Forgiveness is the new writing on the wall

Steve Lamecker, a student at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, removes graffiti from Woyatan Lutheran Church, Rapid City, S.D. Crudely scrawled words of “(expletive) God” and “Religion Takes Lives” were spray-painted on the church in late October. Though the vandalism was intended to provoke anger from Joan Conroy, pastor, she spoke publicly about forgiveness. The incident also brought forth young adult “graffiti busters” and positive attention to the congregation.

Woyatan is the South Dakota Synod’s first multicultural, new-start church and the first ELCA mission to focus on Native people.