20061118 Repeated violations shake Cedarhurst Universalists

20061118 Repeated violations shake Cedarhurst Universalists

Repeated violations shake Cedarhurst Universalists

BY Diane Reynolds, Times Staff Writer Saturday, November 18, 2006

"The best way to fight this is to have the community condemn it," (Rev. Henry Simoni-Wastila) said.

(Rev. Henry Simoni-Wastila) quoted Booker T. Washington: "I will let no man take me down so low as to let me hate him."

FINKSBURG - The meditation garden, built by the church's youth group, is quiet now, layers of fallen yellow leaves muffling sound.

A brightly painted peace pole in the garden, made by the congregation's children, shines in the morning light.

But the memories of the peace pole's desecration, swastikas scrawled on tables at the sanctuary's entrance and BB gun shots through the church's windows have sent a chill of fear through the congregation.

A spider web pattern of cracks caused by a BB remains in the one window that has not been repaired.

For a period of several weeks from late August into September, the Cedarhurst Unitarian Universalist Association's church in Finksburg was repeatedly vandalized.

[…]

"The best way to fight this is to have the community condemn it," he said.

Simoni-Wastila came to two Westminster Ministerium meetings to gain support, said Tim Thomas, president of the Westminster Ministerium, a consortium of local churches.

"Everyone was of one accord in wanting to condemn any kind of violence and vandalism," Thomas said.

The ministerium also wanted to affirm Simoni-Wastila personally, Thomas said, and give him encouragement.

The Rev. Dan Knight, pastor of First Church of God of Westminster, agreed.

"My heart goes out to Henry as one member of the clergy to another," he said.

[…]

(Rev. Henry Simoni-Wastila) quoted Booker T. Washington: "I will let no man take me down so low as to let me hate him."

[…]

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http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/articles/2006/11/18/features/religion/religionhatehitschuch.txt