Despite shattered windows, North Austin church holds Sunday service

AUSTIN, Texas - Almost every stained-glass window at Our Savior Lutheran Church is either boarded up or damaged after an unknown suspect shattered almost every window.

However, that did not stop churchgoers from attending Sunday service.

"When we came, we felt at home and that's the big thing about this congregation, we feel at home," said Mae Dinan.

Mae and Chris Dinan have been coming to this church for almost 13 years. They say they were shocked when they heard what was caught on the church's security cameras. 

Early Friday morning, security footage caught a man dressed in dark clothing appear to use a sign attached to a metal pole to smash almost all the stained-glass windows outside the church. He can even be heard saying "you don’t serve the people" right before he begins his reign of destruction.

"My first thought was, ‘oh, my gosh, oh Lord, how could somebody be that angry? And why are they so mad at you that they have to take it out on a church?’" said Dinan.

Friday morning, just hours before Christmas Eve service, the suspect caused an estimated $100,000 dollars in damage. Later that same day, dozens of churchgoers came to clean it all up. Even after all this, many say they forgive the man who did this.

During Sunday service at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Dinan says she noticed something beautiful even through the boarded-up windows.

"The light still came in the windows and there's still the colors and the colors of heaven that come through," she said.

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