Vandalized Arlington Heights church gets a Christmas tree

Pastor Randy Thompson was ready to pick up overturned bookcases, dust off toys and throw out broken computers on Tuesday.

Turns out, so were a lot of people.

Thompson's Arlington Heights Lutheran church, Cross & Crown, was vandalized by two 15-year-old boys late Sunday or early Monday. The boys tipped over bookcases and broke windows and doors, four computers and a copier. Police said the two also set off fire extinguishers so dry chemicals coated many toys in the day-care center.

They also ruined the church's artificial 10-foot Christmas tree.

After the Daily Herald reported on the crime, more than 40 people volunteered to help the church. Tree Classics, an online Christmas tree store based in Lake Barrington, donated a 10-foot tree to the church, complete with lights, Thompson said.

"People were appalled by the idea that we wouldn't have a Christmas tree," he said. "We also received dozens of calls from people who said they had an extra tree we could have."

The church will keep the tree barren except for the lights as a reminder of God's goodness in the midst of evil circumstances, Thompson said in a letter to his parishioners.

The day-care center, which was heavily damaged, will reopen today. Thompson said his office was perhaps the most damaged.

"I'm one of those knickknack people. My office was full of things that remind me of people and places I know. But, you know what? Nothing was broken - even though bookcases were turned over, even some pottery from the Middle East."

Cross & Crown rents space to the Messiah Salvation Center - a Russian church. More than 15 of its members showed up after their day jobs and helped clean up late into Monday night. "They put in another shift," Thompson said.

The two boys, who police say admitted to the vandalism, were charged with burglary and criminal damage to property and released to their parents. They were stopped because they were out after curfew.

"Remember to pray for the two teens charged with the crime," said Thompson in his letter to parishioners. "Such a rage within them to cause such violence, and they will need both healing and forgiveness. Praise God we know about forgiveness, and we know the story that unfolds at Christmas - God coming down to save us, to grant forgiveness to all who believe. "