Shock and then anger were the Rev. Mark Rollenhagen’s first two reactions when he saw the anti-LGBTQ+ message painted at the entrance to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Waukegan on Wednesday.
As he reflected, Rollenhagen concluded the best way to deal with such an act of hate was to counteract it with love. The graffiti will be painted over with a mural showing the church’s commitment to inclusion.
“I thought, let’s paint over it with a rainbow or some symbol that says we are an affirming, inclusive and safe place,” he said. “The church is not the victim here. Let us cover this with an act of love.”
A crowd of more than 100 people gathered Sunday at the entrance to the church — with the vandalism’s residue still showing — to pray, share their feelings and comfort one another.
Walking into the church Wednesday morning, Rollenhagen saw the spray-painted message and the pride sign adjacent to it completely covered by black paint He said the vandalism occurred sometime between 8 p.m. Tuesday and early Wednesday morning.
After a police report was filed, an official for the city’s public works department arrived at the church offering to remove the message. Rollenhagen said he had other ideas, and wanted to share his thoughts with the congregation.
More than three years ago, St Paul’s became a Reconciling in Christ (RIC) Community, embracing a program within its greater church organization. Rollenhagen said the designation lets people who identify as LGBTQ+ feel the church’s open arms.
Plans for the mural are already underway. He said it will likely be either a pride flag or the RIC logo, which consists of an expanded heart with the colors of the pride flag with a cross in the middle.
Not long ago, Rollenhagen said he was placing a pride sign in front of the church when he heard the sound of a truck behind him slowing down. He was nervous when the driver rolled the window down.
“I tensed,” he said. “He said, ‘Thank you. A friend of mine is LGBTQ, and he was not well-received by his family and was thinking of killing himself. Then he saw a pride flag and it saved his life.’”
Kadie Ramey, a member of the church wearing a headband with pride colors, greeted people as they arrived for the outdoor service. She said she feels a mural is the right way to deal with the vandalism.
“You can quiet the hate with a love campaign,” Ramey said. “Love will always triumph.”
Greg Brown, the president of Waukegan Pride, came with a group from his organization. He said the organization is an ally of the church and wanted to show its support. The vandalism is not representative of the Waukegan he knows, he said.
“Waukegan has changed,” Brown said, “It is a very accepting community. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but messages like this are not needed..”
Ald. Juan Martinez, 3rd Ward, who represents the area where the church is located, was very clear in his feelings about the vandalism. He spent the morning with the congregation.
“There is no room for hate here,” Martinez said. “You erase what was done with love from everyone in Waukegan.”
