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MANSFIELD — After a dark year in 2020, the downtown is a little brighter for Christmas. The city has added to its holiday light display in Central Park, and people are talking. As one pastor points out, it is still important to keep the message of Christ on the public square.
“The city did a great job with the lights this year which has attracted people to the downtown,” says Pastor Dink Porter of Mansfield Open Bible Church.
“It is my hope that people will see the nativity scene by the gazebo and realize the real hope we have in this season revolves around Christ. The Son of GOD came into this world to give the gift of salvation. With all the censorship we are seeing by Big Tech, it is still good we have these displays of our faith on the public square. They are important for the next generation.”
Previously Pastor Porter served as a youth pastor for fifteen years. Last year he partnered with another local clergymen and donated framed posters of mottos “In GOD we trust” and “With GOD all things are possible” for every classroom in the Madison Local School District.
“It is my hope people will see the nativity scene by the gazebo and realize the real hope we have in this season revolves around Christ. The Son of GOD came into this world to give the gift of salvation. With all the censorship we are seeing by Big Tech, it is still good we have these displays of our faith on the public square. They are important for the next generation.”
Pastor Dink Porter, Mansfield Open BIble Church
The nativity scene at Central Park is sponsored by the Richland Community Prayer Network. Privately sponsored nativity scenes or religious symbols are permissible on public property that has been opened to the general public for expressive activity. No secular symbol is necessary.
Pastor Porter noted that last month, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted a motion to stay, allowing a nativity scene to be included in an annual holiday display in Jackson County, Indiana.
According to Liberty Counsel, the legal counsel who argued the case, the U.S. Supreme Court and many federal courts have ruled such religious displays are constitutional. Liberty Counsel provides a legal memorandum and pro-bono legal services.
Pastor Porter added, “If we do not exercise our right to practice religion publicly, we will lose that right in the next generation. This is the season that we can make Christ the talk of the town, so let’s do it.”
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Matthew 2 says, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem…”
