Suburban church seeks answers for hateful vandalism

WONDER LAKE, Ill. — A northwest suburban church is looking for answers after hate speech and symbols were spraypainted on church property.

Nativity Lutheran Church Pastor Susie Hill said the mixture of messages included racial slurs, a swastika, and more painted on the sign in front of the church and alongside the building itself.

“We as a congregation have gone through the questions of why? Who? Why us?” Hill said.

“We do so much and then to be shown such hatred,” said Kim Halper, Director of the Food Pantry and Church Council President at Nativity Lutheran. “I’m just dumbfounded, I don’t understand it.”

Despite the hateful acts, the church’s food pantry will continue to operate as planned. According to church officials, the pantry serves on average between 400-600 people every month.

A volunteer is coming out to the church Thursday with a power washer to help remove the hateful messages.

In the meantime, if you or someone you know has information that can help police make progress in the case, you can place a tip with the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office at (815) 338-2144 or email them at TipLine@mchenrycountyil.gov.