Football-loving 'sign lady' draws viral attention to North Carolina church

CONCORD, N.C., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- A North Carolina church's "sign lady" is drawing viral attention to the congregation by using the church's sign to support the Carolina Panthers.

The sign outside Poplar Tent Presbyterian Church in Concord drew attention from passersby and online last week with a message reading: "GOD HAS NO FAVORITES, BUT THE SIGN LADY DOES. GO PANTHERS!"

The football team's ensuing win -- putting it just one game away from the Super Bowl -- led to a follow-up message this week: "GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER, SO SIGN LADY SAYS GIVE THE CARDINALS HECK!"

The "sign lady" herself, Deah Calloway, said she was surprised by the response to her messages.

It's been amazing. At first it was just real local within the community and you saw people taking pictures with the sign -- a State Trooper was out there," Calloway told WCNC-TV.

She said the messages on the signs were a team effort with other church volunteers.

"When the Panthers were doing so well this season, we started saying, 'When they go to the playoffs this year, we're really going to have to find something to say on the sign.' That sort of draws the community in," Calloway told WSOC-TV.

She said the sign will bear a fresh message if the team beats the Arizona Cardinals Sunday and heads to the Super Bowl.

"We'll be ready," she said.