Churches in Natick, Massachusetts are on guard this week after two institutions experienced vandalism targeted at their progressive church decorations in the same weekend.
Stunned Parishioners in Natick
Two groups of church parishioners in Natick, Massachusetts were left stunned and upset this past weekend after several LGBTQ flags were removed from the church flag displays.
Two Churches Targeted
One group appears to have targeted the First Congregational Church and Christ Lutheran Church at the same time, according to local authorities in Natick.
Sunday Morning Discovery
The discarded flags were first found on Sunday morning when First Congregational Church members arrived for the Sunday service and found flags scattered on the ground and under bushes outside.
Replaced With “Christian” Flag
The flags included Gay Pride flags, trans flags, and flags promoting mental health awareness. A “Christian” flag had been hung up in their place.
Anti-LGBTQ Rhetoric
At the Christ Lutheran church parishioners found a similar scene, except instead of a Christian flag, the vandals had written anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and left a separate banner printed with the words “Christ is King.”
“A Kick in the Gut”
“As I turned the corner was just like black and white, and so not even being able to read the banner yet or knowing what it was, but just seeing that rainbow had been removed was a kick in the gut,” Rev. Cindy Worthington-Berry of the First Congregational Church told WCVB Boston following the incident.
Proudly Progressive
According to Worthington-Berry, their church has been a proudly progressive and welcoming institution for more than 20 years, inviting attendance from everyone in the Natick community.
“God Sees All People”
“God sees all people as beloved, and God is affirming of people no matter who they love or who they are and that stands within the Christian traditions,” she added.
Taking to Facebook
In an official post on Facebook alerting the local community, the First Congregational Church described the events to followers and confirmed that they had restored the flags and blessed them.
Inflicting “Heartache and Pain”
“Tearing down the symbols of a historically marginalized group can never be framed as God’s work – it is an action that inflicts heartache and pain on our entire community,” the Facebook statement reads.
Speaking Out
Reverend Christopher Gilbert, a pastor of the Christ Lutheran Church, has also spoken out about the unfortunate circumstances, calling the discovery “startling.”
Christians Against Christians
Through the Christ Lutheran Church Facebook page, Gilbert notified parishioners, drawing attention to the fact that the vandals purported to be Christian. He described the “vandalism and hate speech” as a way of using “sacred texts” against fellow Christians.
Hold Them Accountable
Both pastors have remained firm that the vandals, if apprehended, should be held accountable for the offensive acts committed at their churches.
Calls For Restorative Justice
“Our hope is that should folks who did this come to light, that we as the Natick community would find their way to bring about some sort of restorative justice,” Gilbert told reporters.
Support For Churches
The Massachusetts Council of Churches, a networking organization that connects individuals, congregations, and denominations, also issues a statement on Facebook offering support to the churches.
“Prayers For the Congregations”
“We ask for your prayers for two congregations in Natick who had their churches vandalized on Sunday,” the statement reads. “Houses of worship should be places where people can gather without threat.”
Police Investigating
Police have posited that the vandalism occurred at some point between Friday evening and Sunday morning before it was discovered by parishioners.
No Arrests Yet
Local authorities are conducting an investigation into the incident, but no arrests have yet been made. Police are currently looking for potential video recordings made by nearby residents or businesses over the weekend, according to WCVB.
Is it a Trend?
These incidents could signal a worrying trend for Massachusetts’ denominations. Earlier this month, a Plymouth County man was arrested in Kingston for similar acts of anti-LGBTQ vandalism.
Previous Incident in Plymouth County
Jonathan M White reportedly entered the First Parish Unitarian Church in Kingston on July 4th and ripped down Pride and BLM flags hanging on the front of the church, as well as causing thousands of dollars in damage. White was arrested later that same day.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Hiram Rios. In some cases, photos do not represent the actual person or location.
