New Haven Independent

Break-Ins Spark A Revival

by Thomas MacMillan | November 20, 2009 7:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

Pastor Larry Pinkard will invoke the prophet Nehemiah from the pulpit Sunday — and tell a tale about how walls will be rebuilt on Frank Street.

The sermon will touch on the tale of two houses of worship attacked by evildoers, one in biblical times, one in 2009.

“The temple was once there [in Jerusalem], but it was torn down,” Pinkard will say, quoting from the Book of Nehemia. “We’re going to have to rebuild.”

Rebuild in Jerusalem. And rebuild in the Hill neighborhood.

He’ll be facing his congregation at the Bethel Temple Church Of God on Frank Street. To his right will be a wall with two broken windows, boarded up with plywood — the evidence of two recent break-ins.

One window was smashed on Sept. 29, when someone made off with the church’s PA systems, its microphones, and its mic stands. Last Sunday, on Nov. 15, someone smashed another window, stealing two speakers off the wall and most of a nine-piece drum kit.

“I guess they had to complete the set,” quipped Pastor Pinkard, pictured.

Pinkard said he’s going to ask his congregation for support — financial and otherwise — to replace the stolen equipment and to beef up security at the church.

He said he also hopes that the crimes “may be the catalyst we need” to start on a larger project — replacing the church itself.

After the first break-in, Pinkard was “a little leery about replacing the equipment,” he said. The church began borrowing a system for its weekly gospel service. Local gospel quartets like the Travelaires and Luddee Dobbs and the Christian Sons regularly sing there, Pinkard said. They perform songs like “Down Here We Got To Work” and “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired.”

Now that the rest of the system has been stolen, Pinkard said the church will have to replace it all. He estimated that it would cost about $6,000 to do so.

On Monday, a day after discovering the break in, Pinkard described himself as “a little ticked off.” He said, “We believe it was somebody who visited the church.”

He guessed that the equipment was stolen to be sold. “They’ll probably sell it for a song,” he said. Pinkard said he planned to check area pawn shops to see if he could track down the missing equipment. “It could wind up in another church,” he said.

“We’re going to have to put bars in the windows,” he said. “It’s a tough neighborhood.”

Tuesday afternoon in his church, Pinkard stood in the blank spot where the drum kit used to be. Nearby was a piano and a large organ, too heavy to be carried off by burglars

The recent break-in came just a few weeks after a keyboard was stolen from the Faith Refuge Church of Christ on nearby West Street. Pinkard speculated that maybe someone was trying to start a band with stolen instruments. “I wonder how successful they think they’re going to be,” he said.

The thefts are a setback for a church that is already dealing with a building in need of renovation or replacement, Pinkard said. “The plan is to build a new church,” he said. “Look around, it’s on its way out.”

The small white church has been on Frank Street since the ’60s. It stands behind a blue house, now vacant, that also belongs to Bethel Temple. Pinkard said he’d like to tear the blue house down and build a new church in its place. But first a historic commission has to sign off on that plan, since the building is a historic one. “They won’t let us knock it down,” he said.

Building a new church will require far more than the $6,000 needed to replace the sound equipment. But Pinkard said he hopes that the break-in will galvanize his congregation, creating the impetus to start fundraising for a new church.

“There’s always going to be obstacles in the way,” he said. “It’s all about rebuilding.”

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Comments

Posted by: DB | November 20, 2009 8:53 AM

Do people have no shame?! Stealing from a church.

Grace and peace and blessing to you and your congregation today. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 20, 2009 9:48 AM

What I don't understand is that if God is so powerful,Than why would god allow this break-in?

Posted by: streever | November 20, 2009 11:46 AM

3/5ths what a nasty comment. Let people have their religious views. I've never seen an interpretation of Christianity that presumed god would personally intervene in a physical manifestation of his followers for that matter.

good luck to this church, and I'm happy to see one more group working to improve the hill--

Posted by: Edward_H | November 20, 2009 11:57 AM

Threefifths
"What I don't understand is that if God is so powerful,Than why would god allow this break-in?

Maybe to test your compassion?

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 20, 2009 12:32 PM

streever

good luck to this church, and I'm happy to see one more group working to improve the hill--

When is a question a nasty comment.why would you call this a nasty comment.Than why would god allow this break-in? that is not a comment it is a question. You said Let people have their religious views. Tell you what give me your address and the next time the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses knock on my door early in the morning I will send the to you since you feel Let people have their religious views.

Edward_H

Threefifths
"What I don't understand is that if God is so powerful,Than why would god allow this break-in?

Maybe to test your compassion?

What does compassion have to do with the question I asked.

Posted by: Edward_H | November 20, 2009 2:45 PM

Threefifths
"What I don't understand is that if God is so powerful,Than why would god allow this break-in?
Maybe to test your compassion?

What does compassion have to do with the question I asked.
One of many possible theories to your question is that God allowed the break-In so he could gauge the reaction of individuals and the community at large. In the bible God has more than once tested the faith of humans. Maybe he is testing compassion or empathy in the community which is why he allowed the break in. Or maybe he is just trying to see how many comments we can get going on this board.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 20, 2009 5:05 PM

Edward_H

In the bible God has more than once tested the faith of humans. And from what I read god also used divine intervenege and divine revelation. This was the ponit I was trying to make. Did you find my question a nasty comment.

Posted by: ralph | November 21, 2009 8:34 PM

3/5ths. why if god is so powerful why would he allow the break ins? for the same reason he allowed his son to be crucified. becouse there is allways a larger plan.this pastor has had his hands tied by the historic commision.they are holding back the construction of the new temple.these break ins as bad as they are ,have given temple bethel the publicity it needs.hopefully some christian alderman will hear asbout this church need and lend a helping hand.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 22, 2009 10:58 AM

ralph

/5ths. why if god is so powerful why would he allow the break ins? for the same reason he allowed his son to be crucified. becouse there is allways a larger plan.this pastor has had his hands tied by the historic commision.they are holding back the construction of the new temple.these break ins as bad as they are ,have given temple bethel the publicity it needs.hopefully some christian alderman will hear asbout this church need and lend a helping hand.

The son of god was crucified for sedition and treason against the Roman Empire for claiming to be the king of the Jews and for urging people not to pay their taxes and being a political threat. Also Crucifixion was not just used on jesus,It was reserved for criminals and slaves. My question to you is that why does it have to be a
christian alderman to help him when he should be able to go to the church community for help.

Posted by: Edward_H | November 22, 2009 1:12 PM

Threefifths

I did not think your comment was nasty, but that is because I have read many of your comments and I don't think you ever have said anything meant to be nasty or hurtful. I don't always understand the point you try to make but I don't think you have ever tried to be nasty or cruel. That being said:

I can understand why Streever described your comment as nasty, just reading the words on a page can lead to misunderstanding that would not happen if this were a spoken conversation.

ralph

.hopefully some christian alderman will hear asbout this church need and lend a helping hand.

Why just christian alderman?

Posted by: RALPH | November 23, 2009 1:21 AM

WHY SOME CHRISTIAN ALDERMAN? HOPEFULLY ALL ALDERMAN STEP UP AND HELP THIS PASTOR,BY ALLOWING THE BUILDING TO BE KNOCKED DOWN SO HE COULD MOVE FOWARD IN BUILDING THE NEW TEMPLE. AS FOR ME SAYING A CHRISTIAN ALDERMAN.THERE ARE MANY CHRISTIAN ALDERMEN IN NEW HAVEN AND AS CHRISTIAN THEY MUST LEAD BY EXAMPLE.

Posted by: Ned | November 23, 2009 8:22 AM

Stealing is obviously wrong, so why should my tax dollars go to pay for some crazy superstition that I don't even believe in? Let your imaginary sky friend produce for you.

Posted by: Bill | November 23, 2009 3:37 PM

THREEFIFTHs, If you were not so cynical and attended church you would have you question answered. But you would rather stir the pot.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 23, 2009 5:21 PM

Bill
THREEFIFTHs, If you were not so cynical and attended church you would have you question answered. But you would rather stir the pot.

I did at one time attend church.Church is noting more the a con game on the people. All these minster do is precher cheap fill good thrills to a bunch of sucks and pimp the second comming of jesus to line there pocket. Check this out. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yicnvgt_ak&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQcGz8Sgibw&eurl=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Queen-Ifama&feature=player_embedded

Would you go to this church.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2009/11/kimber_home_lan.php

Posted by: Ned | November 24, 2009 8:40 AM

Really 3/5ths it's not like Christians are torturing children in the name of Jesus... - oops, wait a minute, "The idea of witchcraft is hardly new, but it has taken on new life recently, partly because of a rapid growth in evangelical Christianity."

Surely all those god fearing folk would never do anything like stone someone to death?

Well it's all "part of god's plan" like raping babies and women with bayonets, killing homosexuals and refusing to heal amputees. Yes, absolutely no harm in religion at all...

Posted by: ralph | November 24, 2009 11:03 PM

NED.....What church have you been attending?killing ,raping,torturing ?.....You should go to the pd and report this .i mean we must stop all the rapings ,murders.and tourturing going on in sunday school in all churches ....LOL...get real buddy.

Break-Ins Spark A Revival

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