By Stan Friedman

LAVEEN, AZ (January 17, 2013) – Brad Boydston, pastor of Masterpiece Church, is trying to take the long view on responding to the theft of the church plant’s trailer that contained much of its equipment earlier this month.

“As I see it, that’s the cost of doing business in the world,” Boydston said. “We take precautions, but if we’re actually out there in the community, there will be times when the bad guys get the upper hand. But as Billy Graham has been fond of saying over the years, ‘I’ve read the last page of the Bible – it’s all going to turn out all right.’”

The stolen trailer had been a generous gift. “It was was donated to us from Cornerstone Covenant in Turlock (California),” Boydston said.

The trailer was parked at a church member’s house when it was stolen on the evening of January 6. “Fortunately, we had stored all our electronics somewhere else; but our Bibles, Bible stand, totes, quilted cross banner, toys, changing table with diapers, folding chairs, tables, signage, and some table cloths were taken,” Boydston said.

“One thing that went missing was our Timothy Botts Calligraphy NLT Bible, which we read from each Sunday and stored in the trailer,” said Boydston. “It is now apparently out of print, and I looked up the cost of a new one this morning – more than $1,100.”

Boydston quipped, “I think we need to invest in first edition Bibles. Cheryl and I had paid $70 for it three years ago.”

“Insurance will cover some of the cost for the lost items, but we’re still waiting for the insurance dust to settle,” Boydston said. “They won’t even consider a claim until the trailer has been reported missing for two weeks. But we had $1,000 deductible on the contents and $500 deductible on the trailer itself. We are still totaling the value of the contents, and the value of the trailer is to be determined.”

The church has had to start replacing the equipment. In a note to the church, Boydston wrote that a store clerk asked why he was purchasing a Little Tikes table.

“I’m sure she was hoping for a feel-good story about grandchildren or little nieces,” he said. “But when I explained that it was for our church to replace the one that went missing when thieves stole our trailer last Sunday night, she gasped! She couldn’t believe that someone would steal from a church.”

He did have a request. “If you see a white trailer with the Arizona plate Y07024 and a small lime green MasterPieceChurch.org sticker on the back, go ahead and give 911 a call.”