Tag: alan eschenbacher

This week, Faith & Values news is exploring what happens when violence crosses thresholds in churches, synagogues and mosques. We’ve learned about church safety, mosques set ablaze and how congregations are preparing for the “when” — not “if” — attacks will happen.

In Spokane, churches teeter on a delicate balance of opening their doors wide and locking them tight. One church caters to people who can sometimes be aggressive or hostile. How do they minister to individuals in crisis and keep their own flock safe?

It’s a warm spring evening in Browne’s Addition, and Coeur d’Alene Park is filled with people walking dogs and playing Frisbee. A few of them wander into All Saints Lutheran Church across the street, where doors are propped open in preparation for Tuesday night’s weekly meal hosted by the Rev. Alan Eschenbacher and a group of dedicated local volunteers.

Chief of Police Frank Straub wants to find ways the department can unite with Spokane’s religious communities, possibly by creating a faith-based advisory group.

At a meeting Monday he met with a small group of Christian and Catholic leaders to discuss forming a quarterly group — similar to an advisory board he had success with when he served in Indianapolis, he said.