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Hernando Today

Pastor Finds Blessing In A/C Unit Theft

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By KYLE MARTIN

Hernando Today

Published: May 20, 2008

SPRING HILL - The Rev. William Tassey planned to build his sermon last Sunday around a Bible verse that reads: "All things work for the good to them that love God."

By the time he took the pulpit, he'd already had a rollercoaster week to prove it.

Tassey was the last one out when the Wednesday night service at Faith Baptist Church finished. Nothing was amiss.

But disaster was waiting for his wife when she showed up Thursday morning to start her day at the church's Christian Academy, a few blocks north of the Pasco County line at 175 Spring Time St.

All five of the air-conditioning units cooling the church building had been smashed to bits. The four units behind the school were similarly destroyed.

In the short time it took Tassey to arrive at the church, the first example of what he considers divine providence was in place.

A teacher's husband pulled some strings and an air-conditioning company showed up minutes after 8 a.m. They wanted $19,000 to replace nine units, which probably yielded only about $40 in copper coil for the suspects.

Insurance would foot most of the bill, but there was still the matter of a $1,000 deductible. A $2,500 donation went above and beyond their needs.
Open windows in the school didn't do much to alleviate the heat on Thursday so Friday was only a half day as a result and the new systems were back online in time for a piano recital Friday night.

On Sunday, Tassey had the example he needed for his congregation about the good that comes from loving the Lord.

"I planned this sermon before anything that happened," Tassey said.

Sheriff's Sgt. Jim Powers, spokesman, couldn't say much about the investigation, but he added that copper thefts are a problem "all over the county."

Reporter Kyle Martin can be reached at 352-544-5271 or kmartin@hernandotoday.com.

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