A Tacoma, WA church was been rocked by a rash of vandalism and trespassing. The crimes are taking a toll on the congregation which is now having to make changes to try to combat the issue. Living Word Ministry which has a congregation of around 25 people, has met at Park Avenue in Tacoma for more than 20 years. The Pastor is hopeful, that they will be able to correct the issue.
Charles Williams, the pastor of Living Word Ministry, said “I mean, I got my blood, sweat, and tears here.” He added, “We’re hoping that being here another day will make us less predictable of when you can violate our property.” The pastor described that there have been several trespassing and vandalism incidents in the past few months.
Every time he walks up to the building he finds a new issue. “That’s how often it is,” said the pastor. “It’s constant.” Williams has encountered graffiti, people breaking windows, and people camping on the property and leaving vehicles and trash behind. The church has also had to deal with people stealing water and electricity. Two fires have been lit on church property.
The pastor showed off a burn mark on the pavement near the church building, as he explained “That’s where it was, they put it out right by the door.” More recently, Living Word Ministry has been plagued with human waste on their property. Williams stated, “So, just the past month and a half, they started using it as a restroom.” He also drew attention to the other trash left in the church parking lot.
He said, And that’s where we just couldn’t keep up, you know, with all of the trash they were leaving, the broken windows and stuff, we couldn’t keep up.” There is a major safety concern with the waste being left behind and the people who are frequenting the property the church is on. Williams showed off a video where a woman went on a rampage after he asked her to leave.
She began spouting racial slurs and kicking a churchgoer’s car. To protect the congregation, the church has begun taking action. “Talk about a $12,000 fence, that’s no pocket money,” said Rev. Williams. The church has crowdfunded the construction of a fence and installation has already started. The pastor says he never imagined he would have to fence his church in.
“You got to have peace of mind,” explained Williams. “The people got to feel safe, you know? So, we had to do something.” He hopes that the police will offer some protection and that the fence will make a difference. The pastor said, “It’s challenging, no question about it.” The Churches’ website offers insight into the embattled congregation and its values.
Watch a Video of the Embattled Pastor Below:
It reports: “Living Word Ministries is a friendly church, with a heart to minister to its members and community. Annual events include outreach to single-family homes, children and those in need through providing kids with back-to-school supplies and clothing, full Thanksgiving meals and Christmas gift giving. Various outreach activies occur throughout the year such as Community Day carnivals, group outtings and beach trips, marriage and family building conferences and partnering with Pierce County’s Chatholic Children’s Services.”
Featured image: Screen shot from embedded video.