WATERLOO — Police are investigating after two LGBTQ-friendly Waterloo churches were spray-painted with messages on Thursday.

At 10:45 a.m. the custodian at Parkminster United Church discovered graffiti reading "Romans: 1:32" on the pavement at the church's front entrance as well as on the parking lot near a Pride flag.

And at noon, staff at Emmanuel United Church noticed the same scripture reference written in white on their building's stained glass window. And, on the building's heritage brick, were the words "the church shall remain holy" written in black, said Rev. Jenn Hind.

"It's all right directly underneath our pride flag," said Hind, who started as a minister at the church on Bridgeport Road in July.

"I'm actually an openly gay, lesbian minister," she added. "Whether or not they found out there's an LGBTQ minister (here) and decided that was a motivation for their hate, I'm not sure."

The scripture reference is of a passage in the Bible that reads: "They know God's decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die — yet they not only do them but even applaud others who practice them."

It's a particularly concerning reference, said Rev. Heather Power who has only been at the Parkminster location for a few months.

"It's certainly one that can be used in terms of spreading hate," she said. "It's concerning for us because it seems to be perhaps suggesting that we are not doing God's decree and therefore we deserve to die."

While it's the first time the Emmanuel church has been targeted with the graffiti it marks the second time in two months Parkminster has been hit.

In October, the words "the church shall remain holy" as well "Romans 1:28" were spray-painted on the outside concrete flooring at the entrance of the church.

"The first time the incident happened was in correlation to our LGBTQ potluck," said Power. "That was being advertised on a sign at our church, which faces Erb Street."

This time, the church sign was advertising a World AIDS Day vigil being hosted Friday at the church.

"We take this kind of incident seriously," she said. "We want to make sure that our people are safe and the different community groups that use our building are safe."

Both churches reported the graffiti to Waterloo Region Police who said they are investigating the incidents as possible hate crimes.

While a recent Statistics Canada report shows reported hate crimes in the region dropped last year, the region ranks fifth among the largest 33 Canadian cities for hate crimes reported to police.

But both Power and Hind said the situation has had a positive side effect.

"In as much as it's been quite upsetting, it's also been, in some ways, a positive experience," said Power, adding that the church has received an outpouring of support from other churches, people on Facebook, and the local community.

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"It's been really heartening to see the community surround us with love."

In response to the ordeal, Hind said the Emmanuel church will host an open house Saturday starting at noon, and will raise a new Pride flag at 2 p.m.

- Fewer reported hate crimes in the region, but still trending high