Does your church lock the doors after the service has started?

[Anonymous]

We started locking the doors into the areas of the church outside the sanctuary (our church has other areas outside the sanctuary, like hallways into the parish hall with exterior entrances) - we were having theft problems, and we also had a couple of incidents with some unstable people. The main doors into the sanctuary remain open, so people can enter the service, and we can see if someone with issues has entered the building and monitor the situation. However, all doors can be opened from the inside to escape in emergency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It kind of caught me off guard today that they locked the door. I was a few minutes late. Is this a thing?

Our Church closes the door and has ushers on the outside that let people in during certain points in the service- so that the noise and movement do not bother those inside during the very quiet contemplative times. However, you can see in though the doors and the service is piped into the ante room.

[Anonymous]

This is not a reason to leave a church community if you are otherwise satisfied. Talk to someone in leadership. They might have no idea this one usher is locking the door and can educate people on the policies about the doors and the usher responsibilities. There's a bigger problem if they're in fact locking people in of course, or if there is some theological reason they're locking the doors (which I doubt).

[Anonymous]

Fire hazard. Against code.

[Anonymous]

Op here: I forgot to mention that the lady who was locking the door happens to be the pastors wife! My husband has been going on and on about how amazing the pastors wife is blah blah and how I must start attending church so I can meet her. Well I've only been a few times this month and this is what happens. We moved to a new area recently. I've decided to visit other churchs. This locked door thing is really off putting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think in these times it may be a safety measure.

I don't think so. The lady said she wanted to prevent children from coming in and out ?

Is there a reason you didn't mention that in the OP?

I found this out later in the evening because my husband asked her about it. I actually left service shortly after I was finally able to get inside. A few minutes later I heard someone trying to get in and the usher wasn't letting her in. I got up to let the person in and it turned out to be a senior citizen! I left after that. There is something really strange about this church.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vermassacresus. God forbid some psycho with a gun starts shooting up the place, the parishioners would be slaughtered like cattle. Better hope the priest is packing some serious heat to take out the perp.

Murica.

God does not forbid it. Massacres happen all*the*time. Orlando, for example.