Squatter hid in church attic for three years

 stannchurch.org

A man had been living in the attic of a church for three years, before being found by an airconditioning repairman on Tuesday.

William Barker, 42, was a member of the congregation at St Ann's Catholic Church, Arlington VA, and would attend mass regularly. Unlike other members of the Church, when the service ended he would not leave.

Once the church had emptied, Barker would climb into the attic with a ladder to his makeshift home.

"He would wait until the evening hours when there was less staff around, pop a ceiling tile, use a ladder, crawl up to his own space in the attic, pull the ladder up there and occupy it until the next morning," Dustin Sternbeck of Arlington County Police told News4.

Barker had built himself a bed and clothing was found hanging from the rafters.

He was discovered by an air conditioning repairmen, who heard noises in the attic and rang the police. The police then found Barker's belongings in the attic.

The pastor of the Church said the discovery was "quite sad".

I was there the whole time when the police were called in, and when he came down, I was waiting to see his face, and there was a deep sadness that I felt there," he said.

Police arrested Barker and he was charged with trespassing.

News
Samuel Escobar, Latin American theologian and missions leader, dies at 90
Samuel Escobar, Latin American theologian and missions leader, dies at 90

Samuel Escobar Aguirre, a leading Peruvian theologian, missiologist and Bible scholar, has died at the age of 90.

Cost-saving claims raise fears for vulnerable under UK assisted suicide plans
Cost-saving claims raise fears for vulnerable under UK assisted suicide plans

Financial savings for Britain's broken healthcare system could pressure more vulnerable people into choosing assisted suicide if it were to be legalised.

The hidden harm of the prosperity gospel
The hidden harm of the prosperity gospel

Who wouldn’t want a faith that promises wealth, health, and success? But beneath its shiny surface, the prosperity gospel holds dangerous distortions of God’s character and the true essence of Christian faith. 

Christian Aid to cut back staff, hopes for more efficient use of donor money
Christian Aid to cut back staff, hopes for more efficient use of donor money

The charity will fall from 720 staff to around 400.