NEW ORLEANS, La. (BRPROUD) — Vandals hit a church on Canal St. in New Orleans.
A church sign had two messages on it when the vandals struck, “Be encouraged by encouraging others” and “Love Thy Neighbor, Get Vaccinated, Sunday, 11:10 AM.”
The vandals painted over “vaccinated” and added a passage from Revelation to the sign.
The words, “Faith over Fear” were painted on the ground.
Pastor Shawn Moses Anglim posted this message on Facebook:
There is a lot of anger out there…we need to be praying for each other…
Make today a day of prayer for those who experience and see the world differently from you…ask that God will help you empathize with them, and to turn the other cheek and keep walking in truth and faith and kindness… God loves you and there is nothing you can do about it.
It did not take long for cleanup to begin at the church.
Volunteers gathered at noon to cleanup and Pastor Shawn Moses Anglim documented their progress in these pictures below:
A group came together with buckets and rags to make the sign and entryway look new.
Pastor Anglim heaped praise on those that came out to help clean up:
- Pastor Patrick Eagan (Paula Eagan’s son) of Celebration Church along with his spouse and three children
- Jessica Knox and Ryan Povich of First Grace United Methodist Church NOLA
- Oscar Arias, the church’s facility person power washed the entryway
All of that hard work paid off as everything looks good as new after a hard day’s work.
Police are investigating but no one will be charged as the church seeks more restorative justice and conversation, according to Pastor Anglim.
Pastor Anglim would like everyone to know that this is an opportunity to be in the church.
Anglim would like “to respond with truth, compassion, and kindness in an angry, frustrating, dangerous time in our community.”
