Fires Set at GA Church by Contractor!

GARDENDALE, AL (WBRC) -  "Donny Ray Horton, of Georgia, has been sentenced to five years in prison for mail fraud and arson connected to two fires at a Gardendale church.

The fires happened last April.

According to court documents, Horton took a $78,000 deposit to install seating in the church and then twice set fires to delay installation because he never ordered the seats."

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Huston Church Damaged by Acid

DICKINSON — A small Houston-area church has been damaged by acid that was dumped on every pew.

Sgt. Frank Price estimates damage is at least $30,000.

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Pastor Attacked and Robbed in Florida

"The pastor of a church in the north Seminole County community of Midway was kicked and beaten early Tuesday by two robbers who confronted him when he left his church, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said today.

The Rev. Leonard Lee Wilson, 47, of Sanford, suffered injuries to his head and face and was treated by paramedics from Seminole County Fire Rescue, Sheriff's spokeswoman Kim Cannaday said."

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Hat-tip: Matt Larson

Arizona Tragedy

Breaking:  According to KVOA it has been released that Dorwin Stoddard, a pastor of Mountain Ave. Church of Christ was among the victims of yesterdays tragic shooting.

Our prayers go out to all the victims of yesterdays events. 

Happy New Year 2011

I wanted to wish all of my readers a Happy New Year for 2011.

This past year has been full of wonderful blessings for me and my family. I hope and pray that you can say the same for you and your family.

In the realm of Church Security 2010 seemed to be a better year for American Churches. According to the statistics kept by our friend Carl Chinn, Deadly Force Incidents (DFI's) at Faith-Based Organizations in the United States (includes attacks, suspicious deaths, suicides and deadly force protection) has decreased 25% in 2010 compared to 2009. The number dropped from 53 to 40 incidents.

This statistical information is great news for all of us in the Church Security industry. My goal is to help provide information to you (my readers) to continue to help this number drop ever more in 2011. By highlighting church related crimes and incidents across America and at times the world I hope that you are able to learn from the experiences of others to prevent the same tragedies from occurring at your place of worship.

FBI Reports Crime is down

Washington (CNN) -- Violent crime in the United States dropped markedly in the first half of 2010, according to FBI statistics released Monday.

Overall violent crime fell 6.2% from the same period last year, according to the report, and the new numbers include a 7.1% decrease in homicide.

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FAITH-BASED GROUPS GET STIMULUS FUNDS

FAITH-BASED GROUPS GET STIMULUS FUNDS -- Ben Smith and Byron Tau: “The stimulus bought the Castleton United Methodist Church in Indianapolis a new heating and cooling system. In Laramie, Wyo., it bought the Church of St. Laurence O'Toole new windows for the Catholic school it runs. … [A]n analysis by POLITICO found that at least $140 million in stimulus money has gone to faith-based groups, the result of an unpublicized White House decision to spend government money, where legal, supporting religiously-inspired nonprofit groups. … In an aggressive attempt at outreach, federal agencies, in conference calls and online seminars, instructed faith-based groups on how to apply for the grants, and federal officials sometimes stepped in when the state officials who distribute the money were reluctant to spend it on groups associated with churches and other religious establishments.” http://bit.ly/h9APQM

From Mike Allen's Politico Playbook

Boston Man Arrested for Church Burglaries

"Police have arrested a Boston man believed to be responsible for at least two of the recent church burglaries in the city, authorities said.

Richard Shiner, 44, was apprehended yesterday at about 10 a.m. on Boylston Street between Tremont and Washington streets, Boston police said in a statement. Shiner will be charged with burglary and larceny from a building in connection with recent break-ins at St. Leonard’s Church in the North End and St. Anthony’s Shrine in Downtown Crossing, police said."

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