Lexington—A woman was robbed in the parking lot of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lexington on Sunday, Feb. 21.

Police say that around 10 a.m., a man approached a church member as she was getting out of her car. He asked if she needed help carrying her bags. When she declined his offer, he returned with a knife and took her purse. The man and his driver then drove off.

The Lexington police attempted to stop the robbers, but they were eventually apprehended in Grant County.

“There’s got to be a fine line between member or church security and retaining an open or welcoming environment,” Chris Lind, associate pastor of families at Cornerstone said. “I’m not sure what that line is going to look like just yet.”

“We have greeters at the door and did the morning of the robbery. We keep the doors locked during the service and somebody is out waiting for anybody who comes in late to let them in so they can be a part of the service as well,” Lind explained.

He continued, “So we’ve already taken a lot of steps that are reasonable to take while still maintaining that open feel of the church.”

Lind said that in the future the church is looking into some “reactionary training” so that they “have something worked out ahead of time with our ushers or greeter team.”

He says that they want people to “feel secure and our members be comfortable coming and not worried.” (WR)