Three churches in Bethesda were vandalized, two of them set on fire

Three churches in Bethesda were vandalized, and two of them were also vandalized set on fire over the weekend in incidents that authorities say are related.

At 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue responded to a fire call at North Bethesda United Methodist Church, at 10100 Old Georgetown Rd. The main part of the church was not affected and damage was minimal, said Pete Piringer, a spokesman for the agency.

As an investigator was leaving the site, he encountered debris, several damaged headstones and some other timber on the road, which investigators believe came from the nearby Wildwood Baptist Church, at 10200 Old Georgetown Rd., Piringer said.

He said the church was not set on fire, but the materials found appeared to be the result of vandalism.

About 24 hours later, around 2 a.m. Sunday, Fire and Rescue responded to a call about a fire in the parish of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, at 9601 Old Georgetown Rd. — less than a mile from North Bethesda United Methodist Church. The fire damaged several benches but was quickly extinguished, Piringer said, adding that investigators believe the fire was set intentionally.

The damage was enough to shut down activities in the main part of the church, and Sunday Mass was moved to another part of the church, Piringer said.

Officials at the three churches did not immediately return calls or emails seeking comment.

Piringer said authorities believe the three incidents are related and are continuing their investigation: “We can’t say definitively at this time, but certainly with geography, the time of day and the fact that there are three churches relatively close together, that it is certainly one thing. this has not yet been ruled out. … It’s just one piece of the whole puzzle that we’re trying to put together.”

At North Bethesda United Methodist Church and the Parish of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, he said, “in both places there were numerous fires that were set or attempted to be set.” Piringer said both churches were also vandalized, but that investigators are is “unable to release this information at this time.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Information Line at 240-777-2263.