'A broken world': Fayetteville church taps prayer partners after racist, obscene vandalism

Myron B. Pitts, Fayetteville Observer
·2 min read

Apostle Cordelia Challenger has a message for the people who vandalized her church in November with racist and obscene graffiti: She is still here, and she has backup.

Challenger and members of Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church. on Gillespie Street downtown continue to hold a 2 p.m. prayer service in front of the church every Sunday as a counter to the messages left by the vandals. Challenger has issued an open call for ministers to come pray with the church.

More: Fayetteville pastor of church where racist, pro-Nazi messages left reacts to arrests in case

Among preachers answering the call on Dec. 3 were the Rev. Bobby Tyson of Camp Ground United Methodist Church;  the Rev. Rob James of First Baptist Church on Anderson Street; Eldress Bernadine McLean of Greater Unity Tabernacle;and the Rev. June Williams.

The Rev. Bobby Tyson of Camp Ground United Methodist Church prays during a service at Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church on Dec. 3, 2023. The church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.
The Rev. Bobby Tyson of Camp Ground United Methodist Church prays during a service at Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church on Dec. 3, 2023. The church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.

“We recognize that we live in a broken world, where people are broken, where their brokenness sometimes spills out in places where your name is glorified the most,” James prayed. “God we ask for you to be with those who did this thing. May your love be seen in their lives, where they recognize your presence.

“And God we ask you to be with the congregation here, to be with their pastor, and to hold onto their faith, and their hope and their love as they seek to share in this community. We stand together — not as Baptist or Methodist or any of those things. We stand together under your son, because you stand together with us always.”

Apostle Cordelia Challenger of Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church helps a young person participate in a prayer service on Dec. 3, 2023. The downtown church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.
Apostle Cordelia Challenger of Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church helps a young person participate in a prayer service on Dec. 3, 2023. The downtown church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.

Around a dozen people stood in front of the church, which is located across from the Cumberland County Detention Center. During the service, young boys led the assembled in a songs and scripture; one of the boys led the Lord’s Prayer. They then held aloft a U.S. flag.

“I do not know everyone here,” Challenger said. “I do know that God’s people are here today, and we thank God for every one.”

Apostle Cordelia Challenger of Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church speaks during a service on Dec. 3, 2023. The downtown church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.
Apostle Cordelia Challenger of Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church speaks during a service on Dec. 3, 2023. The downtown church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.

The church does much youth outreach and Challenger often uses the example of the jail across the street as the kind of fate she wants young people to avoid. In her comments, she again said as in the past the church would be willing to find jobs for the vandals who face charges in the graffiti. All the accused youth were 21 or younger.

Challenger believes the graffiti, which included a pentagram, the inverted image of which is associated with devil worship, is a sign of spiritual warfare — and she and people of faith need to be ready for battle.

The Rev. Rob James of First Baptist Church prays in front of Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church on Gillespie Street on Dec. 3, 2023. The downtown church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.
The Rev. Rob James of First Baptist Church prays in front of Greater Unity Tabernacle Christian Church on Gillespie Street on Dec. 3, 2023. The downtown church has held a prayer service every Sunday at 2 p.m. since it was vandalized in November with hateful graffiti.

“The terrible thing that happened on this building was not about me, was not about this building,” she said. “It was about the kingdom — it was about what the enemy was doing to attack the body of Christ.”

Myron B. Pitts can be reached at mpitts@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3559.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville church attacked with hateful graffiti holding weekly prayers