Waterloo congregation tries to stay positive after vandals target their church

WATERLOO, Iowa - Members of one Eastern Iowa church were heartbroken to find someone had vandalized their building.

A custodian found graffiti Tuesday morning at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Kimball Avenue.

Church members, however, are finding ways to move on regardless of the curse words and hateful messages.

The congregation looks forward to good food and good friends in the summer.

'We've got corn, and corn and sweet corn and good ole Iowa corn, and beans - chicken,” said church member Don Shafer.

On Wednesday, many enjoy taking part in an event known as BBQ and Blessings.

Tuesday morning, however, the mood was much different.

'It kind of sinks your spirit when something like this happens and gets you off the path that you've been on and really trying to do great things,” said Pastor Tricia Jacobs.

Graffiti filled the exterior church walls and the church van.

'Probably the most intriguing one to me is ‘Jesus is dead, let him rest' and another one is ‘Satan loves you' and there were some that were very culturally degrading,” Jacobs said as she recalled the graffiti.

The community rallied to clean it up in just hours. Many are wondering how someone could be so disrespectful.

'I was really surprised. It's just something that you don't anticipate happening at your church,” said Deacon Don Kester.

Church members are trying to stay positive.

'Just a little setback is all,” Shafer said.

They pray it doesn't happen to anyone else.

The members also said they do want to know who did it and have some ideas in mind for the people or person who vandalized the church.

'Maybe a little retribution as far as picking up garbage around the yard, weed whacking or something like that,” Shafer said.

'I think God is a God of great justice, so I obviously hope that there could be a resolution and that this wouldn't happen to another community building or anybody, for that matter,” Jacobs said.

Authorities are asking anyone who recognized the graffiti messages or knows who did this to call Waterloo Police or the <URL destination="https://www.facebook.com/CVCrimestoppers">Cedar Valley Crime Stoppers.

l Comments: 319-398-8268; jill.kasparie@kcrg.com