Access & Security Changes
Dear friends and members of St. Matt’s,
If you’ve been to campus lately, you may have seen the signs at the doors about a change coming to how we secure the building. Over the last few years, we’ve been engaging in a process of reflection, seeking advice from local police, and working together with WEPCO and WPC to decide how best to move forward around issues of access and security. Vestry, Session, and the WEPCO Board have all participated in the evolution of this process along with clergy and staffs from both churches. As our project draws to a close, it’s time for us to begin to live a little differently. Much of this is because the world that we live in now has changed, and sadly, it is less safe than it was some years ago. Some of this is about preparedness. Some of it is about a desire to keep renters and user groups safe. And some of it is born of a desire to keep our worshipping communities and our staffs safe as well.
In two weeks, we’ll be swapping out the locks all around the building. If you have a key to the building, it will no longer work. You’ll need to ring a bell at the door in the courtyard in order to gain access to the building. That intercom will go through to folks in the offices who will be able to let you in during normal business hours. If you don’t already, I’d encourage you to send me or Nancy a note to coordinate when you’d like to come by. Instead of keys, we’ll be using key cards to gain entry. We’re working with groups within the churches as well as renters and user groups to distribute these as logically and carefully as possible. Not everyone will need one. Doors will be automated as well. This will be a work in progress – we’ll need to change and tweak things as we go. We ask for your patience and your understanding as we try on this new system together.
Of course, if you’re just coming to church on Sunday, this won’t really change anything about your day! Doors will be open and the building will be full. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me or with our WEPCO Coordinator, Donna Savage. I’m grateful to everyone who’s been a part of this multi-year process and project. Thank you all for your patience as we begin to live into and discover which aspects may need to be reworked.
There are A LOT of other things going on in the next two weeks! Please take a careful look through our e-news and mark your calendars. There are opportunities for everyone. And, of course, I hope to see you on Sunday!
Faithfully,
–Marissa +