CANON TOM KENNAR: The flag brings our church tower to life

FROM time to time, Havant residents and visitors wonder why we fly the flag every day at St Faith’s Church.

To those of a traditional mind-set, it seems more correct to fly the flag only on certain saints’ days, or for national commemorations.

Could it be that the rector of Havant is a secret Brexiteer? Is it a plug for English nationalism?

Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, we fly the flag every day for a number of very different reasons.

First, it brings the church tower to life.

Our daily flag-flying goes hand in hand with our current projects to renew and refurbish our 1839 weathervane and tower clocks.

We are also restoring our Victorian organ, installing new floodlighting, and re-wiring the interior of the church with new LED lighting.

We want St Faith’s to look the best it can for the benefit of the whole community (whose church this is).

So you’ll be pleased to know that the projects to refurbish our weathervane, the clock faces on our tower and the floodlighting have now been completed.

Secondly, at the top of our very tall pole, the flag can be seen from all over Havant – reminding residents and visitors of the church’s presence in the community.

A number of visitors tell us ‘we saw the flag from far away, and thought we would come and take a look’.

And finally, we fly the flag because, by happy accident, the flag of St George contains that most noble of precious symbols – a red cross.

This is the Easter Cross.

It reminds us all that the church is, quite literally, under the cross of Christ.

It reminds me of the sacrificial life of Jesus; and that he calls me and the whole church to lives based on the kind of same self-giving love for all.

So, the next time you are in Havant, look up at our glittering weathervane, restored clock faces and the streaming flag with the cross of Christ – all funded by the generosity of local people.

Ask yourself whether there are sacrifices you too could make, for the good of all.

St Faith’s church, is in West Street, Havant.

Go to stfaith.com.

Canon Tom Kennar is the rector of St Faith’s Church, Havant