A pair of churches in Natick were vandalized on Sunday in strikingly similar incidents where flags they hung were taken down and replaced, and letters espousing anti-LGBTQ rhetoric were left behind.
At First Congregational Church, the pride flag, transgender flag and green mental health flag were all “crumpled and thrown under bushes,” the church’s pastor, Rev. Cindy Worthington-Berry wrote in a Facebook post.
At Christ Lutheran Church, banners featuring the Reconciling in Christ logo and the word “Peace” over the colors of the rainbow flag were taken down, according to the Rev. Christephor Gilbert. At both churches, what is known as the Christian flag and a banner declaring “Jesus is King” were hung in their place.
Both churches are open and affirming congregations, meaning they welcome LGBTQIA+ people who might be unwelcome at another church.
Worthington-Berry, the pastor at First Congregational Church, said an anonymous letter left at the church focused on a “narrow interpretation of a few verses of scripture.” The flags and banner were “joyfully” restored on Sunday.
“We have heard from many people in the community – not just in our congregation – that our flags at the center of downtown Natick give them a sense of belonging in town,” Worthington-Berry wrote. “Tearing down the symbols of a historically marginalized group can never be framed as God’s work – it is an action that inflicts heartache and pain on our entire community.”
At Christ Lutheran Church, Gilbert said the most troubling aspect of the vandalism was that it “came from an anonymous group of other Christians, once again using the Bible to render their judgment.”
“It’s painful to have our shared sacred texts levied against us,” Gilbert wrote. “We are saddened by what has happened and hope that – should the people who did this become known – the community of Natick will act in love and restorative justice to ensure that this does not happen again in our town.”
Natick police could not immediately be reached for comment.
