Local churches look at security in wake of church attack
There are many questions in the wake of the church shooting in South Carolina that left nine dead this week.
Will it affect the way churches operate and what about keeping church-goers safe?
While some church leaders may increase security, the El Paso pastor ABC-7 spoke with says he’s not sure anything can be done.
“If people want to do something they’ll find a way,” said Ben Hodge, pastor at Bethel Family Ministries in Northeast El Paso. “You can try to get ahead of it, but I’m not sure you can. I heard this one minister say you know we want to protect our people and we’re spending thousands and thousands of dollars on protection. We have an open door policy, it doesn’t matter what you look like, which makes you vulnerable.”
He said he will address the senseless tragedy in Charleston with his congregation Sunday morning.
“I will say, ‘Lets take a vote. Do we have strict security at the front door? Are we still going to be open to anyone that comes in?'” Hodge said. “I know they’ll say we’re going to keep the doors open and love people.”
Hodge recalled an incident at Bethel Family church just a few years ago, where a man got up from the pew, ran down the center aisle of the church and startled the congregation.
“He started screaming, rather incoherently,” Hodge said. “He wasn’t taken to the ground or anything, but everyone was looking at him. It was hard to ignore the situation, but they just sort of surrounded him and found out he had just been left by his wife.”
Despite those kind of incidents, Hodge said Bethel will keep its doors open for all, as will the Catholic Diocese of El Paso, which sent ABC-7 this statement:
“We are deeply saddened by the senseless deaths of members of the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal church in Charleston, SC. Many who go to church may do so expecting it to be a place of refuge from the brokenness of this world. But being a person of faith means that we ascribe to the radical idea that we are meant to love and discover our solidarity with all humanity. this act of love, regardless of the religion in which it is expressed, has at times drawn the ire of those who think violence, not love, is the answer.
We’ve seen over the years the persecution and violent attacks of many peoples- our jewish brothers and sisters; christians from the middle east and now, once again, black Americans. hatred, whether based on color or creed, stains the very fabric of the community where the crime is committed and remains, like a deep bruise, with the country as a whole. Our parishes have always remained open to the faithful as well as the faith seeking. Our churches will remain a beacon to all who want to enter. We ask area Catholics pray for healing of the victims and their families; pray for an end to racism and violence; pray for the Charleston community and the nation as we find ourselves, once again, grappling with a senseless crime.”
