VISTA: Church moves forward after vandalism

Damage includes profanity, Satanic symbols scrawled throughout building

By SCOTT MARSHALL - For the North County Times | Tuesday, April 8, 2008 9:45 AM PDT ∞

VISTA ---- Leaders of the small Melrose Church of Christ were preparing to clean up Monday after vandals overturned furniture, ripped curtains and scrawled Satanic references on the walls of the modest church sometime before Sunday morning.

Church member Lena Tolbertson said she was stunned Sunday when she and her husband, Duane, saw the extent of the vandalism wrought on the small white church, which sits at the corner of busy South Melrose Drive and Melrose Way.

"It just breaks your heart," she said Monday, as she stood in the main auditorium where services usually are held. Around her, the floors and several maroon chairs were covered in a yellowish powdery residue from fire-extinguishers that vandals had sprayed throughout the building.

Graffiti that included "Hail Satan," the number "666" and pentagrams was scrawled in black on walls and whiteboards. Curtains in front of the baptismal at the front of the auditorium were torn. Profanities beside the names of Jesus and God were written on the doors into the buildings.

The Sheriff's Department has assigned a detective to investigate the incident, but no information on the case was expected to be released Monday, detective Sgt. Art Wager said.

Duane Tolbertson, one of four elders who oversee the church, called the vandalism a "hate crime."

The church is a "small, caring congregation" of 80 to 90 people, according to its Web site. A Spanish-language congregation with about 30 to 40 members also meets at the church.

Tolbertson, 74, said he and his wife arrived at the church about 10 a.m. Sunday morning, just after another couple found "considerable damage" to the fellowship hall portion of the building at 713 S. Melrose Drive.

The first couple stepped back out to avoid disturbing any evidence and called sheriff's deputies, who came, photographed the damage and took items that may have had fingerprints on them, Tolbertson said.

Lena Tolbertson said a deputy allowed one person to enter the church to retrieve song books and communion trays so the church could have its service outside.

"We told him we were going to have service on the lawn," she said. "This wasn't going to stop us."

About 80 church-goers stood, sat on blankets or sat in their cars, listening to the minister's message and taking communion, Duane Tolbertson said.

The Spanish-language service held each Sunday afternoon also occurred outside, he said.

The church ---- which the Tolbertsons said has existed for more than 40 years ---- has never experienced such vandalism, he added.

"This is more of a hate crime --- hate for God," Tolbertson said.

He said the church estimates the clean-up will cost $4,000 to $5,000. Insurance should cover the cost, but if it doesn't, the church will be able to pay for it, Tolbertson said.

By Monday morning, some minor work to return the buildings had begun.

The chairs in the main auditorium and a lectern that had been overturned were back in their usual, upright positions. The profanities on the church doors had been washed off, but could still be seen faintly on one door. A representative from a cleaning service arrived as the Tolbertsons spoke to reporters.

Lena Tolbertson said she was saddened that whoever vandalized the church "has such hatred in their heart."

"We've been praying for them," she said. "We've been praying for the people that did this."

How the vandals got into the buildings remains unknown, the Tolbertsons said.

The Spanish-language congregation had a function at the church Saturday night, but secured the building before they left, Lena Tolbertson said.

When the damage was discovered Sunday morning, a window in the main auditorium was open, window screens had been damaged, and the fellowship hall door was ajar, Duane Tolbertson said.

A Wednesday night Bible study at the church will not be canceled, but will be held at a private home this week, he said. Those wishing to attend can contact a church elder for more information, he added

Despite the damage, Duane Tolbertson said he has hope for the vandals.

"I hope that one day they find God and they can realize the enormity of what they've done," he said. "Sometimes even the worst people can be led to God."

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