GOLDEN CITY, Mo. —
When Pastor Greg Earl arrived at Mission of Encouragement Church about 11:30 a.m. last Saturday to do work with his food pantry, he was shocked by what he saw.
Written in large, yellow letters on the front glass door of the church was a slur directed at Mexicans and other Hispanics.
Earl said Friday at his home next to the church that the words were apparently written using chalk and came off easily with window cleaner.
He said he might think less of the matter had someone not tampered with his pickup two months ago, cutting a line near the brake line. Earl said his mechanic informed him that the line had been intentionally cut.
Earl has been pastor of Mission of Encouragement Church for nine years. The church has struggled recently, and his congregation had dwindled to fewer than 10. He said he asked Pastor Hector Arias if he would like to hold Spanish-language services in his building.
“I was trying to keep the doors open,” Earl said.
The Spanish-language services began in August, with weekly attendance of about 35 and growing. Earl said the members, mainly from El Salvador and Guatemala, travel from Carthage, Neosho and elsewhere in the area.
The incident was reported to the Barton County Sheriff’s Department. Earl said a deputy has told him that two teenage boys were involved.
He said if the incident with the slur was done by some misguided teenagers, he wouldn’t want them to have a criminal record because of it. Instead, he said he would like the teenagers to come to the church and meet the Hispanic members and get to know them.
“I would like to see them repent and come to the Lord,” Earl said.
Barton County Sheriff Mitchell Shaw on Friday said two teenagers have been identified as those responsible. He said the pastor isn’t seeking charges and parties are working together to find a reasonable resolution.
Shaw said the boys wandered away from last Friday’s basketball game and caused problems at the church and elsewhere around town.
The sheriff said he was confident there was no connection between the vandalism and the vehicle tampering.
Crime & Courts
Racial slur written on door of church that holds Spanish-language service
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