Church writes letters to those who received hate mail
ACWORTH, Ga - An Acworth church is showing support to more than a dozen people who received threatening letters. Monday night, some people in the Abernathy Farm subdivision found letters in their mailbox that said "We want this neighborhood just for white people. Out Hispanics. Out Blacks. Out Asians".
Cedarcrest Church is a little more than two miles away from that subdivision. Pastor Van Vandegriff said he had been doing a series of sermons on racial unity. He said when he heard about the letters his heart shattered.
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"I said, 'Jesus, what do we do? How do we respond? He said what did they get? They got hate mail,' and he said, 'Why don't you give them some love mail,'" said Vandegriff.
So on Wednesday night, when the church had set aside a night to worship, they handed out stationery and pens, and a church filled with people started writing.
John Goehring began his letter with "I don't know you but I know that God loves you".
"You're welcome here, you belong here, you're not alone," wrote Sharon Zunt.
Church members wrote heartfelt messages, hoping to send a little encouragement, a little kindness.
"We're all supposed to love each other, come together, support each other. We all need each other," said Zunt.
The letters were all placed in baskets below a large sign that read "Love Thy Neighbor" and will be delivered to the Abernathy Farm subdivision.
"Hopefully the people that get them will know their neighbors here in Acworth love them and although they may have gotten something that wasn't expressing that, they will know there's a diverse group of people here that love them and want them in the community," said Vandegriff.
Acworth Police said they are processing all the threatening letters that were mailed to the Abernathy Farm subdivision, trying to determine who sent them.
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