Columbus church focuses on safety, security for Palm Sunday
Rev. Tim Ahrens said security for the downtown Columbus church begins with an awareness of each person and their surroundings.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — For many churchgoers, Sunday was the First Palm Sunday Service in more than three years. With more people out and about for Holy Week, churches are taking another look into security.
“What we do as people of faith is come together to pray, to sing and to worship and we’ve been sort of kept apart for the holiest day of the year… people are juiced, they’re ready to be together,” said Rev. Tim Ahrens of The First Congregational Church of Columbus.
Rev. Ahrens said security for the downtown Columbus church begins with an awareness of each person and their surroundings.
“Step one: have people heightened, aware and trained. Step two is to have the sort of outward pieces of security that we put in place and train our leaders and security guards,” he said.
Mark S. Williams is the Director of Faith Formation at the church and on the safety committee.
“We do have a safety committee and security committee where we make sure we have certain procedures in place if something were to happen,” said Williams.
Security includes cameras and guards inside and outside the buildings, to keep everyone safe. The facility also brought in Homeland Security to audit the building and received a federal grant from FEMA to increase measures.
“And if we actually have an active shooter, we train with “Run Hide Fight,” so we have all of those procedures in place. We have security bars for all of our doors,” said Williams.
Churchgoers shared that they are just excited to be back in a time where we all need each other, coming out of the pandemic.
“The three things that are really important are fellowship, worship and stewardship, and you can’t have those three unless you are together as one people,” says Paven Peter, who has been attending the church with his family since 2007.
“Even if there are times of uncertainty and unsafety, it’s all the more reason to show we can stand up together as one and stand up against adversity together.”
With Easter just around the corner, Rev. Ahrens said the church is more than prepared to handle the large crowds and welcome one and all.
“Be on guard, be prepared, be watchful. These are all words that Jesus is saying all the time and we have to take them to heart and live fully into them,” he said.
Read More: Columbus church focuses on safety, security for Palm Sunday