Historic cross stolen from Pasadena church

A Pasadena Church is asking for the public’s help after a historic cross was stolen by vandals amid repeated break-ins.

The beloved cross was taken straight from the altar inside the St. James United Methodist Church. The distinct cross holds special meaning because it also survived a fire during the devastating 1906 San Francisco earthquake.

Thieves smashed their way inside the church on July 23 before escaping with the cross.

“This is the theater,” said church member Jude Lucas-Rynerson of the damage. “What they did is, they removed the moulding and took the glass out,” she said while pointing at a set of doors.

“The cross, with original and unique mosaic design detail, was originally found after the earthquake and used as a centerpiece for the architectural design of the St. James United Methodist Church in Pasadena, built in 1941,” officials explained.

Church members said thieves and vandals have continually targeted the church over the past three years. Trespassers would break doors, shatter stained glass windows and even sleep inside the church.

“They were breaking into this area and using it mainly for sleeping, but they were also using this small kitchen which has an exterior door that they would break into,” Lucas-Rynerson said. “We have since installed these locks.”

Throughout the years, the vandals have frightened churchgoers as well.

“We walked in and one of them was here coming out of the kitchen saying, ‘What are you doing in my home?’ recalls Katsy Chappell, a church member. “We’re like, ‘Okay, this is a crazy situation.’”

Although the church has remained an open community gathering place for generations, officials now feel they have no choice but to lock up and increase security.

 “You’ll notice that this is bolted,” Lucas-Rynerson said. “You’ve got this lock here and on all the doors.”

Church officials hope the increase in security measures will prevent future break-ins from happening.

“Everyone is just devastated and on top of that, a lot of people feel unsafe and feel like their place of worship has been intruded upon and has been desecrated,” said Sara Rynerson, a church attorney.

Most importantly though, the church just wants the safe return of the beloved cross to its rightful place on the altar. Without the cross, they said the soul of the church has been taken from them.

“No questions asked,” Chappell said. “Just put it out there, wrap it up, toss it over the side, just bring it back. It’s a cross. It has lots of meaning to this church.”

Church members also say they forgive the suspects who took the cross.

“The cross is there to bless them,” said Lucas-Rynerson. “We’re hoping that they’re going to return it. In the meantime, the church prays not only for the return of the cross but for the health and well-being of the persons who took it.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been created to raise funds to upgrade the church’s security system throughout the facility. Donated funds will be used for security camera installation, motion-sensor lights, improved gates and locks, and repairs to facilities that have been repeatedly broken.

“It’s a big campus and there are lots of different points of entry,” explained Alexander Rynerson, a church attorney. “So having cameras outside, inside would be very beneficial and also that security system would be one that alerts law enforcement.”