Undying Faith
HARMONY — Peggy Painter is making sure people know about her late husband's undying faith in God.
Painter's husband, David, passed away at age 59 two years ago after battling brain cancer. Painter said his faith through the ordeal was unshakeable, so she decided to ensure it does not go unheralded.
To honor her husband's memory, Painter is having a series of monuments to the 10 Commandments erected. The third was built this week on the grounds of Grace Church of Harmony.
The first two monuments were erected at churches in Ellwood City.
Because it is being built in the historic section of Harmony, the Grace Church monument had to meet historic guidelines.
Painter said local architect Brian Cox designed the monument to fit the Historic Harmony specifications, and Scott Steckman of Steckman Memorials created it. Both men donated their services.
The tablets, made of black granite resting in gray granite, will contain the 10 Commandments in the New King James version of the Bible. The tablets will be perched on two pillars in the capital architectural style. The monument is 5Z\x feet high and about 6 feet wide.
David Painter's name will appear on the base along with the verse from Romans 8:2 in the New Testament.
Painter said she decided to fund the monuments because she and her husband were disturbed by the removal of the commandments from public places. Painter said her husband vowed to "do something about it" when he retired, a dream that was cut short by cancer.
"I wanted to honor him when he died," she said.
Painter had the monuments erected at the church in Ellwood City because the couple lived there at the time of his illness and worshiped at the church. Painter subsequently moved to Zelienople, where the couple lived before moving to Ellwood several years ago.
Painter now worships at Grace Church of Harmony, where she got permission from church leaders to erect the monument. Cox is a member of the church, and helped her get the monument approved by Historic Harmony.
"It's going to be a beautiful, beautiful monument," said the former Peggy Lintz, whose family goes back several generations in Harmony.
The Rev. Pete Everett, pastor at Grace Church, said the monument will serve an important purpose in the community.
"When we see God's law displayed like this, we all recognize we have failed to live up to that law," said Everett. "That pushes us to the cross of Jesus, where we find out that Jesus did keep the law perfectly. His perfect life is credited to us so God is pleased with us."
Everett said at such a monument, believers and nonbelievers can also find God's gifts of forgiveness and righteousness.
We don't earn it, it's a gift," said Everett.
Painter declined to reveal the cost of the memorial to her husband. She is unsure if the monument will conclude the series.
