MITCHELL, SD — Vandalism with what the church leader describes as “hate speech” occurred at a Mitchell church Thursday night, May 30.
Pastor Matt Richards of Mitchell Congregational United Church of Christ, located at 304 E. Fourth Ave., reported that someone spray-painted messages on the property sometime between 10:30 p.m. Thursday and around 8 a.m. on Friday.
The church’s walls and sidewalks were found defaced with Bible verses addressing repentance and same-sex relationships, inscribed with red spray paint. Along with his message were written numerous occurrences of “Leviticus 18:22,” which said: “You shall not lie with a man as with a woman; it is an abomination.”
“It’s definitely a violation of space and a religious hate crime,” Richards said.
Richards believes his congregation was specifically targeted. He notes that the vandalism appears to be directed at his church, which he claims is the only truly progressive church in the city. Richards said the church is the only one in the city that flies Pride and equality flags in support of human rights.
“We welcome all people. We are a church that spreads the love of Christ freely,” Richards said. “We support LGBTQ rights.”
In recent years, the church has marked Pride Month, celebrated annually in June, with a special worship service. Initially held within the walls of the church, the congregation now gathers in local parks for this special service.
According to Richards, the church has experienced similar incidents before. The church received letters and faced criticism on Facebook from a former member. Additionally, last summer, vandals damaged the building’s air conditioning units.
“This is probably the most targeted and clearly intended act against us,” Richards said. “It definitely sends an intentional message.”
The church has notified its insurance company of the damage and plans to remove the graffiti. Due to the age of the brick and stone, church leaders want to ensure that graffiti is properly removed to prevent further damage. There is no estimate for the cost of the move.
“Waiting to clean up is fine, because it simply gives us the opportunity to show others the immaturity, cowardice and hypocrisy that someone who claims to be a Christian is committing,” Richards said.
The Mitchell Police Division is conducting an investigation and reviewing neighborhood surveillance cameras. Anyone who may have information regarding this act of vandalism is asked to contact the Mitchell Police Division at 605-995-8400.
Jennifer Leither joined Mitchell Republic in April 2024. She grew up in Sioux Falls, SD, where she attended Lincoln High School. She continued her education at South Dakota State University and graduated in December 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. During her time in college, Leither worked as a reporter for the campus newspaper, The Collegian. She also interned for Anderson Publications in Canistota, SD, in the summer of 2000. After graduating, Leither continued to reside in the Sioux Falls area and worked as a freelance writer for the Argus Leader for several years.
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