Cross burned at church where black pastor was to appear Authorities in North Carolina say a cross was set on fire at a predominantly white church where a black pastor was scheduled to appear for a revival

GASTONIA, N.C. -- Authorities in North Carolina say a cross was set on fire at a predominantly white church where a black pastor was scheduled to appear for a revival next month.

News outlets report the fire outside Loray Baptist Church in Gastonia on Wednesday burned a cross which had been decorated for Easter and still had a white cloth symbolizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ draped on it. The fire was reported by a homeless man.

Pastor Kent Crawford called it odd that the cross was burned as the guest and his family was planning to come to the church.

Police are investigating the incident, but they say most of the church's security cameras aren't pointed toward the cross and don't show when it was set on fire or who may have done it.