By Jeff Brumley
One of two churches bombed in Las Cruces, N.M., on Sunday included one with a brand new pastor from a Baptist congregation in Missouri.
Kevin Glenn also is an expert and author on the subject of restoring civility in society.
Glenn told Baptist News Global in a brief text message exchange that Sunday morning was to be his first day at Calvary Baptist Church in Las Cruces. It and a nearby Catholic parish were the targets of what authorities described as improvised explosive devices that detonated Sunday morning. No injuries were reported in either blast.
“These devices were intended to do harm, I believe, and could have done harm to people,” New Mexico State Police Chief Pete Kassetas told KRQE in Las Cruces.
Glenn said he had little time to text because he had been called into a meeting with law enforcement officials and New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. The purpose was to prepare for a press conference about the bombings and the subsequent investigation.
Local news reports said one IED was placed in a mailbox attached to an outside wall at Calvary Baptist. It exploded shortly before 8 a.m. Calvary offers an 8:30 a.m. traditional service and contemporary services at 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m., according to its website.
The second device exploded in a trash can outside Holy Cross Catholic Church roughly a half hour later.
Glenn, who was unavailable for comment later Sunday evening, noted that it was a tumultuous way to begin a new pastorate.
He and his family had moved to Las Cruces within the past few days to be closer to his wife’s family. He said it was a move designed to put down permanent roots in the community.
His previous pulpit was at Memorial Baptist Church in Columbia, Mo., which is listed on the CBF Heartland website as a partner with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
The native Floridian has been in ministry for more than 23 years and is a consultant and blogger who has contributed to numerous local and national news outlets, including BNG. He is also the author of Hand Over Fist: An Invitation to Christ-Centered Civility.