Bomb scare forces church to end service
___By John Hall
___Staff Writer
___GRAND PRAIRIE--A Grand Prairie pastor cut short the morning worship service July 15 after receiving word that a bomb might be in the church.
___Doug Simon, pastor of Indian Hills Baptist Church, said a woman who lives in a nearby neighborhood drove to the church and told a member that one of her neighbors had said he was going to put a bomb in the church.
___The member then called Simon out of the service and informed him of the situation. Simon quickly told the congregation about the threat, ended the service in prayer and dismissed them.
___"There's been a lot of news recently about pipe bombings around Arlington, not in churches, but in schools, so I thought I had to take some credence in the threat," Simon said. "There's no telling what people will do today. I felt I had to protect the people in my congregation."
___During the week preceding the church incident, police responded to several discoveries of pipe bombs in public places around the Metroplex.
___The woman who first reported the threat told the church member the man who claimed he was going to put a bomb in the church was upset because his wife had an affair with a pastor from another church and was seeking revenge.
___Grand Prairie Police Sgt. Scott Trim said the woman told the police an acquaintance called her and made a passing remark about putting a bomb in the church.
___Police searched the grounds after the sanctuary was evacuated but did not find a bomb.
___The woman refused to name the man after the search, telling the police he must have meant the remark as a joke.
___The church's evening service was held as scheduled.
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