Thugs Rob Church (Pastor preaches forgiveness after church robberies)

On edge because robbers had stormed two neighboring churches in northeast Houston's Settegast community, Pastor Harry Lewis' congregation at Camp Ruby Outreach Church had just finished praying for their safety when two masked gunmen burst in.

As armed intruders had done at two other churches in early March, the gunmen swept through and demanded everyone's wallets. This time, they did not wait until services were over, a brazen act that heightened the neighborhood's fear and sparked an intensive police investigation.

But when police arrested two suspects Friday, Lewis counseled forgiveness this Easter season -- even though his church attendance had dropped more than 50 percent since elderly worshippers and children were forced to the floor at gunpoint March 21.

"We're still praying and asking God to teach us how to handle our fears," said Lewis, who locked burglar bars over his church door during services last weekend to soothe the few worshippers who showed up. "We must forgive those who have trespassed against us."

The suspects were caught, police said, after someone used a church credit card stolen from Lewis' wife. One is a juvenile, but investigators would release no more information Friday because they were still conducting lineups.

No other arrests are expected, police said, but one pastor said it could be a while before people feel safe enough to worship in the community of about 30 to 40 churches in a two-mile area between Liberty and Ley roads.

"I still don't think we can relax, because I have a feeling there may be other people out there who try (similar stunts)," said Pastor L.C. Sidney of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, who has closely monitored the crimes.

Lewis' congregation, which includes many senior citizens, was so unnerved by the robbery that he was forced to cancel Easter sunrise services after worshippers made clear they would not attend. Other pastors reported their churches' turnout has held steady.

Word of the three robberies at the modest churches spread rapidly and prompted a town hall meeting this week at one area church.

The two other churches hit, Ebenezer House of Prayer and St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church, are across the street from each other. Only minor injuries were reported, police said.

Worshippers at Lewis' church had just finished praying for protection and were about to hear a visiting evangelist's testimony when masked intruders jerked the door out of the usher's hand.

The usher told the pair they could not walk in wearing masks, but they ordered him inside at gunpoint, Lewis said. Every worshipper, age 8 to 80, was ordered on the floor. The evangelist, deep in prayer, did not initially realize what was occurring.

"When she opened her eyes, she saw a shotgun pointed at her," said Bishop Clarence Henderson of Love Cathedral Ministries. "She looked up and saw the barrel of a gun. She was on her knees."

The robbers demanded the church offering, which hadn't been collected. One pointed a gun at Lewis, still standing in the pulpit, and demanded his wallet, along with everyone else's. Lewis tried to lead his congregation in prayer -- "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want" -- but the gunmen didn't want to hear it.

Lewis said the pair in custody had used the stolen church credit card that same night to charge about $500 to fuel friends' cars at a nearby service station, where they were caught on surveillance videotape.

"They had a line of cars like they were running a service station," Lewis said. "These two guys (were) standing there, curb servicing."

Despite the fear and havoc the robbers have wreaked, several pastors said they are praying for them and their families. But the crimes -- one investigator said he cannot recall any previous such ones -- deeply trouble some pastors.

"We live in perilous times," Lewis said. "If they don't fear God's house, how are they going to fear my house?"

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"If they don't fear God's house, how are they going to fear my house?"

Um...............is this one of those questions that answers itself?

It appears from the names these are black churches. Probably Brothers robbing brothers.

All the more reason why CCW shouldn't be banned from churches.

5 posted on 04/03/2004 2:15:57 PM PST by Gritty ("instead of a state church, Europe believes in the state as church"-Mark Steyn)

6 posted on 04/03/2004 2:18:39 PM PST by thoughtomator (Voting Bush because there is no reasonable alternative)

" "why would you need to carry a gun in church?"

My great-great uncle shot a man in church, but it was more of a fued.

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