Pastor Theo Pope and members of The Way Church will gather this morning in front of the Manteca Civic Center.

 They will be “praying for our city” from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., as they have done on a daily basis since Tuesday.
And they will be doing so as the Christian flag waves in the wind below the United States of America flag.

City Manager Toni Lundgren approved Pope’s request to fly the flag in front of city hall during Holy Week.

A city policy was established last year by the council that leaves the decision to the city manager on what flags besides the USA and California flag can be flown.

The policy was put in place after a dust up occurred when the LGBTQ+ Pride Flag was flown at city hall for seven days at the request of municipal workers.

Lundgren said the city’s flag policy is designed to be inclusive of the community.

“We serve all,” Lundgren aid of the City of Manteca.

Lundgren noted the flags that the city policy allows to be flown are reflective of “what makes us who we are” as a city.

The Way Church — located at 715 E. North Street — has spent an hour each morning praying for the city with different departments and functions highlighted each day.

Pope requested an overall description of what tasks each department performs for the community good and tailored prayers to them.

The final prayers they are offering this morning are for Recreation and Community Services as well as the office of the city attorney.

In the past days, some city employees have joined then.

The five days of prayers started Tuesday with the mayor and City Council as well as city manager’s office highlighted.

Prayers were offered on other days were for police, public works, the fire department, human resources, legislative services/city clerk, and IT services.

While those objecting to a third flag being flown stressed only the United States and California flags be flown, other flags besides the Pride Flag have been hoisted on flagpoles in front of the Civic Center over the years.

The flying of the Pride flag spurred the establishment of a municipal flag policy when some citizens raised objections.

Among them were the 1776 flag during the bicentennial, periodically the Tree USA flag the city receives for meeting criteria of being a “Tree City” each year by the National Arbor Day Association, and the POW/MIA flag.

Provisions of the flag policy are as follows:

* “Commemorative Flag” shall mean any flag which identifies with a specific date, historical event, cause, nation or group of people, whereby the City honors or commemorates the date, event, cause, nation or people by flying the flag.

*The City’s flagpoles are not intended to serve as a forum for free expression by or for the public.

*Commemorative Flags may be displayed on the flagpole(s) outside of the City Administration Building under the California State Flag, if one is flown.

* Only one Commemorative Flag will be flown at a time.

*Commemorative Flags will not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when all-weather flags are used.

*If a Commemorative Flag is displayed with the United States Flag or the State of California Flag, it shall not be larger in size than the United States Flag or the State of California Flag.

*The City Manager shall maintain a policy to provide uniform guidelines for flying flags at half-staff. This half-staff policy will be consistent with Federal laws.

*The United States Flag and the California State Flag shall be the only flags displayed behind the dais in the City Council Chambers.  

To  contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabullertin.com