A church in West Columbia, South Carolina, was vandalized with red spray-paint on Thursday, with messages such as “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine.”
Suburban Baptist Church on Holland Street — which is a small congregation of about 25 — was also tagged with the phrase “Welcome to Hell” and a graphic depiction of male genitalia on the back doors of the main worship hall, the State reported. The vandalism spanned the front doors of the church to a house which serves as its children’s ministry food pantry.
“We don’t know who did it or why they did it,” said senior pastor Tracy McGee. “It’s a depressed neighborhood. There’s all types of stuff goes on. I’m willing to bet two knuckleheads that just do graffiti work had nothing better to do and probably couldn’t find Gaza on a map. But I don’t know that for sure. That’s where we’re at. We’re praying for them.”
McGee added that vandalism pertaining to the Israel-Palestinian conflict is an indication of a “strange time” in the United States.
“We are in a very divided time,” McGee said. “We need strong leaders that will take care of our country. We’re just in a very divided time on all types of stuff. We respect all sides. That’s where we come down all the time. And we’re just praying for the government officials to get their act together.”
Associate Pastor Elijah Smalls focused his Sunday sermon on love and forgiveness after the vandalism, WLTX reported.
“The same way they spray-painted our door, it’ll be the same door that will open up to show them love,” Smalls said.
McGee said members of the West Columbia Police Department helped temporarily fix the church.
“He called, and he said, ‘I got to get those doors with the pornography on them painted; you can’t walk through church doors like that,'” McGee said. “We’re blessed; we have a professional crew coming out the early part of next week. We had an outside individual that really wanted to pay for that. The one that wanted to do that is a Palestinian-American.”
West Columbia Mayor Tem Miles, who attended the Sunday service, said the vandalism is under investigation. He also told the outlet the vandals damaged other parts of the neighborhood.
“Some homes around here were vandalized; some public property, street signs were vandalized,” he said. “We got folks who are working to figure out who it is, within our community or outside of our community; came here and did these things. We’re going to make sure they receive the attention they deserve.”
McGee said his church has received an overwhelming amount of support from around the country following the incident.
“From Canada, Texas, all over the Carolinas — calling and pledging and wanting to do what they can do for the church,” he said. “We’re a very humble church, a very small church, so God has sat there and said, ‘I’ve got you; I’ve got you covered.”