NEW YORK COMPUTER STOLEN FROM CHURCH New York Daily News - Home - Thank you!Thank you!

Pastor grateful as we replace church's stolen music system

By DAVE GOLDINER
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

The Rev. Stephen McNeil knows how to praise the Lord - and this week he rejoiced when his prayers were answered.
The pastor of the Holy Cross Remnant Church in East New York, Brooklyn, returned Tuesday from a day off to find his small congregation cleaned out of $10,000 worth of sound equipment and musical instruments.

"We're not a rich church, we're struggling just to keep the doors of the church open," McNeil said. "This really is devastating."

But the church's torment turned to joy yesterday when the Daily News enlisted the help of J&R Music and Computer World to replace the stolen equipment. "Thank God!" McNeil exclaimed. "You don't know how happy I feel. God is good."

J&R officials said helping the church is the least the electronics giant can do for a community in need.

"We're part of New York," said J&R spokesman Abe Brown. "Anytime something like this happens to a church, to a house of worship, we feel it too."

Cops said thieves apparently sneaked into the Hegeman Ave. church through a back door sometime between Sunday night, when the congregation wrapped up weekend services, and Tuesday.

The cold-hearted crooks stole expensive audio equipment, an electric guitar, a synthesizer and the computer McNeil uses to carry out the church's business.

Holy Cross, once run by McNeil's father, Bishop W.B. McNeil, had no insurance to cover the losses.

Before The News came to the rescue, McNeil called the burglary a crushing blow to the 25-member church, which survives on donations from its cash-strapped congregation.

The equipment was used during weekly celebrations, as well as outreach programs in the impoverished community.

"A lot of members had really made sacrifices to help this church," he said.

One distraught elderly parishioner even collapsed in grief and had to be taken to the hospital for treatment when she was told of the theft, he said.

McNeil said he can't begin to understand how someone could rob a church, no matter how desperate they might be.

"In these times, when some people don't have respect for themselves, it's sad when some don't have honor for a house of worship," he said.

Even if cops never catch up to the burglars, McNeil has faith that they'll have to face up to their misdeeds, sooner or later.

"I don't hate them, I just hope that justice will be served," he said. "There's going to be a higher calling that they're going to have to stand before, higher than the police or any judge."

Originally published on August 26, 2005