Parishioners at St. James AME Church now have to rely on handheld fans and ceiling fans for relief.
SAN ANTONIO — According to police, an AC unit was stolen from the St. James AME Church last Saturday, leaving clergy members scrambling the day before Sunday service.
The theft left members of the church saying, “If you can steal from God, you steal from anyone.”
Parishioners like Johnnie Davis now have to rely on handheld and ceiling fans for relief.
“It was miserable,” Davis said. “To think that some person would go as low as to come to a sanctuary, to a church, and actually steal something that is of value to us. It took away from some of the service because you’re concentrating on perspiring. It was very hot.”
Temperatures reached 99 degrees on Sunday, the day after the 5 ton system was stolen. The church’s sanctuary was built in 1878, designed for comfort and respite.
“We’ve been a partner in this community, we offer outreach, we offer feeding the poor,” she said. “We offer all kinds of events to bring the community in.”
On Saturday, sometime between midnight and 2 a.m., a thief broke in through a fence to steal a system the church cannot afford to replace.
“Trying to think about some kind of capital campaign, or something to help us,” said Davis. “Because we can’t afford to do all of the things that are required or to even get this replacement going quickly.”
The church has surveillance cameras but they did not capture the theft. Davis says it was a neighbor who alerted them that the system was missing.
“We were still able to worship and do what we come here to do,” she said.
When our KENS 5 crew arrived, Ramirez Services was able to provide a temporary fix ahead of Sunday’s service.
The church has provided their Zelle for those interested in donating: stjames-sa@att.net
St. James AME Church is located at 402 North Richter Street.