OAKBORO, N.C. — In some ways, the worship service at Red Cross Baptist Church on the first Sunday in July was like any other with singing, praying and preaching. But in other ways, it was much different.

The curtains to the baptistry were closed, some furniture was missing and a little more natural light than usual shone into the sanctuary from windows marked by broken glass.

Despite being the target of vandalism earlier in the week, members of the Stanly County congregation gathered for its regularly scheduled worship service on Sunday, July 6, amid several visual reminders of the damage done to the sanctuary, while also taking time to pray for the individual responsible for the destruction.

Saying it’s been a “hard week,” Pastor Jesse Herring addressed the matter with the congregation at the start of the Sunday morning worship service.

“We don’t know why somebody would feel compelled to do what they did, but this guy that did this is not our enemy,” Herring said. “He’s obviously wrestling with something. And I’m so very thankful to the people that I’ve spoken to this week. I have not spoken to one person that has not said this — that they are praying for this guy. Praying for his salvation, praying that he comes to know Christ.”

On Tuesday, July 1, police arrested Kevin Lee Harvel, 49, of Star, N.C., located in neighboring Montgomery County, in connection with the theft of a motor vehicle, and he was later identified as the person responsible for the vandalism at Red Cross Baptist Church.

Harvel is facing multiple charges related to the vehicle theft and church break-in, as well as an additional charge for a parole violation. He is being held in the Stanly County Detention Center on a combined $200,000 bond.

Investigators say Harvel arrived at the church sometime after 9 p.m. on Monday, June 30, in a vehicle he allegedly stole from a construction site in Locust, N.C. Harvel proceeded to break into a storage building at the church, where he retrieved a shovel that was used to pry open the front door of the church.

Once inside, Harvel allegedly spent more than four hours inside the church ransacking the sanctuary, based on security footage captured during the incident. Law enforcement and church leaders say Harvel can be seen on video turning over furniture and musical equipment, smashing and throwing objects, breaking windows and more.

Harvel is also accused of ripping down the mural and damaging the wall behind the baptistry, tearing pages from a decades-old Bible that was displayed on the church’s communion table, breaking an electric drum set, damaging electronic equipment, and attempting to break into the church vans. Church leaders said some pieces of computer equipment were stolen during the incident but later returned.

Investigators estimated damage to the church and its property at approximately $50,000. Church leaders said they are in the process of working with insurance adjusters on the claims process.

Harvel has been charged with larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle, breaking and entering a place of worship, larceny after breaking and entering, safecracking, possession of burglary tools, defacing a public building, attempted breaking or entering a building, and a parole violation.

Officers with the Stanley County Sheriff’s Office, the Locust Police Department and the N.C. Highway Patrol assisted on the case.

A spokesperson with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office said there was no evidence to suggest that Red Cross Baptist Church was specifically targeted in the incident, nor was there evidence to suggest that the vandalism was a hate crime.

No one was at the church at the time of the incident, and there were no injuries reported.

Cliff Swink, who serves on the church’s building and grounds team, discovered the vandalism when he came by the church on the morning of Tuesday, July 1, to perform some routine maintenance. Swink reported the incident to the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office and also informed William Laton, the church’s deacon chairman.

Laton came by the church and called Herring, who was vacationing with his family in Florida at the time.

When he first learned of the incident, Herring said he was “heartbroken” over what happened at the church and over the vandal’s actions. But Herring also said he has been encouraged to see the congregation, other churches and the community come together afterward.

“It’s just encouraging to see our church come together in unity during a time like this, but to also see the ‘Big C’ church come together in unity when they see a sister church going through something like this,” Herring said.

Red Cross Baptist Church suspends its Wednesday evening activities for the summer during the month of July, but about half the congregation showed up at the church on the afternoon of Wednesday, July 2, to help clean and get things ready for the Sunday service.

“Our church came together just greatly,” Swink said. “We had it back in order in two or three hours. There’s still damage, but we’re back in business.”

And this past Sunday, Herring was back behind the pulpit reminding the congregation of Red Cross Baptist Church that even amid visible evidence of difficulty, damage and destruction, that Christ is risen, ruling and reigning, and He is still in the business of saving souls.

“My prayer is for the guy who came in and vandalized our baptistry, that one day we would get to baptize him in it,” Herring said. “That is my prayer, and I hope that is your prayer.”