our Church was never locked till the late 70's...
Posted on 06/04/2006 5:52:23 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Locking up the church Since nothing's too sacred for vandal
Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
s, some doors are bolted - yet one pastor welcomed the man who stole his church's musical instruments.
By Juliette Rule
rep9@wyomingnews.com
CHEYENNE - Area churches hit by vandals and burglars are doing what they can to their protect property, and that often means locking up their open-door policies.
Since his church was burglarized last July, Miracle Valley Assembly of God's pastor, Ed Fugate, has installed alarms and cameras at the Walnut Drive church.
Shortly after his church was hit by the same vandals, the Rev. Jon Laughlin oversaw the installation of more locks on the front doors of Grace United Methodist Church on Spruce Drive.
And when vandals began taking an unseemly interest in First Congregational Church signage, painting vulgar images on the signs, an audible alarm system was installed at this Forrest Drive house of worship.
It was that ear-piercing alarm that probably scared a burglar who tried, but failed, to break into the church last July 15.
But that burglar, Brian Muller, did succeed in breaking into Fugate and Laughlin's churches, leaving the congregations feeling vulnerable, at risk and exposed, those pastors say.
Muller, 25, was sentenced last week to 2«-4 years in prison for breaking into the churches.
Laramie County District Judge Nicholas Kalokathis also will recommend the man get substance abuse treatment in prison.
The man charged with receiving that stolen church property, Michael Sack, 23, also was sentenced last month to five to seven years in prison.
That term was suspended for six years of supervised probation, hearing transcripts show.
Both men pleaded guilty.
In his 32 years in ministry, Fugate said, the level of violent crime on church grounds has grown worse. His church has been victimized before, but this time was different, he added.
"It's because of the society we're living in," he said. "I think there's no fear of God anymore."
He estimates his church lost $6,000 in equipment and musical instruments, along with the property damage.
But law enforcement calculated the loss at far less. No restitution was ordered because all of the reportedly stolen property was found in Sack's possession after police got a search warrant for his motel room July 17.
"It was a brutal burglary; stuff was smashed," Fugate said.
Locking doors long has been a policy at the Unitarian Universalist Church on Thomes Avenue, administrator Andrea Heater said.
As yoga students flowed out of the church Thursday afternoon, a member asked if the door needed to be locked behind her.
Said Heater, "It hasn't changed, the lock-up policy. Basically if you are the last person out of the building, you lock the door. Sometimes when people are here by themselves, they prefer to have the door locked."
While it has been years since that church has been victimized, other churches have been.
Earlier this year, several reported having windows shot out by BB gun-toting vandals who also have since been caught.
During his testimony in Muller's case, Laughlin told the judge he remembered a time when church doors weren't locked. But in his 26 years in ministry, he added, he has seen that change.
His church installed extra deadbolts after last year's burglaries
"We're waiting for the fire marshal now to tell us to take those off because they're in violation, but we don't know how to keep the burglars out," Laughlin said.
The minister is a passionate advocate for the homeless and the impoverished, and Muller's intrusion on his life is unfair, he said.
But Laughlin didn't advocate for Muller's imprisonment. At the hearing, he offered one of 12 apartments he owns to Muller, should the 25-year-old decide he can behave.
But even with the ugliness churches have faced recently, it's not a bad time to be a pastor or to be faithful, Fugate said.
"I don't want to give you a bleak view," he said. "There's a spiritual hunger. It's also a wonderful time to be a pastor."
In one letter of apology, Muller told Fugate he found God and begged the congregation for forgiveness.
Said Fugate, "It's the very reason we have pastors; it's a hurting world."
"But Laughlin didn't advocate for Muller's imprisonment. At the hearing, he offered one of 12 apartments he owns to Muller, should the 25-year-old decide he can behave."
His church must pay pretty well.
our Church was never locked till the late 70's...
More likely, he earned and bought the apartments on his own.
You earn pretty well to buy twelve apartments.
He could have been an apartment owner before becoming a pastor.
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