WICKER PARK — Just a few days after the historic Supreme Court decision to extend the right to marry to same-sex couples across the United States, the pastor of a Wicker Park church said two rainbow flags were stolen or torn down and a poster containing a cross with rainbow colored hearts was destroyed.
"It's unfortunate that these things continue to happen in our world and in our neighborhood. It does call to mind the immense work we all have before us in the future and that a single court decision does not fully bring about justice," said Pastor Jason Glombicki, leader of Wicker Park Lutheran Church, 1500 N. Hoyne Ave.
Earlier this month, Glombicki had put out a single rainbow flag in preparation for a "Reconciling in Christ" (RIC) June 28 service, where the group was planning to reaffirm its commitment — forged in 2006 — to "fully include and affirm people of all sexual orientations and gender identities," Glombicki said.
Within a week of the its installation, the flag was stolen from the church's fence, Glombicki said. On Friday, two new rainbow flags were bought and installed after the SCOTUS ruling and in preparation for Sunday's service.
On Sunday morning, Glombicki said one of the two flags had been cut off from the fence and the church's signboard, which offers information such as service times and the church's website, had been tampered with. A poster inside the sign was removed and torn to shreds, Glombicki said.
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The signboard also contained the church's RIC logo (a rainbow colored hearts with a cross) and denominational logo Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Officer Veejay Zala, a Chicago Police spokesman, said Monday that two rainbow flags, between a time span of June 18 to 28, were removed but could not confirm they were stolen.
"Given the generally open and accepting ethos in Wicker Park, I think folks might want to be aware of these hateful and illegal actions," Glombicki said.
The worth of the three flags was about $50. Glombicki said he is currently in the process of re-creating the sign and having new locks installed on the sign board.
Early Tuesday, Glombicki said the third flag was stolen and he was planning to file a second police report.
The church currently has a membership of 85 and serves, on average, about 400 community members weekly through services, activities and partnerships.
Glombicki, who is gay, said there are at least seven people at the church that openly identify as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer.
Glombicki said church members were "shocked and surprised" to hear of the vandalism and he cited the stolen flags in Sunday's sermon as being among "a series of examples about the ways the world pummels us down, but that even in the midst of those many situations nothing can separate us from God's love."
In 2006, Wicker Park Lutheran Church adopted a statement of welcome that included all people of various sexual orientations and gender identities as a separate initiative on its own.
"Ultimately, as Christians we know that love wins. It's empowering for us to know that back in 2006 when we became an Reconciling in Christ congregation there was only one state that had marriage equality and now with SCOTUS' decision on Friday all 50 states do have marriage equality — a true reminder to us all that love wins!" Glombicki said.
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