Church Feels Frustrated by Recent Break-in

Violated and frustrated are words used by a pastor at a church in Muskingum County after a recent break-in.

For the second time since April the South Zanesville Church of the Nazarene has suffered a break-in. The most recent over the Labor Day weekend. The thieves entered the church through a locked door at the end of a handicap ramp and then pried open locked offices with a screwdriver, where they stole money.

"The church doors in our mind should always ben open," said Pastor Walt Gessner. "They should always be welcoming and yet we find ourselves even needing to lock ourselves in while we work in our offices. It just doesn’t seem right at all. The church should be a place of hope and not concern."

The Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident and trying to connect it to other break-ins at various churches in the county.

"As far as justice and things like that those are things that are in Gods hands, those are things He would take care of. Our main concern is for the hearts of those that feel the need to do this," said Gessner. "If they are in such desperate need we would rather you knock on our door and ask for help rather than to try and help yourselves."

The South Zanesville church is now looking at ways to shore up their doors to make it harder for thieves to enter along with getting bids for a security system. Rolling Plains Church also in South Zanesville also has suffered a break-in recently.