Our Gospel reading for today (Matthew 4: 12-23) has a message about how we are to respond when God calls us. Particularly when God calls us and we are already busy and feeling like we can’t possibly add anything more to what we are already doing. The message about being called and being able to respond like the fishermen is important, but instead I am going to talk about the events of the past several weeks here at All Saints’ Episcopal Church. I’ll provide a synopsis, despite the fact that many of you are already aware of all or some of what I’ll be recounting. Please remember that what I tell you is from my perspective and my understanding.
Two weeks ago, on Sunday January 12th, it was discovered that the Parish Hall had been broken into sometime on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning before our 8 AM service. Items in the kitchen were taken – things like the microwave, bowls and plates, silverware, cooking utensils. And food – our cakes for coffee hour and the Day School’s dairy items, and their cabinet full of about $300 in snacks. The next day it was discovered that the window into one of the classrooms had also been broken and snacks were taken. It appeared that we had hungry thieves.
The break-ins at the school continued, so we talked about options and we began to take action. Then a week and a half ago, the thievery included the Church and our recently restocked supply of communion wine was stolen. It appeared that whoever came in was able to walk through an unsecured front door, but as a precaution we re-keyed the church building. We also hired security for last weekend. Despite security, our coffee hour goodies were again taken between Saturday evening and Sunday morning.
These burglaries were violations and they were done to a church; this fact is what seems most offensive to many of us. If we put this unimaginable to the side, there was no major vandalism other than the window that was broken to obtain access into the Day School until this past Tuesday morning when I arrived at the office to find disarray and thievery. The perpetrators gained access through the Church, and damaged doors on both sides of the Sacristy in order to get into the office. Computers, monitors, printers, keyboards, the fax machine and the microwave were taken, along with some other personal items. These are all material things that are replaceable and we have good insurance, the large copy machine is still intact and the computer at Pam’s desk was being backed up daily so we didn’t lose any of that data. But the theft stopped our normal procedures including how we print bulletins. Due to the exemplary efforts of both Pam Martin and Jeanne Estes we have bulletins and annual meeting booklets this morning. Thank you both. Due to the dedication and help of Ed and Carol Moreira, along with the Rev. Emma Jean Gregory and Pam Martin the mess in the office area was cleaned up on Tuesday. Thank you all.
Will Rydell filed an amended police report that included serial numbers of many of the stolen items and he is working with the insurance company on our claims. Thank you Will.
I have had questions regarding personal information that was stored on the office computers. We did have password protected software for entering and keeping track of contributions. This program includes names and addresses, but it does not include any Social Security numbers or bank account information on anyone. In my office the thieves opened an envelope with a W-2 enclosed for the value of my health insurance. The W-2 was left with my SSN and address. They were looking for cash, not for personal information.
You know that I was a prison chaplain with the FL Department of Corrections. This past Tuesday I thought about getting justice and seeing the perpetrators pay for what was done at our beloved church, and then I was struck by the fact that the individuals who did this are similar to many of the men and women that I served. I thought about the irony of my desire for sweet revenge and the reality that the people who have been breaking in and stealing from the Church and Day School are not much different than the inmates that I grew to love and care about in FL. I was reminded that whoever has been doing this is hurting, and broken; that they have been victims themselves and are desperately in need of love. I was reminded that we are called to forgive those who harm us.
We are moving forward. Due to the generosity of all of you in the past year, we have exceptional insurance and we are financially secure enough to take immediate action. Thank you all for your support. We had electrical work done this past year on the outside lights in the parking lot and behind the parish hall. With the recent activity, additional work was necessary and these lights are once again shining brightly. We have had initial work done on the doors that come into the church near the columbarium and are waiting on an estimate for replacement. Parts for one door into the Sacristy and a replacement door for the other, will be included in the estimate. Thanks again to Will who initiated this work. The Day School has been busy too. The doors in the Parish Hall are now more secure with slide bolts on the inside. Initial access is now through the kitchen door with a newly installed dead bolt lock. A request for a bid on an alarm system has been made and the company has been on sight in order to prepare their estimate. We currently have a licensed company providing nighttime security.
I received responses to the email blast telling about the Tuesday break-in and theft. Offers for financial assistance and for replacement computers have been made. At this time we are talking about purchasing lap tops that can be removed from the building at the end of the day. Thank you all – for the offers, for the expressions of concern, and for your prayers.
People in our faith community have also experienced and survived theft in their office, and in a previous church. We have an opportunity to engage in community outreach within our neighborhood and, at the same time, ask our neighbors to help keep an eye on our property. We are looking for individuals who are interested in joining this effort. Fr. Bernardo is asking members of the Spanish speaking services that live near the church to drive through the parking lot when they are out and about. Activity at odd hours is important. The events of the past two weeks aren’t ones that any of us would have chosen, but I know with certainty that God is present here at All Saints’. We are moving forward, and God is by our side.
The Gospel of Luke 12:39 reads “But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.” We know that life happens, that people are stolen from, that All Saints’ was stolen from. Scripture does not tell us that, if we believe in Jesus, that we will not be robbed – that nothing bad will ever happen.
But Scripture does tell us not to be afraid. We heard this message in Psalm 27:1 today that reads:
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom then shall I fear?
The LORD is the strength of my life;
Of whom then shall I be afraid?
The Rev. Debbie Royals, a priest and friend from the Diocese of Arizona, developed a prayer for use at a Vestry Retreat. I have used this prayer in a prior sermon in early 2012, but I felt it was applicable again, in light of the recent events:
God said to Abraham – do not be afraid.
God said to Isaac – do not be afraid. Join me…
Moses said to the people – do not be afraid.
Joshua said to the people – do not be afraid.
Boaz said to Ruth – do not be afraid.
Jonathan said to David – do not be afraid.
The angel of God said to Joseph – do not be afraid.
The angel said to Mary – do not be afraid.
The angel said to the shepherds – do not be afraid.
The angel said to the women at the tomb – do not be afraid.
God said to Paul – do not be afraid.
And God said to the faith community at All Saints’ Episcopal Church – do not be afraid
In His Service, Rev. Carol
