'In God We Trust' sign placed on wall in County Courtroom

When the Upshur County Commissioners Court met Monday morning, a new sign greeted spectators from the County Courtroom wall behind the commissioners’ meeting table.It had a simple 4-word message in all capital letters:IN GOD WE TRUST.Long-time Ore City Fire Chief Gaston (Bubba) DeBerry and his wife Hughleen donated such signs not only to the Commissioners Court, but to three of the county’s four Justice of the Peace offices, after Pct. 2 Comm. Cole Hefner convinced his fellow commissioners months ago to join some other area governmental entities in posting that message.Such a sign will also be posted in the other JP office, by Pct. 2 Peace Justice Lyle Potter.Near the outset of Monday’s meeting, County Judge Dean Fowler thanked Hefner for procuring the commissioners’ sign, and Hefner revealed DeBerry had volunteered to pay for it.“It’s because of God that we get to enjoy the freedoms that we do,” Hefner told The Mirror after Monday’s meeting.A member of the South Jefferson Baptist Church in Mt. Pleasant, he said the commissioners’ sign was hung in the county courthouse last week.“I guess just to publicly show our faith in Him,” Hefner said.DeBerry told The Mirror that when Hefner mentioned the signs, he (DeBerry) volunteered to pay for them.“I just felt like that was something. . . we as Christians here in the county. . . could (use to) show our faith,” the longtime Ore City civic leader said Monday.The owner of DeBerry Butane and Gas Co., he has been the city’s fire chief for 29 years and is a member of the First United Methodist Church in Ore City.DeBerry donated signs for the offices of Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Laura Lee Norred; Pct. 3 JP Rhonda Welch; and Pct. 4 JP W.V. Ray. Hefner said Pct. 2 JP Potter is making his own sign to match his office decor.Such a sign will also be posted in the 115th District Court at the county Justice Center when lettering which matches the state seal there can be found, Hefner said Tuesday.All the signs are being financed strictly by private donations, he said.