The authorities are investigating the recent theft of the LGBTQ+ pride flags from outside Stratham Community Church. The flags were taken from the church’s location at 6 Emery Lane during the thefts on April 3 and April 19.
Pastor Westley Conn expressed his disappointment over the thefts and emphasized the importance of their religion’s teachings, which demand unconditional love for oneself and one’s neighbors. He emphasized the need to continue sharing God’s love and embracing LGBTQ+ people in Stratham.
Stratham Community Church Faces Challenges in Upholding Inclusive Values
A colorful rainbow-colored flag has been flying high in front of Stratham Community Church for almost 20 years to represent the congregation’s commitment to inclusivity and support for the LGBTQ+ community. According to the shared article in Yahoo! News, the church, led by Pastor Westley Conn, has publicly embraced and welcomed people of all sexual orientations and gender identities since 2005.
The church has consciously decided to declare its support for the LGBTQ+ community, and the pride flag there symbolizes that commitment. Pastor Conn, who is committed to fostering a welcoming environment, reaffirmed that their faith requires unconditional love for oneself and one’s neighbors.
Stratham Community Church has long been dedicated to inclusivity, but recent times have been difficult. Prior to these instances, the church had never received any criticism for its display of the pride flag or commitment to inclusivity, according to Pastor Westley Conn and office manager Kristen Dussault.
However, a church employee saw someone take down the pride flag on March 31 at around 5 p.m., put it in a waiting vehicle, and then leave. The witness managed to take a snapshot of the occurrence, which they later gave to the police, even though they were unable to stop it in time.
According to the story in Seacoast Online, the church bought a new flag to replace the stolen one because they were determined to keep spreading their message of inclusion despite the loss. The new flag was blessed and mounted on April 16. Dusseault claims that a neighbor at nine o’clock that night verified its presence. April 18. Sadly, Dusseault found out the following day that the flag had been torn down once more.
Dusseault emphasized the church’s unwavering commitment to tolerance and acceptance, especially in the face of such challenges, while mentioning that the incident had been reported to the police. The congregation of the Stratham Community Church continues to work toward spreading love and understanding despite the obstacles they have faced. The church is committed to providing a welcoming atmosphere for all.
Recent Attack On UMC Church Supporting the LGBTQ Community
The governing body of Chicago’s Holy Covenant United Methodist Church has been frustrated but resolute to promote acceptance and love despite the multiple vandalism incidents that have occurred there over the past year. According to the recent story shared here in Christianity Daily, offensive graffiti has been added to the welcome sign, pride flag, and encouraging messages on the church property.
Since there has been an increase in these incidents, Reverend Jennifer Stephens has notified the police and rallied the neighborhood to spread awareness even though she does not know who is responsible. With his resolve to be more assertive and vocal in reaction to the targeted attacks, Rev. Stephens’ attitude exemplifies the church’s dedication to fostering love, acceptance, and inclusivity even in the face of difficulty.
Block Club Chicago added that Chicago’s Holy Covenant United Methodist Church had experienced serious vandalism, including food scraps on the church’s Pride flag post, Bible texts that target LGBTQ+ people, and food scraps on the church’s placards. Rev. Stephens responds by remaining unwavering and promising to convey their message even more forcefully.
Additionally, obscene outbursts have caused services to be cut short, and a picture of Jesus holding a rainbow was taken. Rev. Stephens emphasizes that breaking the flag post would not have been an easy undertaking and that the degree of the damage implies that the criminals put a lot of effort into their actions.
Related Article: Persistent Vandalism at United Methodist Church in Chicago Prompts Pastor to Seek Police Intervention