Mad at God?

   Surveillance cameras last week captured a man throwing a brick through a window and breaking into North Nashville's 15th Avenue Baptist Church.

   "The fact that someone would vandalize something so sacred is deeply upsetting and disturbing to me," said Pastor William Buchanan.

   Other burglaries have occurred at churches on Smith Springs Road and Old Murfreesboro Pike.

   Maybe the burglars think their victims will be more forgiving?

   At one church, choir members got ready in a room to come out and sing. The room was left unlocked from an outside entrance and a thief waltzed in and stole all the personal belongings of the choir members.

   Pastors and police are joining forces and fighting back with Metro's fourth annual Church Safety Seminar. Officers won't just be addressing break-ins; they'll be tackling everything from embezzlement to identity theft.

   Father Joseph Breen of St. Edwards Church has been to the seminar before. "We found out lighting is one of the most important elements of security," Breen said.

   This year, Breen is hosting the event and said he hopes to send a message to criminals that they will have to bear the burden of their actions. "I don't think they can live with that and find peace," Breen said.

   But for those who are able to overcome their conscience, they’ll now have to deal with clergy armed with self-defense tactics.

   "I think they would be wise to keep that it in mind, that it is a house of God. It's something different and something special that I would hope they would not consider doing it again,” Breen said. (Or they’ll suffer the wrath of God?)

   Metro police said anyone is welcome to join the seminar. It starts at 9 a.m. Thursday at the St. Edwards Church on Thompson Lane.