Massachusetts

Church leaders offer support after vandals target five churches with anti-LGBTQ graffiti – The Boston Globe

Published

2 years ago

August 4, 2024

Church leaders offer support after vandals target five churches with anti-LGBTQ graffiti – The Boston Globe

“Every Sunday, when we gather together with long-time members and newcomers alike, we are welcomed with this phrase: ‘No matter who you are, or where you are in your journey of life and faith, you are welcome here,” the Rev. Michele Bagby Allan, pastor at First Congregational Church Norwood, wrote Friday afternoon in a Facebook post.

Last Sunday, worshippers at a morning service in Norwood discovered welcome flags with rainbow designs had been yanked down, multi-colored Adirondack chairs symbolizing the church’s support for the LGBTQ community had been rearranged, and a rainbow banner reading “Be the Church” had been covered with a black banner, her post said.

Similar scenes unfolded at Christ Lutheran Church and First Congregational Church of Natick, First Congregational Church of Sharon, and St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Framingham, according to the Massachusetts Council of Churches.

At the churches in Sharon and Natick, vandals left a Christian flag and banner reading, “Jesus is King,” according to public statements by the congregation’s religious leaders.

At St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Framingham, a Pride flag displayed outside the sanctuary was removed and replaced with a Christian flag, the Rev. Susan F. Sprowls, the interim rector, said Saturday in an email. A two-page flyer of material offering a “narrow, anti-LGBTQ+ view of scripture passages” was left at the church’s welcome banner, Sprowls wrote.

“We replaced the Pride flag immediately to reflect that St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church remains steadfast in its commitment to proclaiming the love of God for ALL people,” she said.

In Natick, people gathered Thursday evening outside the First Congregational Church to show support for the LGBTQ community, according to the church’s website.

On Friday, the Massachusetts Council of Churches and several other local religious leaders published letters calling attention to the crimes, offering prayers to people who were harmed and the perpetrators, and vowing continued support for the LGBTQ community.

“Sadly, the persons responsible for these attacks left materials indicating they were done in the name of Christ,” said a letter signed by leaders of the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, Southern New England Conference of The United Church of Christ, and New England Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

“In response, we declare our unequivocal and unwavering commitment to living out Christ’s welcome to people of every sexual orientation and gender identity and celebrating their full participation and inclusion in our denominations,” they wrote.

Their letter said they have been working with the FBI and local authorities. On Saturday, a FBI spokesperson declined to comment, and messages seeking comment from police in Framingham, Natick, and Norwood weren’t returned. A Sharon police official said no one was available Saturday to comment.

The ADL’s Center on Extremism and GLAAD, a leading advocacy organization for the LGBTQ community, has been tracking a “rising number of attacks against affirming religious institutions.”

In February, the organizations published findings documenting at least 66 incidents nationwide in which religious institutions were targeted over “their perceived support for and inclusion of LGBTQ people.”

The incidents occurred between June 2022 and January of this year, and included vandalism at First Baptist Church in Jamaica Plain.

Last June, the church on Centre Street was defaced with graffiti that said members of the LGBTQ community “should die.” The phrase, “God does not love you,” was written on the base of the steeple area, the Rev. Ashlee Wiest-Laird told the Globe last year.

About three months later, the doors at Tabernacle Congregational Church in Salem were vandalized with anti-LGBTQ graffiti and other symbols of gay pride were defaced in the city.

Police arrested Mohammed S. Rajab, 26, of Beverly, and filed vandalism and hate crime charges against him. The case is pending and Rajab has pleaded not guilty, court records show.

Between July 2022 and last November, there were 38 anti-LGBTQ incidents in Massachusetts, including instances of harassment, vandalism, and an assault, according to ADL data. More than two-thirds of the incidents were harassment, the figures show.

In a statement on its website, First Congregational Church of Sharon said it is reaffirming its commitment to being a “welcoming, open, affirming, and loving church to all people.”

“We will not be bullied into changing who we are and what we believe,” the statement said. “And now more than ever, we will continue to proclaim the Good News of God’s unconditional love for all people, which we see reflected in God’s Rainbow.”

Laura Crimaldi can be reached at laura.crimaldi@globe.com. Follow her @lauracrimaldi.

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Massachusetts

The Massachusetts beach towns better than Cape Cod, per Condé Nast

Published

52 minutes ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

The Massachusetts beach towns better than Cape Cod, per Condé Nast

Massachusetts residents love their beach towns.

And Condé Nast Magazine loves two particular beach towns in the Bay State, but surprisingly didn’t pick a beach on Cape Cod.

That’s why the towns were included on the magazine’s 2025 list of the 17 best beach towns on the East Coast.

“Whether you’re looking to lay out on the sand in summer or prefer walking along the water spotting wildlife and collecting rocks, the shores of the East Coast have a little something for everyone,” Condé Nast stated on its website.

Here’s more about the magazine’s favorite beach towns in Massachusetts.

Oak Bluffs ranked No. 5 on the list

Coming in at number 5 is one of the most popular spots on Martha’s Vineyard – Oak Bluffs.

What they said: “The colorful gingerbread houses for which Oak Bluffs is known are straight out of a storybook. Visitors walk straight off their boats into Ocean Park, a circular green overlooking the sea, encircled by said houses, with a frothy, delicate gazebo sitting in the center. Oak Bluffs has a long history of welcoming Black visitors, and today it is home to the annual African-American Film Festival.”

Rockport ranked No. 4 on the list

Rockport is a town on the North Shore of the Bay State.

What they said: “The coastal region is known for its excellent seafood, beautiful beaches, and historic landmarks. Many a good film has been filmed here as well, such as Martin Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’ and Kenneth Lonergan’s ‘Manchester-by-the-Sea.’

“Forty miles north of Boston, (Rockport) has a can’t-miss natural gem in Halibut Point State Park, from which visitors can spot Maine in the distance 80 miles away. Rockport is also beloved by art history buffs: it is home to Motif Number 1, a fishing shack with the superlative ‘the most-often painted building in America.’ It was built in 1840, and was a popular subject because it represented New England’s nautical character.”

What other regions of New England are on the list?

According to Condé Nast, they include:

Bar Harbor, Maine
Kennebunkport, Maine
Newport, Rhode Island
Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
Madison, Connecticut

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts town near Gillette Stadium presses for World Cup security funding

Published

13 hours ago

May 9, 2026

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Massachusetts town near Gillette Stadium presses for World Cup security funding

Up the road from Gillette Stadium, a town neighboring Foxboro is pressing for funding to meet public safety demands arising from the World Cup, with the first match just over a month away.

Walpole’s state delegation has written a letter to the state Office of Travel and Tourism requesting approval of the town’s request for nearly $200,000 to support “essential public safety personnel,” as officials expect “significant spillover impacts” from the premier soccer tournament.

As the Walpole/Foxboro town line on Route 1 is a handful of miles north of Gillette Stadium, officials are expecting increased traffic congestion and pedestrian activity to amount to “heightened public safety demands.”

“As outlined in the Town’s proposal,” the state delegation wrote in the letter it sent to the state last week, “Walpole will play a critical role in ensuring safe and efficient operations for both residents and visitors.”

“This funding will help close a critical gap and ensure that Walpole can safely support this internationally significant event,” the delegation added.

The state Office of Travel and Tourism confirmed to the Herald that it received the letter from state Reps. John H. Rogers, Paul McMurtry, Ted Philips and Marcus Vaughn and Sen. Mike Rush. The office said it will announce decisions in the coming weeks about round two of the $2 million grant program that supports municipal public safety needs tied to the World Cup.

The first round of the program, a $10 million competitive initiative, awarded funding earlier this year to 17 communities to support tournament-related events, including fan festivals, watch parties and regional activations.

This comes after the Foxboro Select Board battled the Boston Soccer 2026 nonprofit host committee and Kraft Sports & Entertainment, which operates Gillette Stadium, for months to ensure it received full funding to cover all security personnel and equipment.

In mid-March, the David vs. Goliath fight concluded, with Boston Soccer 2026 and the Krafts agreeing to cover Foxboro’s $7.8 million request.

Gillette, which will be rebranded as “Boston Stadium,” is set to host seven matches – five in the group stage and two knockout games – between June 13 and July 9. The World Cup is considered a SEAR 1 event, the highest risk level for public gatherings in the country.

“These matches will bring an excitement that this town has never seen,” Foxboro Police Chief Michael Grace said before the Select Board voted to grant an entertainment license for the matches to go on.

Gillette Stadium. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

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Massachusetts

The best Massachusetts high schools for athletes? According to one study, here are top 25

Published

1 day ago

May 9, 2026

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The best Massachusetts high schools for athletes? According to one study, here are top 25

No other city in the country boasts more championships than Boston, giving Massachusetts a sporting pedigree unlike any other.

What’s unique about many of the state is that several of the stars from those championship-winning teams were Massachusetts natives.

Before they were winning the Stanley Cup, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, World Series or a gold medal, those athletes were high school standouts.

Which high schools in Massachusetts are considered the best for athletes today?

According to a study conducted by Niche, which accounts for survey feedback from students and parents—accounting for “reviews of athletics, number of state championships, student participation in athletics, and the number of sports offered at the school”—and data from the U.S. Department of Education, these are the top 25.