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Last updated 9:48 am CT November 20, 2009.
Easter Celebration at Bald Knob Cross
This year the cross celebrated an event of its own, the 50th anniversary of the monuments ground breaking.
Also in recent years, the cross has been surrounded by controversy but this Easter message was all about new beginnings.
Before dawn hundreds battled the cold to make sure they had a seat at the service.
Folks say there's just something special about celebrating Easter at Bald Knob Cross.
"I enjoyed listening to all the birds waking up chirping and the sun rising in the back ground while everyone was preaching" says attendant Taylor Sterk.
The Easter sermon was about new life but ministers weren't only talking about a new spiritual beginning, they were talking about a new beginning for the cross itself.
"There's been some conflict and issues over the years that have held us back from being able to keep the cross in the condition it needs to be" says Cross Board President Steve McKeown.
Now only a skeleton of the cross remains, but some have faith it will rise again.
"The cross is a symbol for all of us in the Christian faith of unity. Finally we have unity of all our people around the cross here" says SIU president Glenn Poshard.
Repairs that need to be made to the cross are estimated to cost more than 200-thousand dollars.
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