By Judi Lenviel

ABINGDON, Va. (Dec. 14, 2016) -- On Veterans Sunday, Nov. 6, Pleasant View United Methodist Church unveiled its new Veterans Wall of Honor. This photo display of veterans from or connected to Pleasant View was the result of several months of work by a team of church members, many of whom are veterans.

The team met twice to discuss the placement and appearance of the “Veterans Wall of Honor,” sought and received funding by the Pleasant View Memorial Fund, and was granted approval by the church’s Board of Trustees.

The real work of construction, design, and layout was accomplished by team members Johnny Thompson and John Walch (a U.S. Navy veteran). They attached rails to the wall on which the framed photo displays could slide, thus enabling the frames to be moved and new frames added with ease.

There is one section of the wall dedicated to those who are on active duty. The committee agreed that those on active duty were in critical need of prayer, so they are separated from the others.

The main section of the wall is for veterans. They are arranged chronologically, based on the decade(s) of their military service. The oldest veteran began his service in 1937 and continued until 1964. There is a plaque incorporated in the wall, honoring a Pleasant View member who died in the Vietnam War. There is one married couple who served in the same decade and whose photo displays are side by side. The stories told in these photo displays are both historically and personally interesting. There are 58 veterans’ photo displays on the wall.

Each photo display includes a photo of the service member while in service and a photo (if available) after returning to civilian life. The information includes his/her name, rank, branch of the military, years of service, places served, and any special commendations.

Judi Lenviel is Traditional Worship Committee leader at Pleasant View United Methodist Church.