Christmas gifts for needy stolen from Antioch Lutheran church
Pastor Ellen Arthur said she hopes the gifts that were stolen from the vestibule at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church in Antioch went to someone who needed them.
“It may sound silly, but we are truly hopeful that whoever did this really needed the cash or the toys, and didn't just blow it on something stupid,” Arthur said Wednesday. “There are a lot of desperate people out there, so I just hope that it was taken out of need and not some other reason.”
Up to $1,000 worth of Christmas presents that were earmarked for needy families through the Open Arms Mission were stolen from St. Stephen's, police said Wednesday.
Antioch Police Cmdr. David Jensen said officers were called to the church in the 1100 block of Hillside Drive on Monday by Arthur, who claimed someone entered the church and took the presents that were set under a Christmas tree.
The Christmas tree was in an unlocked vestibule, Jensen said. The vestibule was routinely left unlocked for parishioners to enter as needed.
When Arthur left the church about noon Monday to run errands, the presents were still under the tree, Jensen said. However, the presents were gone by the time a parishioner entered the vestibule about 1:30 p.m.
The pastor sent emails to parishioners to determine if there was a mistake of some kind, but no one responded that they took the presents, Jensen said.
“We are definitely doing what we can to help,” he said. “There are about 16 families that were to receive gifts this year, but it's unclear exactly how many of those families had gifts already under the tree.”
Arthur said the church annually collects for needy children through the Open Arms Mission, and that all the presents or donations collected are sent to the group on Dec. 9.
Now, she and parishioners are working hard to refill what was stolen.
“It's pretty aggravating,” she said about the empty Christmas tree. “But, since it has become known that this happened, many have come forward and donated something to help out. It helps restore faith in humanity to see people come forward like this.”
Arthur said people interested in donating to help out with Christmas should contact the church at (847) 395-3359. She said all toys, coats, winter clothes, or money donated will go to the Open Arms Mission.
People interested in donated directly to the Open Arms Mission can do so at openarmsmission.org.
“It makes me a little sick to my stomach when I see the empty space without the presents,” she said. “But, we'll do what we can to get it filled up again.”