LIBERTY, Mo. (KMOX) - A more than 15-year tradition upheld by a church near Kansas City has been squash by thieves who took 1,500 pounds of grapes off vines that were going to be used to make a year's supply of wine.
Pastor Michael Kern of Hosanna! Lutheran Church said the congregation picks the grapes off rows of vines outside the church every year and they're used to make the communion wine, KSHB-TV reported. The grapes are valued at $1,500.
Liberty police is investigating the theft, which is believed to have happened sometime after Monday. Kern says he knows they we're eaten by animals, but cut off the vines by people who knew what they were doing.
“We don’t care so much about the grapes, the value of the grapes,” Kern said. “It’s just something we love doing. It was more someone kind of stole our joy a little bit.”
He says the church isn't looking for donations and their wine producer, Excelsior Springs, will still be providing the wine for the next year.
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