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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
State College-area man accused of burning gay pride flag downtown during Pride Month
A Centre County man was arrested Saturday after he was accused of burning a gay pride flag hanging from a downtown church, yelling homophobic slurs at bystanders and damaging Pride decorations outside two businesses. Markos S. Bejiga, 28, of Patton Township, was accused of burning the gay pride flag hanging from the front of Faith United Church of Christ, 300 E. College Ave. In a Facebook post, the Rev. Jes Kast encouraged the LGBTQ+ community to 'Stand firm in courage and joy, do not be afraid.' She also said she would pray for the person who committed the crime and hoped for peace. 'I pray for any who think this type of vandalism is morally ok. It isn't,' Kast wrote. 'I pray that whatever anger or distress you are experiencing that you receive loving support and I do pray you may understand that this action is wrong and we will not accept this as a community. Mercy and forgiveness await you. 'To all, please do not let these inflamed times promote violence. We all have a choice in how we respond and I beg us all to keep choosing the courage to love and the courage of peace. I beg us all, love your neighbor. It is the only way to the common good for all.' Bejiga was also accused of damaging Pride decorations outside of Chumley's gay bar, 108 W. College Ave., and Cafe 210 West, 210 W. College Ave. He also climbed a streetlight pole in an attempt to burn a gay pride flag, borough police wrote in a press release Monday. A Cafe 210 West employee told an officer Bejiga made a comment similar to 'get these f----- flags out of here,' police wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. A woman also said Bejiga told her 'that is what's wrong with this country and that is why there is terrorists, it's because of you f------ f------.' The string of alleged crimes were carried out Friday during Pride Month, an annual series of parades and other gatherings to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture and rights. The arrest came the same day thousands descended on the rainbow-colored downtown for State College Pride 2025. One man wore a T-shirt that read, 'I like my whiskey straight, but my friends can go either way.' Dog owners brought pets decked out in colorful bows and rainbow-colored tutus, while some attendees dyed their own hair in bright colors. Grand Marshal Jacob Kelley, a non-binary drag queen whose alter ego is known as Trixy Valentine, said the gathering was about love, resilience, hope, power and a 'declaration that we are here.' 'It's not revolutionary that we exist. We've always been here,' they said. 'We're just tired of being ignored. We want to be seen, authentically, for who we are. We want to be heard loud and proud, beautiful and colorful, without changing who we have to be.' Bejiga was charged with a felony count of risking catastrophe, a misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct and three summary counts of criminal mischief. No defense lawyer was listed and the Centre County Public Defender Office said it had not been appointed to represent him as of Monday morning. He was arraigned Saturday by District Judge Steven Lachman, who set bail at $10,000. Bejiga is incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday. Centre Daily Times senior reporter Josh Moyer contributed to this article.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Police: State College man arrested for setting PRIDE flag on fire at local church
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (WTAJ) — A 27-year-old man has been arrested following a series of incidents in downtown State College where police said he lit a PRIDE flag on fire, shouted homophobic slurs, and damaged other decorations. Markos Bejiga, a resident of State College, was charged with one felony count of Causing or Risking a Catastrophe, a misdemeanor count of Disorderly Conduct, and three summary counts of Criminal Mischief. The incidents happened Friday morning, June 6, according to State College police. Investigators say Bejiga lit a PRIDE flag on fire outside the Faith United Church of Christ, attempted to set another flag ablaze while climbing a streetlight pole, and damaged decorations at Chumley's and Café 210 West. He is also accused of shouting slurs at bystanders during the acts. Bejiga was arrested on June 9 and taken to the Centre County Correctional Facility for arraignment. Bail was set at $10,000 by District Judge Lachman. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 11 at the Centre County Courthouse. Police continue to seek any additional witnesses or information related to the incident. Tips can be submitted by phone, email, or anonymously via the department's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Houses of worship might play role in improving access to affordable housing
The Rev. Joseph K. Williams Sr. said on Tuesday that affordable housing can be solved in part by the "knowledge of faith to build community." Williams has over 37 years of experience as an ordained minister and currently serves Faith United Church of Christ in Washington, D.C. He also has over 25 years of experience as a nonprofit executive, currently as senior program director for the Faith-Based Development Initiative, known as FBDI, of Enterprise Community Partners Inc. Williams spoke about ways faith leaders can use their land and available resources to provide affordable housing to both their followers and the greater public. "It's about the lives who need to be touched," he said. Williams spoke at a luncheon of the Frederick Housing Solutions Taskforce at Trinity United Methodist Church in Frederick. Ann Ryan, co-chair of the taskforce, said the event was held to connect people from the development, real estate and faith communities, as well as city and county government. "The people in this room have the power to create housing that doesn't currently exist," Ryan said. At the end of the event, she opened up the discussion to get ideas for next steps. Those ideas included filling out the Frederick County 10-Year Housing Study and Strategic Plan survey, which can be found on the county's website at The Rev. Shannon Sullivan, of Trinity United Methodist Church, the host, said, "our church is very passionate about affordable housing." Williams said that FBDI's main goal is to preserve and create affordable housing. "Everything else wraps around that," he said. FBDI has created or preserved over 1,800 affordable homes and has generated $211 million in grants, loans and equity to faith-based development in the Mid-Atlantic region, according to Williams. He added that houses of worship often have unused or underused land surrounding churches. The Gilliam Place development in Arlington, Virginia, for example, was built on the site of the Arlington Presbyterian Church in one project Enterprise has contributed to. The church continues to operate on the first floor, with 173 affordable units above in a mixed-use development near a Metro stop, according to Fairfax County records. "How can you best use this unutilized land?" Williams said was the most important question on such projects. Other FBDI projects have taken place in Montgomery County, Baltimore City, Washington, D.C., and Prince George's County. Frederick County is a place Williams said he would like to expand the program to. Enterprise offers a five-module program with 23 key topics, as well as coordinated cohorts of faith leaders interested in leaning on the experiences of each other. Williams said the goal was to get faith leaders to "become conversant with someone that knows the game better than you." He added that faith leaders need to supply the vision for the projects and be comfortable with it taking around two or three years to find a development partner. "Development is a journey, not a sprint," Williams said. "It will wear you out if you try to complete it quickly." He said faith leaders who invest in learning about the process and surround themselves with legal and other key resources can leverage the expertise of developers to better serve communities. Williams said the vast majority of houses of worship he has worked with want to be part of the final product, "but they don't have the balance sheet to do the deal themselves." He added that a big part of the process is identifying public and private financial resources to use. Additionally, professionals would be needed to work through zoning and other municipal regulations. But, Williams said, with a smart plan and a clear understanding of why faith leaders want to do the project, it can go beyond "sticks and bricks" to improving the lives of those in a way guided by faith. He referenced Joshua 4 and the story of the Israelites' entry into the promised land. "Once you get in the land, you've got to maintain the land," Williams said.
Chicago Tribune
07-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Worship news: Cancer support group and 109th anniversary events
Chesterton Liberty Bible Church: 824 North Calumet Ave. — A Cancer Support Group will be held at Liberty Bible Church's Chesterton campus from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 10. The group provides encouragement and prayer for those who may be experiencing cancer, who are cancer survivors, or have friends or family facing cancer. For more information, email cancersupport@ Crown Point St. Matthias Church: 101 W. Burrell Drive — There will be Men's Bible Study Groups from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. this month, on March 12, March 19 and March 26. To register for the Bible Study, visit East Chicago Greater First Baptist Church: 4862 Olcott Ave. — The church will have its worship service at 11 a.m. Sunday, which is a time for fellowship and praise. Gary Cathedral of the Holy Angels: 640 Tyler St — The Cathedral of the Holy Angels will have a Rite of Election from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 9. Catechumens preparing for Baptism and the sacraments at the Easter Vigil will participate in the Rite of Election. Christ Temple: 4201 Washington St. — Christ Temple in Gary will have its 100th anniversary celebration at 11 a.m. March 9. For more information, call 219-682-4004. St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church: 2300 Grant St. — St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church will celebrate its 109th church anniversary this March, with several events throughout the month with a theme of 'Faith in God's Plan and Purpose for 109 Years.' There will be a spirit event at 11 a.m. March 9, where attendees are asked to wear church-appropriate attire reflective of their favorite sports team, high schools, or Greek Life organizations, during service. There will also be two church anniversary observances at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on March 25, featuring special guests. For more information, call 219-944-7313. Carter Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church: 635 W. 49th St. — The church will have coffee & conversation every Tuesday and Thursday each week from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. For more information, call 219-293-7570 Marquette Park United Methodist Church: 215 N. Grand Blvd. — All are welcome to worship at 11:15 a.m. Sundays at Marquette Park United Methodist Church. There will be refreshments to follow in the Fellowship Hall. Hammond Bishop Noll Institute: 1519 Hoffman St. — Bishop Noll will host Lenten fish fry dinners from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 14, March 21, April 4, and April 11. Meals will include entree, salad bar, dessert and drink. Prices for seafood meals start at $15 with options of perch or pollock, shrimp and mixed platter. There will also be an option for a salad bar only for $8, and a kids meal option for $7. For more information, call 219-932-9058. Faith United Church of Christ: 3030 175th St. — Faith United Church of Christ will have a Northwest Indiana International Women's Day celebration from 10 a.m. to noon on March 8 with worship, prize giveaways, appetizers and more. It will also feature guest speaker Matina Montes, a published author and an expert in spiritual development. The event is $10 and open for members and guests of the NW Indiana Ministry Center. Those interested can register online. Hobart Bethel Church: 704 W. County Road 700North — Bethel Church will have a GriefShare morning session from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and evening session from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 11. Each week the group will watch a video seminar featuring top experts on grief and recovery subjects, then discuss the video and personal lives as a support group. For more information or to register, visit Portage St. Peter Lutheran Church: 6540 Central Ave. — St. Peter Lutheran Church will have Sunday School at 9 a.m., church services at 10 a.m. every Sunday, and Bible studies at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. For more information, call 219-762-2673. Schererville Immanuel Presbyterian Church: 140 U.S. 30 — Sunday school at Immanuel Presbyterian Church takes place on the second, third and fourth Sundays of every month. For more information, call (219) 865-2686.
