Friday, March 20, 2015

Deputies make arrest after vandal strikes church

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —A West Palm Beach man is jailed Thursday and accused of trying to break into a church.

Authorities with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened Wednesday at the Crossroads Baptist Church on North Haverhill Road near West Palm Beach.

Deputies said they were called to the church to investigate. A witness told them Nadimy Merisier walked up to the front entrance of the church and threw bricks at the glass door, an affidavit stated.

Read more at http://www.wpbf.com/news/deputies-make-arrest-after-vandal-strikes-church/31899310

Friday, March 13, 2015

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Car damages 1800s tombstones at tiny church cemetery

The tombstones damaged at a small church cemetery in Conewago Township are so old their inscriptions are difficult to read, worn down by the elements.

Still, they've stood undisturbed — some for two centuries — next to Quickel Evangelical Lutheran Church at the corner of Canal Road Extended and Copenhaffer Road.

But sometime in the last few days, a 21st century crime did what time had failed to accomplish.

Someone drove a car through the old cemetery, damaging a half-dozen of the stone tablet-like grave markers, according to Northern York County Regional Police.

"At this point we believe it was done deliberately," Lt. David Lash said. "(Most are) broken off at ground level and will need extensive repairs.

Read more at http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_27697465/police-tombstones-damaged-conewago-twp-cemetery

Man suspected of spray-painting anti-Christian Science messages on church

NORTHAMPTON — Police say a city man is suspected of spray-painting angry messages about the teachings of Christian Science on the First Church of Christ, Scientist at the corner of Masonic and Center streets.

Police Capt. Jody Kasper said church officials identified the man when police showed them video surveillance that had been captured by cameras outside the police station, which is directly across the street.

“We are looking at this as vandalism and as possibly being a hate crime,” Kasper said.

The graffiti on the church appears to be critical of the Christian Science teaching that prayer can heal medical problems. The website of the national First Church of Christ, Scientist states that the religion does not specifically tell members not to use Western medicine for themselves or their children. It says members are free to seek any kind of health care they choose, but also states that there have been over 80,000 “Christian Science healings” since the founding of the religion in 1879.

Read more at http://www.gazettenet.com/news/16057445-95/northampton-man-suspected-of-spray-painting-anti-christian-science-messages-on-first-church-of-chris

Monday, March 9, 2015

Vandals shoot out windows of West Columbia church

WEST COLUMBIA, SC — Only a handful of members of the St. John Baptist Church in the Dixiana community of Lexington County attended Sunday service after church members discovered Saturday morning that vandals had shot out the church’s windows.

Rev. Patricia Lowman said the recent shootings have many wondering if their church will remain safe.

“We are at a loss for words, this mess should stop. It has to stop,” Lowman said, thankful that no one was in the church at the time of the shooting. “There was no regard for human life.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2015/03/08/4032973/vandals-shoot-out-windows-of-west.html#storylink=cpy