Daniel Engeljohn
At Mountain Shadows Presbyterian Church, we have a ministry team of volunteers focused on ensuring the safety of the congregation. Although many of the tasks go unnoticed by the congregation, effort has been made to keep the congregation informed and aware.
In 2022, as a consequence of a shooting that damaged the walls of the church, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department presented an Active Shooter Training on Saturday afternoon in our sanctuary. The class was designed to enhance safety and provide solutions to active violence. A large group of congregants attended that training. Soon thereafter, a poster was hung on the exterior bulletin board addressing actions to take in the event of an active shooting (i.e., run, hide, fight). Explicit signage was added at the front of the campus stating, “No Guns in God’s House.”
As a senior congregation with many retirees, several of them are former medical professionals who participate on the Safety, Preparedness, and Health Ministry Team. These individuals monitor the stocking of the first aid kits and the emergency defibrillator units positioned around the campus. CPR training has been conducted on site and there is ongoing funding to ensure refresher training is pursued.
Recently, at the suggestion of the local fire department as part of a threat vulnerability assessment undertaken for our campus, the exterior doors were all repainted. However, each of the three campus buildings had doors painted a different color (e.g., blue on the administration complex, yellow on the education and music suite, and purple on the sanctuary). The purpose for painting each building’s doors a unique color was to narrow focus by first responders in the event of an emergency. Placement of a 911 call could clarify to the dispatcher that assistance should be directed to the “blue door” complex. This simple but purposeful paint job could save valuable time in delivering necessary care. Plus, the brightly colored doors add a bit of splash to the muted desert surroundings.
Our congregation is blessed to have caring congregants who work together to ensure the safety and well-being of everyone. We value our worship time together. We look out for each other. Our tagline is “Centered in Christ, Caring for Community.” We care for community by loving God, welcoming all people, pursuing justice, and showing compassion. We are a congregation of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Come and worship with us on Sundays at 10 a.m. If you can’t come in person, join us virtually by Zoom, or watch our recorded worship service on our YouTube channel at any time. Our contact information can be found at our website: mountainshadowschurch.org.