Incline Village congregation asked to pray for massive bear

INCLINE VILLAGE - A bear that has been causing a path of destruction all over Incline Village is now receiving prayers from a local congregation after it helped itself to a Thanksgiving feast last weekend inside the church.

The Rev. Dick Randall of the Village Church in Incline Village sent out a prayer request asking his congregation to pray for the bear. The request in the e-mail said:

"Pray that this bear(s) - which have done over $70,000 plus damage to homes and now a church - is caught and relocated. Pray also that it does NOT come back to our church."

Last week, Nevada wildlife officials tabbed the black bear to be around 700 pounds, confirming it may be responsible for as much as $70,000 in damage this year.

Last Saturday evening, the bear made the Village Church his next victim.

The church annually prepares and distributes food boxes to those in our community in need at Thanksgiving. Residents spent most of Saturday organizing the food that was collected and preparing to be packed into boxes Sunday.

However, the bear found a way into the church by removing the outside handle on a back door and pulling off the push bar to get inside.

Once inside, the bear found a feast and consumed 22 jars of peanut butter, opened and tasted - but did not eat - a few boxes of corn flakes. These items were all on a table waiting to be packed. Next, the bear moved into the church kitchen, where he opened the freezer.

"He proceeded into the kitchen, opened the freezer using the handle, and created no damage, except to the inside shelves, as he helped himself to a few cans of frozen orange juice and a few dozen sweet rolls," said Helene Larson, a member of the congregation.

Larson said that the bear left with a package of Ramen Noodle soup - the package was found up the hill from the church.