Vandals keep striking
at Faith Lutheran Church

By Lauren Fritsky
Times Staff Writer

Pastor Owen Griffiths sees the Faith Lutheran Church as a place of light and beauty.
The exterior of the Millbrook church, however, looks rather dark and ugly thanks to graffiti that keeps appearing on the brick walls.
"It’s so painful to (congregants)," Griffiths said.
The pastor said his church, a two-story building that sits on the edge of a residential area on the 4100 block of Woodhaven Road, has had problems with graffiti for more than a year.
Griffiths points to the area’s low visibility as one reason that the church is continually targeted.
"The problem with Faith is that we are inconspicuously out there in the middle of the nowhere," he said. "That’s what makes it such a target."
The pastor, who takes photographs of the graffiti each time it appears, continually gets help abating the insufferable scrawls from the office of City Councilman Brian O’Neill (R-10th dist.).
The 8th Police District also regularly patrols the site, a difficult task since Woodhaven Road runs only one way.
The area’s newly formed Chalfont Town Watch also plans to monitor the site.
"We’re going to make sure we definitely step up our operation over there," said David Kralle, treasurer of the group and an aide to Speaker Dennis O’Brien (R-169th dist.), whose district encompasses the area.
"We’re going to make sure we direct those (members) going out there to that property."
Griffiths appreciates the help, but he also wants to reach the individuals who are responsible for the blight. He asks parents to watch their children to make sure they’re not vandalizing the neighborhood.
"What I do believe (is that) it’s a lot of young people with time on their hands," Griffiths said of the culprits.
The Philadelphia Anti-Graffiti Network also supplies homeowners and businesses with paint vouchers or free power-wash jobs to remove graffiti from their properties.
To reach the city’s anti-graffiti hot line, call 215-686-0000. ••
Reporter Lauren Fritsky can be reached at 215-354-3038 or lfritsky@phillynews.com