Dallas Council Warned of ‘hell of a Fight' If Churches Can't Shelter Homeless During Bad Weather

On a day when the forecast called for baseball-sized hail and possible tornadoes, the Dallas City Council could find no easy answers to the question of how to provide temporary shelter to the homeless during bad weather.Wednesday's council briefing continued a debate that began in August, when the city's Office of Homeless Solutions proposed using rec centers as temporary shelters — a suggestion the council quickly dashed. But in early November came the brutal cold, with lows in the 20s and wind chills in the teens, and Oak Lawn United Methodist Church and other houses of worship opened their doors to those in need.That is what churches are meant to do, Oak Lawn United Methodist's Rev. Rachel Baughman told the council Wednesday. It is, she said, "the work of Christ." It's also technically not allowed in Dallas.Baughman said if the city no longer allows churches to take in people who have the least when they need it most — especially single mothers with small children — "you'll have one hell of a fight in your front yard."  Continue reading...

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