Three Vance-area churches, near Tuscaloosa, experienced acts of vandalism within a few days of each other, but the pastor of the third church does not consider his related to the others.
Jack Clary, pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church, Vance, said four windows were broken at the church July 10. This is minor compared to the more serious damage experienced by the other two churches, he noted.
“This is nothing unusual for our church,” Clary said.
The pastor said the windows were quickly replaced. He added that break-ins and vandalism to the church are common because of the area in which it is located.
“In two dozen years, we’ve probably had two dozen break-ins,” he said.
Clary said a large screen television was stolen from the church several weeks ago after someone entered the building through a back window.
By contrast, two other churches in Vance have received far more vandalism during several incidents since July 2.
The Tuscaloosa News reported that figures of an angel and praying hands were taken from a child’s grave and thrown through windows at Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Vance.
Three 10-foot crosses were also stolen from the church’s entrance and thrown inside. One of the crosses was set afire after it was replaced.
The Tuscaloosa News also said Mount Hope Missionary Baptist Church, Vance, was vandalized, with pews overturned and a piano toppled. In addition, the church’s covenant was shredded, with Bibles and the pastor’s robe stolen. During another incident, “666” was spray-painted on the church’s doors.
“I don’t have it in my mind that it has anything to do with the other break-ins, I really don’t,” Clary said of the incidents at his church.
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