Hecklers in the Church: Has it happened in your church?

[SDG]

Man facing charges in church spat

By STEPHEN HUBA
Stephen.Huba@IndeOnline.com

Perry Township police have arrested a man they say disrupted a church service Sunday night and threatened congregants.

Michael D. Campanizzi, 34, of 437 11th St. S.W., Massillon, was arrested Thursday at his residence on one count of aggravated trespassing, two counts of menacing and two counts of telecommunications harassment, all misdemeanors, said police Chief Timothy Escola.

The charges stem from an incident in which Campanizzi allegedly burst into New Life Tabernacle, 3542 12th St. N.W., during the Sunday evening service and “displayed threatening behavior, which alarmed the congregation,” Escola said.

Campanizzi also is accused of making harassing phone calls to the church, which is affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church.

Bishop Harold Blaylock said his son, Pastor Brian Blaylock, was just preparing to give the sermon when Campanizzi came in.

“He screamed out that he ... wanted us to go outside and settle this. We have no idea what he wants to settle,” Blaylock said. “We didn’t know if he had a gun or what he was going to do.”

There were about 300 people in the church at the time. “It was a frightening time for all of us,” he said.

Ushers removed Campanizzi from the building and called police.

Blaylock said Campanizzi attended the church for awhile and enrolled in its drug and alcohol program. Then he stopped coming.

“I don’t know what happened to him. He became paranoid about things,” he said.

Campanizzi has singled out one church member, as well as the pastor, for harassment, Blaylock said.

“We’ve put up with this for three years. We’ve pretty well turned the other cheek quite a few times,” he said, noting that the church still wants to help Campanizzi.

Campanizzi was booked into Stark County Jail Thursday and has a court hearing scheduled for today in Massillon Municipal Court.

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In Dad's church, New York, we had several instances in which ushers had to remove folks. I remeber one man, in particular, who was a Cuban boat refugee. This man was married to a sister in the church and was a lifetime criminal Fidel got rid of. He threatened my dad as he was preaching. He was removed. We often had drunks come in and disrupt service.

Then there are the spiritual hecklers ... usually weirdos off the street who start "prophesying" when there is a pause in the service.

The man in the story above ... was a bit over the top ... w/ the phone calls.

Does anyone have any stories?