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[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

Armed robbery during worship service jolts congregation

Jan. 6, 2006

By Melissa Lauber*

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - An armed gunman interrupted the evening service on
New Year's Day at Mount Zion United Methodist Church in Bel Air, Md.,
shocking the congregation as he robbed them of an undisclosed amount of
cash and valuables.

Most disturbing to the congregation was the intruder's use of three
children present to gather up the wallets and purses.

"He had to be desperate to be waving a gun at children," said the Rev.
Craig McLaughlin, the church's pastor. "That was evil. I was thinking of
the Scripture passage, 'The gates of hell shall not prevail against the
church.' Evil will not stop people from serving God."

Those thoughts filled McLaughlin's prayers as he sat in the front pew of
the contemporary service, praying for his congregation to remain quiet
and calm.

The people did just that. "They were mature and godly. They did exactly
the right things," McLaughlin said. "At first, people didn't know
exactly what was going on, but it became evident pretty quickly that
this was a robbery, that this was real."

It was shortly after 6:30 p.m. when the man, wearing a ski mask and dark
clothes, burst into the church and began waving a gun around, the pastor
said.

The gunman seemed nervous and yelled a great deal. He ordered three
brothers, ages 6, 8 and 11, and their father to collect purses and
wallets. At least eight of the 50 people present were robbed. After
ordering the congregation to the front of the church, the gunman fled
and a handful of people called the police on their cell phones.

Police estimated the incident lasted about 10 minutes.

Before the police arrived, McLaughlin led the congregation in prayer,
asking that God would change the heart of the robber.

Speaking to local and national media, members of the congregation
expressed shock and disbelief and said their church would have provided
the man with assistance if he had asked.

The church is known in the area for its generosity, tithing at least 30
percent of its income to outreach efforts, and building and maintaining
an orphanage in Namibia, along with a variety of other ministries. In
March, the church will consecrate a new, larger building for worship.

In the week following the robbery, some United Methodists in the area
have expressed "fear and concern," said the Rev. Barry Hidey, pastor of
nearby Bel Air United Methodist Church.

Some churches are taking precautions, like training ushers in security
procedures, asking church members to leave valuables at home and
suggesting they make their offerings by direct deposit, if it makes them
more comfortable.

"The best defense against harm is to have a busy, active church, filled
with people who talk to others and meet and talk with people they do not
know," Hidey said.

The Rev. C. Anthony Hunt, superintendent of the Baltimore-Harford
District, praised the way the Mt. Zion congregation demonstrated
discipleship following the robbery.

In a letter to the pastors on his district, Hunt shared that there was
also a burglary at a parsonage in Baltimore over the Christmas weekend.

"I believe these incidents point to the tremendous pain incumbent in our
world, and thus the need for the Resurrected Christ in times like
these," he wrote. "I encourage you, during your times of worship this
weekend, to lead your congregation in prayer for all of those affected
by these (and other) forms of violence."

When talking with the media about this event, McLaughlin has shied away
from words like "rallying around" because they don't express the faith
component that seems to underlie the congregation's response. "But there
is a sense in the congregation that we are going to be in our
sanctuary," he said.

"I feel like this confirms why we do what we do. We lift up Jesus.
Without Jesus, this is a world where people end up pointing guns at
little children. We are not going to give into a spirit of fear."

*Lauber is an associate editor for the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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