”
Doubek stated that in the past members of American Legion and VFW posts have worn their caps.
“We encourage people to wear their colors,” he said.
The public is invited to attend the event.
Doubek is a Vietnam veteran.
“When I look at our flag, I of course see what our nation stands for, but I also see faces of men and women who have buried underneath that flag,” he said. My dad, my uncles, guys I was with overseas during the war.”
After the retirement ceremony, an old fashioned barbecue will occur.
“This year, everyone that comes and stays, we are having a good old fashioned church barbecue,” he said. “We have a lot of hamburgers and hot dogs, St. John’s Episcopal Church will participate.”
Drop off flags at church from 8:30-11:30 Monday-Friday or leave outside of the church. For more information, call the church at 451-2464.
Neosho, Mo. —
