Around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, a fire broke out at the North Bethesda United Methodist Church on Old Georgetown Rd. in Bethesda, Maryland, Piringer told CNN, but the damage was minimal. A searcher leaving the church site then encountered debris that authorities suspect came from the nearby Wildwood Baptist Church, Piringer said, including some damaged headstones and wooden material in the road. Wildwood Baptist was not set on fire, but the material found appeared to be the result of vandalism, according to Piringer. A spokesman for North Bethesda United Methodist confirmed the building had fire damage to the fellowship hall, kitchen and a hallway. “We are saddened by these destructive acts and feel shades of distress and fear that arise in communities of all types when a sacred space is desecrated. We cannot know the hurt of the person or people who vandalized churches in our neighborhood, and so we lift their hurt and our hurt up to God,” the Rev. Kara Scroggins, the church’s senior pastor, said in a statement provided to the CNN. About 24 hours later, at about 2 a.m. Sunday, the fire and rescue services were called to the parish of St. Jane Frances de Chantal located less than two miles away from the other churches. First responders noticed a fire in the church’s sanctuary, which destroyed several pews, but was quickly extinguished, Piringer said, adding that investigators believe the fire was set intentionally. In remarks broadcast live on Sunday, Rev. Samuel Giese informed St. Jane Frances de Chantal their parish had been vandalized during the night. The YouTube video also featured footage from inside the church of the overnight fire. “People broke in, overturned statues, tore down the stations of the cross, desecrated the tabernacle and tried to set fire to the church,” Giese said. In a statement to CNN, Wildwood Baptist Church said “the damage done to our church was limited to the desecration of the cemetery next to the church. Our prayers and concern go out to those whose hearts are so vile as to attack churches and cemeteries.” . Authorities have not commented on a possible motive amid the ongoing investigation. CNN reached out to Montgomery County police, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, the Parish of St. Jane Frances de Chantal and North Bethesda United Methodist Church for comments. CNN’s Daniel Allman contributed to this report.
