Despite being hit with racist graffiti over the weekend, Curry Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church say the congregation celebrated its 67th anniversary as planned.
“We did and we enjoyed ourselves. We had a praise party,” said Pastor Beverly Jackson. “We did not stop anything.”
The graffiti included swastikas and racist language, according to the photos posted to the church’s Facebook page. Seattle Police are investigating the vandalism and burglary, which struck the church at 23rd and Spruce overnight Saturday, leaving churchgoers to discover the graffiti Sunday morning, according to KOMO News.
The members of the congregation have felt everything from “anger to hurt, but determined to stay strong,” she said. “To continue to do the work that God put us on the corner to do. We can’t let people who hate us for no apparent reason have the last word.“
Jackson said she felt the police were taking the matter seriously, and the congregation was encouraged by the attention from officials and neighbors.
“The governor’s wife came by and he (Gov. Jay Inslee) called to offer his support from the state level,” Jackson said.
The church also set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for the cleanup and plans a prayer vigil from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday April 30.
Jackson said the relatively small congregation hopes to meet many of the people who called with their support and offers of help. They’d like to put a face to the names, and hope that people get to know them as well.
“The love that came in the aftermath was greater the hate that happened,” she said.
