Story
The Easter Cross Witness from Normandy to Your Front Yard
The Easter Cross story began in the fall of 1985. I had been recently married and landed a nice real estate commission. Being young and always loving to travel I planned a three-week European trip with my wife. I decided to invite my parents to join us on the trip as they had never been to Europe. The only place my father requested to go was to Normandy. He had been in the Navy and wanted to visit the site of the D Day invasion in France. So, on a bluebird day and on my parents' anniversary, October 15, 1984, we visited the Normandy cemetery and memorial. It was there I saw over 9,000 graves of fallen soldiers, most of which were demarked by a small white cross.
2024 Easter Cross Witness
For twenty years during the Easter season, I kept thinking why not commemorate our resurrected Lord with a small white cross. Celebrating history’s most significant event; the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I prayed and inquired of the Lord whether this was my idea or His. The Holy Spirit whispered to me that this was a mission I had been assigned. Go! So, I set about designing the Easter Cross and creating the Easter Cross Witness. I wanted a cross that would remain the same size and shape to be used year after year. Once the cross was designed and I had samples made up I approached the churches in the town where I lived, University Park Texas. But I wasn’t getting any traction. I told the churches the plan was to make an Easter Cross available to their congregants for a joint witness to our Risen Lord. The crosses were to be displayed blank side out, from Palm Sunday until Easter and then turned around on Easter Sunday to proclaim the GOOD News- He is Risen!
However, with no traction, doubt crept in. I found myself crying out to the Lord in the Chapel of the Park Cities Presbyterian Church. Had I heard incorrectly? Was this just another of my many ideas? I petitioned the King asking that I needed a sign of some sort to encouragement to continue. This was not in any way my project, but His. The church was a close walk from my home. On the walk back home, I lay down in a park and put my bible under my head and stared up at the full moon, continuing in prayer. Soon I had the eerie feeling that I was being watched. I stood up and saw what I thought were two huge dogs of some sort staring at me at a distance of about twenty yards. As I walked towards the animals, I realized that they were in fact demonic creatures of some kind. I sent them to the feet of Jesus and continued my walk to my home. Pondering all this in my heart, knowing that if this proposed witness had gotten the attention of the forces of darkness, I must be on the right track. But still no one wanting to participate.
The next morning there was one large church on the perimeter of the Park Cities I had yet to contact. The Church of the Incarnation. I picked up my phone and dialed and asked to speak with the Rectors assistant. Much to my surprise I was put through immediately to the senior pastor. I launched into my thirty second elevator speech about the Easter Cross Witness. There was a long pause at the other end of the line when the Rector responded, “I think that is a grand idea, put us down for a thousand.” My heart skipped several beats, and I told him I would have the crosses delivered the next week. I was encouraged!
Ten days later I pulled up in my rented Budget truck and unloaded 20 boxes of 50 crosses with the help of the sextant. With the crosses delivered I headed to the Rectors office to thank him for his participation. He was unaware that his request was the catalyst for me to continue that I needed. He had been an answer to prayer. I introduced myself to his assistant and she told me the rector had a few minutes and ushered me into his office. We shook hands and we had met once before. But to my shock and surprise he said, “You’re not Bruce Fogerty!!” I assured him that indeed I was Bruce Fogerty- and then it hit me. There was another Bruce Fogarty (a not e-) in town. We often got calls for the other and knew each other. THAT Bruce Fogarty was a member of his church. The rector thinking I was a congregant was the reason for the quick yes. We both laughed and he took the crossed. The Lord works in mysterious ways.
A few days later, five other churches joined in the first celebration of the Easter Cross witness held in 2005 with 6,000 crosses delivered. Since the inaugural witness, crosses have been sent to every state in our nation and six foreign countries. Churches from over thirty denominations (cousins) have participated.