Church Buys Land, Vows to Protect Controversial Sign

HAWKINS — A Hawkins church is calling for the city to rescind its decision to remove a controversial “Jesus Welcomes You to Hawkins” sign. KETK reports Mark McDonald, an administrator trustee with Jesus Christ Open Altar Church, said the church closed on the property in question on Friday. The land was purchased from Crowley Funeral Home and Beatty Funeral Home. McDonald said the sign is now without question on private property, and that the church will do everything in its power to protect the sign — and have anyone prosecuted who takes or damages its property. The church says it reached out to the city through an attorney but has not received an official response.

The Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation has objected to the sign, but numerous citizens have voiced support of it — and questions have arisen over who actually owns the property on which it sits. The city council voted in September to remove the sign.