(Editor's Notes by Christina Myer - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

During the wintery blast that has gripped the Mid-Ohio Valley for a week, a few sites that aren’t normally considered “shelters” opened their doors to become warming stations for those in need of escaping the bitter cold.

Belpre Volunteer Fire Department Bingo Hall opened up, as did St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in Parkersburg (with help from other area churches). There was food, company and warmth for those who needed it.

It’s simply the common sense and compassionate thing to do in a situation like this one, right?

Well, a bit north and west, in Williams County, Ohio, Chris Avell, pastor of Dad’s Place — which describes itself as an Evangelical church and “a place for people to get together and love one another” — decided to keep his church’s doors open 24/7 during winter weather there. The idea was to provide warmth and shelter for those without houses, because the homeless shelters in the area were already packed.

For doing so, he was charged with 18 zoning law violations (for which he was arraigned and pleaded not guilty Jan. 11). “Residential use” in first-floor buildings in business districts is prohibited in Ohio. The church is zoned as a central business, meaning people are prohibited from eating, doing laundry or sleeping on the property.

Jeremy Dys, Avell’s attorney, called the city’s actions “unconscionable,” adding “The city would rather kick these folks to the curb in the cold outdoor months of December and early January than allow the church to remain open 24/7 to those who need it the most,” according to a report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

A columnist for the Journal Sentinel was writing about Avell because he believed the pastor was trying to prevent tragedies similar to what took place in Milwaukee when three people without homes there were believed to have died as a result of single-digit temperatures over the course of three days.

Of course, Avell DID break the law. And it sounds as though he may need to petition for a re-zoning of his property. But without knowing any more about the situation, I tend to agree with Dys, who told another news outlet “We’re disappointed with the city that they would take that extra measure.”

City officials say Avell was given plenty of time to “fix the issues,” according to WTVG, but that he continued to keep the church’s doors open to those he believed needed the shelter.

It’s hard to argue with his instinct to help.

Here, folks had an easier time acting on that instinct.

“We see these people a couple times a month at the church, and they’re not just hungry, they don’t have homes. Anywhere you go around town, you can see that need,” said Missy Plumly, a member of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church. “We thought we have this huge church and this big space, so why don’t we provide a place for warmth and provide all the necessities they need during this extreme cold.”

The Rev. Shauna Hyde said “We’re blessed by these amazing people. They truly have a heart for the community.”

Isn’t it wonderful to know we have people like that here, and that they have supportive organizations that can let them help as many people as possible?

Again, it sounds as though Avell has some work to do ironing out how his church should be zoned and what help can be offered there.

But I hope those in his community help him figure out how not just to continue offering the help that has been offered by his church, but to grow that mission, if that’s what it takes to make a difference there.

It’s a cold world out there, folks — in more ways than one. We’d be a lot better off if we looked for more ways to help each other warm it up.

Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com