The annual Field of Flags tribute returns to the Westminster Presbyterian Church beginning this Saturday, October 15.

Press release from Westminster Presbyterian Church

For the fifth year, the annual Field of Flags memorial tribute will take root once again at Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC) on Saturday, October 15.  The moving tribute to honor the fallen heroes of Iraq and Afghanistan will return to the Great Lawn at WPC on Tindall Road in Middletown beginning at 9 a.m., when  members of the congregation and the community will gather to place 6,860 flags (compared to 6,841 placed in 2015) to honor every military person who has sacrificed their life in those conflicts.

Area residents, scout groups, and civic organizations are all encouraged to stop by between 9:00 and noon, and set down a flag in memory of a family member or friend who has lost their life in service to the country. The month-long tribute will remain on display and be disassembled after Veteran’s Day, on Saturday, November 19.

The Field of Flags is a poignant and highly visible reminder of the cost of war. Every flag not only represents a casualty, it recognizes the family members and friends who have been touched by that sacrificed life.

According to the Rev. Joseph Hein, Pastor at Westminster since 2007, “Without a doubt one cannot say enough about the deep sacrifices of our veterans who pay the ultimate price by risking their lives in combat.

“Our Field of Flags stands as a living memorial to our warriors who have gone beyond the paradigms of ordinary life and voluntarily offered their lives to defend the ideals and institutions of our great nation; but also to those who come home from battle with the images and sounds of combat still present in their minds and hearts.”

For additional information and Field of Flags updates, visit WPC’s web site at http://www.wpcmiddletown.org/  or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WPCMiddletownNJ/.