Memphis church vandalized with racial epithets

Jun 8, 2009

MEMPHIS, TN – A Memphis church became a crime scene after vandals spray painted it with racial slurs.
It happened at the New Life Holiness Church on Vera Cruz Street in East Memphis.
Before New Life Holiness members gathered for this worship service. Members had to walk past doors covered with racial slurs and profanity. Hate that members say was also painted on air conditioning units in the back of the church. The insults ranged from the N-word to the B-word.

Pastor Fredrick Smith said, “Its the mindset of some people that have a problem with a black church in the neighborhood.”

Smith feels that his church was singled out because the majority of its members are African American. The Church moved to this address on Veracruz Street 5-years ago. Police spent the morning taking pictures of the vandalism and looking for clues throughout the neighborhood.

Meanwhile congregation members say they will demonstrate their faith by praying for the people who vandalized them.