Church struggling to stay open after 8 break-ins

EAST POINT, Ga. - Church members at Mt. Glory 1st Ministry Baptist Church in East Point are fed up after they said the church has been broken into eight times.

“They had broke out the window, I went inside and looked and the keyboard was gone, microphones gone,” said Deacon Courtney Dobbs with Mt. Glory 1st Ministry Baptist Church on Newnan Street.

Deacon Dobbs said thieves have smashed several windows and doors and taken cash, several air conditioning units, lawn mowers, blowers and other lawn equipment and said it was all done during eight break-ins during the course of nine months.

“We’ve been looking to renovate our church and every time we do we have to go back into the funds we have for that to go and do other things,” said Deacon Dobbs.

Members said they try to help the community by providing food baskets and school supplies for children and that everything comes out of their own pocket, so when something like this happens it is extremely frustrating.

“We do not have grants or that type of thing” said church member Mary L. Ivy.  “Everything comes out of our pocket, whatever we can sacrifice out of our home. What money we sacrifice from our jobs, just to have a place to go worship."

The small congregation church said these break-ins are a major setback and they’re struggling to keep their doors open.  Deacon Dobbs said at one point the pastor of the church thought about closing the church.

The congregation said they are leaning on each other and will fight through the power of prayer.

“I don’t know what else to do, just continue to pray and just pray for them,” said Deacon Dobbs.

Deacon Dobbs said the church is working to install an alarm and cameras, hoping that will put a stop to the thefts.

If you have any information on this crime, contact the East Point Police Department.