MASON CITY – A church in Mason City known for inclusiveness suffered an act of vandalism after the sign out front was spray-painted to eliminate the word “gay.”
“Once again our sign has been spray painted,” said Pastor Chuck Kelsey, referring to the sign in front of the First Congregational UCC, located at 100 1st Street NE.
“This time, just over the word: Gay,” Pastor Kelsey. He shared a photo of the damage via social media, showing the red blast of paint on the sign, facing the busy street of Delaware Avenue.
“Hate will not win out,” Pastor Kelsey declared. “God’s Love will win out!”
He asked followers to “join us as we pray for those who are hurting so much that they lash out in unhealthy ways. Our doors are open to all. Period.”
He also had a message for the vandals.
“I invite those who would react in hatred to talk to me (Pastor Chuck) I want to hear your story. Where does it hurt?”
The First Congregational has also been known to perform same-sex marriages and had a visit in 2012 from Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins to talk about a decision on same-sex marriage.
Former Pastor Patti told NIT then that the church has a long history of firsts.
“We were founded by abolitionists on the eve of the civil war. We are known as Meredith Willson’s home church; we have the Willson Wing. We ordained a woman in the 1850’s as first mainline denomination to do so, and we were the first to ordain an openly gay person, in 1972.”
Hey man who gives a rats ass anymore if your gay,queer or what ever you want to be. All I know is there is a overabundance of drugs in this god forsaken town, It’s leading to beatings, shootings and stabbings, but this is ok, but don’t be gay. WHAT A F**KEN MESS WE ARE IN.
Omit the word gay and say Weiner.