Community steps up and donates money, equipment to burglarized Glendale church

Glendale church Jesucristo Es La Luz had thousands of dollars in equipment stolen, but the community has since stepped up and donated money and whatever else they needed.

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Every Sunday, Gustavo Mendez can be seen playing the guitar and worshipping at Jesucristo Es La Luz in Glendale.

But when his family arrived to open the doors last Sunday at their church, the lock was broken.

"There was a hole above the lock," Mendez said. "Then when she went to open it the door, just, you know.. didn’t have to use her key. It just opened up."

Someone had broken into the small church on 59th Avenue and Missouri. They stole speakers, audio mixers, microphones, music stands, amplifiers, a laptop, a projector - and that's not the worst of it.

The music. Four electric guitars and an acoustic. Gone. Those mattered to Gustavo’s father, the pastor, because it’s a reminder of the addictions he overcame.

"Through the church, he dropped that and became a worship leader," Mendez said. "One of the guitars taken was actually given to him by the first church he went to where he became a worship leader, so there is a huge sentimental value to that."

Police are investigating, but the services have resumed.

Gustavo's fingers still play the same chords, thanks to friends letting them borrow guitars for now.

"We’re heartbroken, but we know things are going to get better," Mendez said.

Part of that is forgiveness. Gustavo said he won't judge whoever stole, and he's just glad no one was hurt. However, the $8,000 in equipment will be near impossible for a church of this size to replace.

"I just hope people won’t let the bad things overshadow the good," he said. "We all play a role in someone's life and I hope that role is a positive one. That’s the mission of our church, that’s what we stand by, and we’re not going let something like this get us down."

'We're heartbroken': Thousands of dollars in equipment stolen from Glendale church

Glendale church Jesucristo Es La Luz is reeling after $8,000 in equipment were stolen from them last week.

Not long later, things take a turn for the better

After the break-in, church leaders went to the store they bought the guitars and were able to get all of the serial numbers.

That helped police recover much of what was stolen, but not all of it.

Now the music is alive again, and faith in the community has been restored.

Barry Spears from Glendale says he saw what had happened on the news. "Channel 10. We saw it on the news," he said.

Spears is one of many who donated a guitar to the church.

"God just put it on my heart. It wouldn't go away. It was in every thought I had. I’d lay down at night, here it goes again. No, I just thought, ‘We gotta do this,’" Spears said.

Others donated projectors, speakers, tables, even all new chairs for the church.

A GoFundMe page exceeded the $8,000 goal.

Even more good news, Glendale Police even recovered much of what was stolen thanks to the serial numbers church leaders were able to find.

Police haven’t revealed if there are any suspects or arrests yet in this case.

Mendez says they are no longer storing musical equipment at the church for fear it might be broken into again. They’re also hoping to beef up security to make sure they can continue to hold services in peace.

Support their GoFundMe here: