Texas church vandalized by homophobes gets restored by affirming community

Vandals in Texas tore down a Pride flag and defaced an LGBTQ-affirming church. But the act served only to bring the community at Life in the City United Methodist together and paint over the hateful messages.

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Church leaders on August 1 revealed that a Progress Pride flag on display at the Austin church was torn down, apparently by the same vandals who left a spray-painted message on the building exterior: “Pride was the 1st Sin.” A cross with three crossbars, the bottom one askew, was also painted on the building.

“This act was meant to threaten the mission we hold sacred: offering the radically inclusive love of God in Christ for the health and wholeness of mind, body, and spirit,” said Pastor Glenn Luhrs in an extensive statement. “Sadly, this is not the first time hateful rhetoric has appeared on our walls. And it comes at a time when our city is already hurting.”

He noted the recent public assault of a transgender woman and her friends at nearby Barton Springs.

“These are not isolated events,” Luhrs said. “They are part of a growing pattern of violence and dehumanization targeting LGBTQIA+ people and other marginalized communities. Let us be clear, Life in the City stands firm in our call to love our neighbor, without exception or condition.”

But after the vandalism, the church rapidly organized a “creative restoration project.” On Saturday morning, work began on a new mural encompassing the church’s entry way, covering up the hostile messages with Pride symbols instead.

Two vertical recreations of the Progress Pride flag now cover the walls on either side of the double-door entrance, while fractal designs in transgender pink, white and blue now appear over the doorway, and a similar rainbow-colored mural appears at ground level alongside the church’s logo. The Friday vandalism was covered up before, and the new mural was completed before the church’s 11:15 a.m. service on Sunday morning.