BEREA, Ohio—“Heroes respond first.” That’s why Berea Baptist Church honored local first responders at a “Red, White, and Blue” service on Sept. 9. The church “remembered the tragic events of September 11 and honored our area emergency responders with special tribute,” says its website.
The morning began with a breakfast reception of pastries and coffee for the guests and church family. A color guard and presentation of the flag opened the service itself. Then veteran Lee Adams led the Pledge of Allegiance, the choir sang, and a teen, Devon Snelling, read a tribute to the flag. Next came worship through hymns and giving, followed by a 9/11 video tribute.
Pastor Kenneth Spink invited the first responders to the platform, where he introduced each of them and they received a gift folder from the church. Assistant Pastor William Mosher had created a certificate for each responder, plus a card with “Heroes Respond First” and a Scripture verse. In addition to the personal gifts, the church gave each department a book written particularly for police officers, firefighters, or first responders. Pastor Spink prayed for these heroes and then preached on “Call of Duty.”
Members of Berea took the opportunity to personally greet their local heroes and even get their pictures taken with a few.
