The act was ugly, but the reaction was beautiful.
Allendale United Methodist Church, a north St. Petersburg church known for posting socially progressive messages of love and equality for all humans on its marquee, had its sign vandalized.
Anyone who passes the church knows it by its messages, like the one they posted after the shooting in Parkland, Florida.
.@AllendaleUMC traveled to #Tallahassee. 50 people loaded onto a bus headed to Tallahassee to stand in solidarity with the students of #MarjoryStonemanDouglasHighSchool. pic.twitter.com/CnNRUN0kNF
— Florida Conference (@FLUMC) February 22, 2018
They also aren't afraid to stand up against their "parent" church.
Standing with Bishop @RevKarenOliveto and other #umc #lgbtq clergy. https://t.co/OGvI9qIeJl #nosuchlaw pic.twitter.com/Y738qrhmhh
— Allendale UMC (@AllendaleUMC) April 24, 2017
And they have a sense of humor.
"Spin and items will be given to you; swipe and you shall find; pokeball and the reward will be pikachu!" #PokémonGo pic.twitter.com/V2MMvAKUwZ
— Allendale UMC (@AllendaleUMC) July 12, 2016
They've also been fairly clear on their anti-Trump stance, citing Jesus as the sort of guy Trump wouldn't like very much.
#RESIST Trump's racism and xenophobia! Thank you @RevVickiFlippin for your witness. pic.twitter.com/HZFN3l5b01
— Allendale UMC (@AllendaleUMC) January 26, 2017
And, apparently, someone took issue with their Jesus-like ways of love and acceptance. It isn't the first time someone vandalized the sign, and when vandals struck again, the church opted to take the high road.
First, they added the "Vandalism is a felony. That shouldn't take away your vote for life! Vote yes on Amendment 4"
And then they changed the other side to reflect the church's acceptance for LGBT equality.
St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman took to social media to show his support for Allendale UMC...
...and his disdain for the vandal.
“While we’re a welcoming community, that’s not what we welcome. People who think that way, who are intolerant, who don’t have room for everyone, go somewhere else. ‘Cause this isn’t the place you want to live, anyway.” https://t.co/tHuck1tTlP
— Rick Kriseman (@Kriseman) September 25, 2018
And not that it should matter, but Allendale UMC's pastor is cisgender, and Rick Kriseman is Jewish.
It's almost as though these wacky people think they don't have to fear people and ideas with which they don't identify.
