Violation of Trust, even just a theft.

On a personal note, just a reminder to you all during this holiday season that I had my i-pod stolen out of my church's Sacristy ($300) on November 1st while I was the lay reader for the 7:30 service. I posted a sign in the sacristy saying it was "lost" - that was just my attempt to allow the person who stole it to save face and return it to me. However it was in my inside pocket of my leather jacket which was hanging on a chair at the table in the middle of the sacristy. I remember thinking before I went in to the service, perhaps I should take it with me. - but felt it was safe in that room. It wasn't - so someone had to deliberately check my inside zipped pocket. I reported to the police and the serial number has been entered into NCIC - the national database of stolen articles. I just don't want any of you to have something stolen during the Christmas season - even in a supposedly high trust situation.
If you have lost something or been ripped off, I would encourage you to report it to the police too. This is a especially true when it might have been a friend or colleague. Remember to have someone violate a member in a high trust situation, is a much more serious event, than the violation by a stranger. In fact for sex offenses, the violation of a child by a trusted relative or friend, is much more damaging than the same assault by a stranger. And I am hurt by this theft - it was a violation of the high trust I had for all. It also means that someone in the church is in such a bad way that they could not ask for help, and probably violated one of their own values to commit this theft. Hopefully we can find the person, and provide assistance and treatment as needed. Deus te amat, and the thief. Bill