The threat of violence today was no match for the company of the Lord at Bear Valley Church, said Marty Klair, a 30-year congregant.
The parking lots overflowed as the usual 900 worshippers ambled with three Lakewood police cruisers in the parking lot.
A day earlier, the church warned members of a threat by a guy known only as Sid, who boasted of his planned attack at a local bar.
No threats at Bear Valley, one of the metro region’s churches, or any other Lakewood churches were detected by stepped-up patrols and volunteer security at about a dozen churches, police said.
Pastor Jim Walters had no regrets about raising concerns after his associate pastor, Chris Little, received an anonymous call about the threat made at a bar earlier this week.
“We felt like we needed to give them the information and let them make the choice” about whether to attend services Sunday, Walters said.
The church has volunteer security from members who are in law enforcement or serve in the military at every service, he said.
“We live in a post-9/11 word. We live in a post-New Life world. We live in a post-YWAM world,” he said, the latter two referring to shootings that left four church-goers dead at Youth With a Mission in Arvada and New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
Steve Gregory drives 85 miles each way every week from his home near Jefferson to worship at Bear Valley. He has “proudly” attended weekly services there for 30 years, he said.
“Let’s put it this way, there are threats everywhere in life,” he said. “But in this house, we’ve got God on our side.”
Joey Bunch: 303-954-1174 or jbunch@denverpost.com
