Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – The First Baptist Church on Park Street will host a “Safe Worship” workshop on May 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., aimed at equipping local religious leaders with tools to keep their congregations safe. Partnering with the Albemarle County and Charlottesville Police Departments, the event will focus on best practices for securing places of worship, protecting children, and recognizing warning signs of potential threats. Pastor Rob Pochek joined Morning News and shared, “We all know that that is an opportunity for evil people to do evil things, and so we take very seriously the need to make sure that we protect the folks who enter our doors.” 

This will be the third time First Baptist has hosted the event, which began after the tragic 2017 church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. The church provides lunch, and the event remains free thanks to the donated time of local law enforcement. “It speaks volumes to me about their love for the community and their love for the faith community,” Pastor Pochek said of the departments’ involvement. Registration is capped at 100 participants, with a limit of three attendees per faith community. 

Pastor Pochek, known for his approachable personality and deep care for safety, emphasized that the workshop is about practical, life-saving awareness. “We can’t prevent that from ever happening totally. But what we can do is be as prepared as we can possibly be,” he said. For more information or to register, click here.  

Listen here for the full conversation: