A lack of trained volunteers has delayed plans for an open homeless shelter in downtown Lawrence.
Parishioners at First United Methodist Church, 946 Vt., were to vote Sunday on whether to be host to homeless people for two nights a week, but the vote was tabled because Lawrence Open Shelter Inc. withdrew its request.
St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 1229 Vt., also had agreed to have the open shelter two nights a week, and Plymouth Congregational, 925 Vt., was to vote later this month on having the shelter for two nights a week.
The plan was stalled when the board of Lawrence Open Shelter Inc., decided Saturday that it needed more trained volunteers, staff and codified rules before opening an open or wet shelter for homeless not served by the Salvation Army Shelter.
"We've got to have people that know how to deal with the guests and the situations that arise," said Dudley Crow, a member of the LOS board and parishioner at First United Methodist Church.
Crow said LOS, which formed in early summer 2001, decided at a meeting Saturday that it was premature to open a shelter at three downtown churches.
The group did operate a Holiday Open Shelter at the St. John's School gymnasium from Dec. 21 to Jan. 2. Averaging 17 guests a night, a total of 38 different people spent time at the holiday shelter.
"We're not ready to do what we want to do, which is give these people a place to sleep on cold winter nights," Crow said. "We need the community to support this."
Crow said LOS was seeking volunteers willing to be trained as well as monetary donations.
About 200 people attended Sunday's church conference at First United Methodist Church. Although the decision on having an open shelter was tabled pending a decision from LOS, the parishioners did vote on two resolutions.
Francois Henriquez, chairman of the church council, said the group overwhelmingly supported joining with other churches and LOS in urging the city to be more involved in the creation of a permanent open shelter.
The group also voted to place greater emphasis on homelessness as a church mission and encourage members to volunteer or donate to LOS, he said.
Although First United Methodist supports the idea of an open shelter, Henriquez said he understood why LOS withdrew its request.
"They have more work that they want to do to solidify their procedures and make sure they have enough volunteers and paid staff," he said.
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