Honoring America’s Veterans is something the Mahomet community prides itself in each year. The schools do not close down, but instead host Veterans from all backgrounds to recognize them with students who get to see their heroes up close.
The same holds true for the Living Flag Celebration at Mahomet Christian Church. Each year, the church members create a service to honor and remember what the men and women of the American armed forces have done to ensure the liberties each America enjoys.
Pastor David Johnson came up with the idea of celebrating Veterans while living and working as a pastor near Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.
Now, in its 12th year in Mahomet, the service has grown from a Sunday morning event to three services spanning over 3 days. This year’s Living Flag will be presented at 7 p.m. Nov. 4, 2 and 7 p.m. on Nov. 6 and 7 p.m. Nov. 6.
Each year, the church welcomes hundreds of people from all over the East Central Illinois area to the event.
The flag itself is 15 feet wide. It has four tiers of scaffold, standing 21-feet high and holds 30 singers. The scaffold is decorated with 50 stars and 13 stripes made of vinyl.
The 2016 performance titled, “We the People,” will include special guests such as the U of I Air Force Detachment 190 ROTC Drill Team, Parkland College Chamber Singers, St. Thomas More HS Note Nerdy A Capella Singers, the Mahomet-Seymour Madrigals and the Small Wonders Preschool Singers. SSGT. Mike Cornwell, USAF will also talk about his time in service.
This event is free and open to the public.
