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Two days after St. Paul’s Lutheran Community Church in Upper Moutere was stripped of its most precious items, a Good Samaritan appeared out of nowhere to return them.
In the early hours of Sunday morning they had broken into the church, and the thieves took almost everything inside, including historical items and artwork from the founding of the church more than 150 years ago.
These included a painting by Gottfried Lindauer, as well as communion plates, crosses, and other religious iconography dating back to the founding of the church in the 1850s.
Pastor Andy Marr said that while they had not given up hope of getting the items back, he said there was not much expectation that they would see them again.
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However, the items were returned Tuesday afternoon, while Marr was working in his office to update the list of items that had been stolen.
He said he saw a man wandering around the church grounds and went out to meet him.
“He said ‘I could have some things in my car that belong to you.’ So I went out to the car and he opened the trunk and there it was, hidden in the back.
After taking the car to the office and unloading the items on the deck, the two chatted before the man left.
Braden Fastier / Stuff
The stolen items were returned to the church on Tuesday afternoon, two days after the robbery.
The man told Marr that he had been aware of the information on where the stolen items were, but that he had not been involved in the theft.
“We are so grateful that he took that course of action and is not afraid to have that conversation and bring things back,” Marr said.
“We are very happy that God has worked in mysterious circumstances. We often say that God works in mysterious ways, but He also works with mysterious people. “
Marr said almost all of the lost items had been returned to the church, although the wood carving by artist Graham Pizzey was still missing.
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One of the items returned included an 1875 painting by Gottfried Lindauer, which had been specially commissioned for the church.
He said that while Gottried Lindauer’s painting had been removed from its frame and some of the electronic equipment was a bit deteriorated from wear and tear, “things that are valuable to people in terms of connection to the church have been returned.”
After the robbery, Marr had been visiting people in the congregation to provide pastoral care.
“Seeing people this morning with a lot of anguish about what had happened, it was great to be able to call them and hear their joy and appreciation for the things that were given back.
“We just feel blessed, filled with joy and grateful that people did everything they could to do that.”
