Pastor says Jesus statue shot in head

The three metre cement statue was struck near the hairline with what appeared to be a bullet from a .22-calibre rifle.
“We were all just astonished that someone would do that,” Adkins said. “Nobody’s mad about it, but we’re hoping and praying the person who did it will come forward so we can pray with them and for them and forgive them for what they’ve done.”

Adkins (59), said law enforcement has not been contacted and he doesn’t plan to file charges.
He only wants the chance to talk with the shooter.

“I want whoever did this to know this church is based on love and forgiveness and that we will forgive them for this,” Adkins said. “That’s how the church stands on this.”
Adkins grew up in the church and took over as pastor last February when his brother, who had been pastor, died suddenly from complications with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The statue was donated to the church about five or six years ago by Buddy Ellis of Ellis Supply, Adkins said.
The teen Sunday school class and Vacation Bible School children spent four days in July repainting the statue and moving it to a new cement base. He said they are very proud of it.
The shooting could have been much worse. The teen class that painted the statue meets in a classroom directly behind the statue.

“If they had missed and we had been in church at the time, the shot could have gone through and struck someone in the classroom,” Adkins said.
No bullet was found at the scene, but it left a hole about a half-inch deep.

He suspects someone had been out partying and thought it would be funny to shoot at the statue. He hasn’t ruled out the possibility it was an accident. — AFP.