Retired pastor shares cross collection with local Rotary
The St. Charles Noon Rotary Club enjoyed a presentation by one of its members, the Rev. Al Patten, retired pastor of Baker Memorial Methodist Church.
Patten is a longtime Rotary member and an active community volunteer who, with his wife Maurine, is the inspiration behind the Rotary Club’s annual bluegrass concert held at the Arcada Theatre.
Over the years, he has collected more than 150 various crosses representing the Christian tradition of how Christ was crucified for our sins and for man’s redemption. He spoke about how several of his crosses came from black walnut wood from a 19th-century family barn, which was located near an area of what is now Fox Valley Shopping Center.
To a modern person, using an expensive wood like black walnut for a barn might seem outlandish; however, it was the available lumber in that area at the time for the barn builders.
After the barn was torn down in 1935, the family saved the wood and it was later converted into a beautiful desk, which unfortunately was partially destroyed by fire during a home move.
Patten kept the wood and a local artist converted several pieces into various cross designs for him. This was the beginning of his cross collection formation.
Patten showed more than 40 crosses from his collection and spoke about many of them, from the Anchor cross that early Christians used to disguise their faith from the Romans to the Trinity cross, which has equal arms with three fleur-de-lis at each end.
He spoke about how different Christian faiths and ethnic groups modified their crosses to incorporate elements of their history and region. For example, the Celtic cross, which has a circle surrounding the center, and the Maltese cross, where all the parts are equal and the arms are broadened at the ends to make two points each, or a total of eight.
The Maltese cross is also the emblem of John the Baptist and the Knights of St. John. Its eight points represent the eight Beatitudes.
The 51 members of the St. Charles Noon Rotary Club are people of action for their community and the greater world needs. For example, this club has assisted in the building of a library and school in a rural area of Guatemala; has sent emergency aid to Haiti; has financially supported local nonprofits; and has contributed funds to Rotary International’s goal of worldwide eradication of polio.
In addition, the club has provided more than $64,000 in local scholarships over the past six years. Rotary members are business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards, and help build goodwill and peace in the world.
For details, call Dustin Hawkins at (630) 584-2255 or visit www.rotarystc.org. For details about the St. Charles Breakfast Club, call John Knewitz at (331) 228-4911 or visit www.stcbreakfastrotary.org.