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NJ congregation targeted by vandals for third time

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2018-03-30 CHURCH VANDALISM
Photo: Vandalism suspect caught on surveillance video

A New Jersey congregation is victim of vandalism for the third time.  It’s something that leads church members of Our Lady of Victories Church in Jersey City to believe they are being targeted.  WABC television Thursday aired surveillance video of a man ripping a Ten Commandments display from the building. Previous attacks have involved the destruction of statues.

Rev. Michael Gubernat told NBC New York, “It’s happening a lot more and that’s a dangerous sign.”

Jersey City Police have not yet determined a motive behind the attacks. Anyone with information about the vandalism is asked to call the department at 201-547-5477.

UPDATE: Three arrested in Colorado church vandalism

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(Photos: Thornton, Colorado police department)

Police in Thornton, Colorado say three 15-year-olds have been arrested for causing over $80,000 damage to a church the week before Easter.  According to the Denver Post, two were arrested Tuesday evening and one was arrested Wednesday morning. The identity of the suspects has not been released because of their age.

The trio broke windows, punched holes in walls and destroyed musical instruments at the North Huron Christian Center. A tweet from the Thornton Police Department described the act as, “malicious destruction of church property.”  A police spokesperson has not said why the three wanted to damage the church.

According to TexasGospel.com file stories, Pastor Renee Coventry says the congregation will hold Easter services in the building.

A Go Fund Me page with a modest goal of raising $5,000 to help the church has been set up.  As of early Thursday morning, the fund has reached $3,877.

Blind UT Austin student part of ancient papyri study

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Daniel Smith, a UT Austin religious studies doctoral student who became blind later in life, is now working with the UT Austin student disability services to interact with and study an ancient papyri fragment from an apocryphal Gospel.

 

The fragment itself is very old and is one of many that was discovered in an ancient trash heap in the Egyptian city of Oxyrhynuchs. It’s interesting in that it may preserve early traditions about Jesus ministry that do not depend upon the canonical accounts. If it in fact dates to 175-225 as has been argued, it is one of our earliest Gospel fragments, canonical or otherwise. Here are some images of the manuscript. The university’s disability services has helped create tactile images of this fragment and others like it, so that Dan is able to feel the handwriting he is studying.

 

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Go Fund Me page set up to help GA church after vandals trash sanctuary days before Easter

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church damage
Vandals heavily damage sanctuary in Colorado (Photo: Go Fund Me)

Smashed musical instruments, shattered glass and holes punched through the walls greeted the congregation of a Colorado church as they discovered the handiwork of vandals who attached the church building early Monday morning.

Investigators believe the damage was done around 3 a.m. Monday. According to a report in the Denver Post, police are looking for three teenage boys who were seen running from the church building of Destiny Outreach Ministries.

“Words can’t describe how heartbreaking this is. You give your life to a community and you invest in the community’s children and their people. This is not our community. This is not the City of Thornton,” Pastor Renee Coventry told Denver’s CBS television affiliate.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help the church.  Damage is estimated in the thousands.

Miami man accused of threatening to kill pastor, church member who prayed

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Church attack mugshot
Ramon Ortiz Felipe

A Florida pastor and a member of his congregation escaped injury this week after they say a man pulled a knife on them after they offered to pray with him.

Ramon Ortiz Felipe, 30, was arrested Sunday.  According to a police report, he is charged with aggravated assault at a religious institution, assault and criminal mischief in a place of worship.  The report says the pastor offered to pray with Felipe near a store-front church.  After they prayed, the police report says Felipe pulled out a knife and began damaging church property. The pastor and a church member fled to a safe location and called police.

The police report does not give a motive for the vandalism. Jail records show he remains held on $20,000 in bonds.