Repair St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church
This weekend, someone who must have been full of rage and pain broke into St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in Lubbock, TX, and destroyed everything they could.
Let's be the hands and hearts of Christ and help the parish make their church building whole again.
One of the parishioners describes it this way: I hardly know how to share this. Our beautiful, little parish, St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church, in Lubbock, TX was vandalized and trashed last night.
Someone/more than one (?) broke in and destroyed whatever they wanted. The stained glass window where we hold our babies to the light ... All the holy things in the altar ... Icons of Christ and his mother, the saints - thrown and smashed ... The tomb of Christ we celebrate that is EMPTY hauled across building and thrown into the refrigerator ... They ripped the cross off the door, even, and threw the crown of thorns outside.
Our little kitchen where we make meals, parish hall where parishioners and visitors alike gather together after services, and bookstore with little crosses for sale (stolen) - all trashed. They even destroyed the little hot water heater that we finally installed after 12 years (thanks to the generosity of a few parishioners who had just paid for it ).
So many things I can't even list here. So much senseless hate and pain.
When I walked up to the front door this morning, my heart stopped. Everyone who came early this morning cried. We are sitting in the parking lot now with our children and babies - those who come early to begin the services and everyone who heard and could rush up here - while the police take photos.
We hurt so much, but clearly the people who did this live in pain, as well. Hating is painful. But we know Love heals that pain, as hard as it is to face our trashed church this morning.
"But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.”
Luke 6:27-29, NKJV
Please pray for us and for those who did this.
