The headlines of the Clairemont Community News read, “Hate crime in Clairemont: Local church vandalized.”
As some of you already know, Metropolitan Community Church (The Met Church, MCC) was the target of vandalism recently. The graffiti was defined as a hate crime and a police report has been filed. A couple days later eggs were thrown at our rainbow flag.
It was brought to my attention on a Saturday morning, and looking over the hateful words spray painted on the building, Al Smithson, vice moderator of the church said, “That’s so ‘70s!”
I am grateful to the generous congregants who donated a security camera system and monies to help cover the expense of replacing our banners and repainting.
I believe “good” can come out of anything negative. God’s hand was already in motion as I had already prepared the sermon for the next day: “Don’t take anything personally.” I am going through a series on The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.
Ruiz expands on this agreement of “Don’t take anything personally” by saying, “Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.”
As church member Lisa DeMarco observed so insightfully in our weekly MetLink email newsletter, “Take a moment to soak that in … God knew we would be tested by the hateful things written upon our walls, but before it even actually happened, God had a plan to remind us through the scriptures selected in advance, that we are to live in harmony with one another… that we should not repay evil with evil. Even the prayer, prepared days beforehand, spoke to overcoming our need for revenge.”
I was encouraged by the Clairemont Community News editor who wrote, “As a community member, I see the presence of The Met Church (MCC) in Clairemont as a positive thing and I am glad the congregation has taken this point of view on the incident. I would hate to think a worthy group of people and a church open to all would feel unwanted here.”
I am also so grateful to Dr. Delores Jacobs and San Diego City Council President Todd Gloria for reaching out to us – and even attending service the next morning out of solidarity and support.
We have a strong community. We will not be afraid. We will not stop sharing God’s inclusive love. We will move forward with the work that still needs to be done. Love is stronger than hate.
As Lisa concluded, and I couldn’t agree more, “So, together, we brush ourselves off, apply a new coat of paint and continue to let our light shine, living out our mission of “bringing people closer to God and one another!” Amen!
Rev. Dan Koeshall is the senior pastor at The Metropolitan Community Church (The Met), 2633 Denver Street, San Diego, California, themetchurch.org. Services every Sunday at 9 and 11 a.m.
