As he does every Sunday, the Rt. Rev. Council Nedd II, an Anglican rector, will put on his collar and robes to offer Mass at his central Pennsylvania church. Now, he is considering wearing something else with his religious vestments: his handgun.

As a Pennsylvania state constable, Dr. Nedd can bring his gun just about everywhere—to the grocery store, to the park and to synagogues and other houses of worship, where he often acts as security. His church was the one place where he went unarmed.

“Weapons do not belong in church,” he said. But, as a bishop, he has “a responsibility to protect the flock,” he added.

One week after a shooting at a Texas church left 26 dead and 20 more wounded, congregations gathering for worship around the country Sunday are once again facing the question of security. Long the last frontier where many gun owners went unarmed, the faithful are now considering whether they should bring firearms to their houses of worship as well.

Many who live near Sutherland Springs, Texas, where last week’s shooting took place, said they didn’t bring their weapons into their houses of worship.

Tomie Barker, who attends Christ Lutheran Church of Elm Creek in Seguin, Texas, about 15 miles north of Sutherland Springs, said her husband didn’t have the firearm he is licensed to carry on him last Sunday when their church was locked down following the shooting at the nearby First Baptist Church. But, she said, he plans to have it with him this Sunday.

“Why would we take a gun to church? Church and school—we feel like we ought to be safe,” she said on Saturday, nearly a week after the shooting. “But he’s not leaving home without it now.”

Ms. Barker, 60, thinks other worshipers will feel the same, and said she told her pastor that the church should probably make note of who is armed in case another emergency arises.

“I’ve told everybody, I told my pastor: I’m not going to be a sitting duck or a fish in the barrel,” she said. “We know all about the whack-a-doodles and the copycats.”

Houses of worship are among the softest of soft targets, with inherent missions and traditions emphasizing peace and welcoming. Churches, synagogues, mosques and Sikh temples have struggled to balance their desire to provide an open sanctuary for the community with security. In recent years, many houses of worship have installed cameras and hired armed guards.

The Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, in response to the Sutherland Springs shooting, offered a free seminar on church security. Representatives from more than 300 churches signed up for the course within three days.

After the shooting last Sunday, Ken Paxton, the Texas attorney general, said churches needed armed protection.

Another shooting is “going to happen again, so we need people in churches, either professional security or at least arming some of the parishioners,” he said in an interview on Fox News.

Prestonwood Baptist Church, a megachurch in Plano, Texas, announced last week that it would be holding a free seminar on church security. Representatives from more than 300 churches, large and small, signed up within three days.

With roughly 12,000 attendees at its services every Sunday, Prestonwood has armed security guards. Jack Graham, the church’s pastor, said the church had resisted putting in metal detectors so that the church would continue to feel welcoming, and didn’t allow open carry of firearms for the same reason. He suspects some congregants with concealed-carry permits do bring their firearms.

“Frankly, it brings some comfort,” Dr. Graham said of the armed church members. “If there had been someone with a weapon in that little church, maybe that could have been prevented.”

But not every house of worship can afford private security. Smaller churches are now considering arming the congregation or clergy.

Tambria Read, a schoolteacher and chairwoman of the Sutherland Springs Historical Museum, owns a gun and supports people being able to carry them, but had always preferred to keep firearms out of religious spaces.

“I’m not too crazy about guns in church—somebody could take the gun and do something,” said Ms. Read, 59, who sometimes worshiped at the First Baptist Church but wasn’t there last week. “Maybe somebody in a church needs a gun, someone strategic, but not everybody in a pew.”

St. Alban’s Anglican Church in Pine Grove Mills, Pa., where Dr. Nedd is rector, has roughly 50 members, and no budget for private security.

Until several years ago, the church was open 24 hours a day, with no locks on the doors. After a deadly shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., last year, the St. Alban’s congregation discussed security measures. When a newcomer showed up, everyone eyed him warily. Dr. Nedd considered bringing his gun, but decided against it.

Wendy Coulson, a 55-year-old member of St. Alban’s congregation, said she had never brought a gun to church before last year.

Tambria Read, a schoolteacher and gun owner in Sutherland Springs, said she had always preferred to keep firearms out of religious spaces, but ‘maybe somebody in a church needs a gun, someone strategic.’

Then, one Sunday after the Charleston shooting, she was spiritually guided to bring her gun, she said. Ms. Coulson has a concealed carry permit, and didn’t tell anyone it was with her, she said. Though she hasn’t brought her gun since, having it that day made her feel better, she said.

“The reality of the times is that, if I’m in church, I can’t be completely abandoned to my worship, because I have half an ear listening for a strange sound—that’s the unfortunate part of what we’re dealing with today,” said Ms. Coulson, an engineering consultant. “If somebody were to target our church, I definitely would feel more comfortable that somebody else had an opportunity to slow them day,” she added.

Inez Howe, another parishioner, is from a house with “so many guns.” But her family, too, hasn’t brought them to church. She uses the guns largely for rattlesnakes, she said, adding that her husband, a devoted shooter and collector, doesn’t want to be in a position of using a gun to kill a person.

Still, Ms. Howe would be more comfortable now if someone—“maybe the bishop”—would be armed in church.

“I would never have even thought of a gun in church,” Ms. Howe, 74, said. “But if someone would walk in, I’d hope that we would be prepared.”

Dr. Nedd, the church’s rector, remained torn about whether to arm himself.

“I don’t feel right carrying it on my person when I’m saying mass,” he said. “I’ll probably spend a bunch of time praying about it, and then make a decision when I walk out the door on Sunday morning.”

Link

Yep. And I'm not alone.

I can't believe no one took a shot in Texas last week.

Always carry, always conceal, never tell.

RMD

quote:

Always carry, always conceal, never tell.

Amen, anywhere there are two or more peoples...

Our pastor gave a 5 minute talk on church security today. The security team consists of retired and active off duty LE. Covert and scattered throughout the flock. Next week we get a uniformed officer as well. This speech was necessary and comforting for many.

"Some Churchgoers May Choose to Pack Guns ..."

It wouldn't be the first time...

quote:

Many who live near Sutherland Springs, Texas, where last week’s shooting took place, said they didn’t bring their weapons into their houses of worship.

The killer undoubtedly knew this.

IIRC - church is off limits in Texas

quote:

Originally posted by sgalczyn:
IIRC - church is off limits in Texas

So what...

quote:

Originally posted by sgalczyn:
IIRC - church is off limits in Texas

No they aren’t.

If a church wishes to prohibit firearms by licensed carriers, it must post the signs appropriate to its policy, either 30.06 to prohibit open or concealed carry, or 30.07 to prohibit open carry but not concealed carry.

I've been carrying to church for as long as I've had a carry permit. Evil doesn't respect any facility so one has to be prepared to act in self defense at all times

In Virginia, carry in a church is prohibited unless permission is given by the church to do so.

I started attending a new church last year. One day the Pastor asked me if I was packin', his words. I answered in the negative but that I did have a firearm in my vehicle. He said, "What good is it doing there?" I answered, "Without express permission I can't legally carry in church." He said, "Consider yourself to have permission."

I've carried in church every day since. And no, I'm definitely not the only one.

Edited to add: To be more accurate on VA law...carry of weapons into a place of worship while a meeting for religious purposes is being held is prohibited unless there is a "good and sufficient reason". In 2011 the Attorney General of Virginia wrote an opinion that stated that personal protection constitutes good and sufficient reason under the statute. Also places of worship can restrict or ban firearms from their premises.

I won't attend a church that doesn't allow it.

quote:

This Sunday, Some Churchgoers May Choose to Pack Guns With Their Bibles

Should have done it a long time ago. We're bitter and clinging to God and guns.

The church I attend has uniformed police officers providing security during service. However, I have always, and will continue to carry at church, just like I do everywhere else.

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

quote:

Originally posted by sgalczyn:
IIRC - church is off limits in Texas

No they aren’t.

If a church wishes to prohibit firearms by licensed carriers, it must post the signs appropriate to its policy, either 30.06 to prohibit open or concealed carry, or 30.07 to prohibit open carry but not concealed carry.

My understanding is that 30.06 only restricts concealed carry and 30.07 only restricts open carry--a location wishing to prohibit both must post both signs.

IIRC, the original CHL rules prohibited concealed carry (open carry not yet permitted anywhere) inside houses of worship, but not on the grounds of such places. The law has been amended several times and churches are no longer automatically on the prohibited list.

I had an occasion to ask about this from one of my church staff members a few days ago, because my church does not display either the 30.06 or 30.07 signs, even though it's a UMC church. (The UMC headquarters is anti-gun.) I was told that the official policy of that church is that if someone is open carrying they will be asked to take the gun to their car or to conceal it. The church does not wish to display either of the signs.

We are a fairly large congregation--about 6000 members--and the church does hire 2 or 3 uniformed off-duty LEO on Sundays to help with traffic control, guard the offerings, and provide general security. In addition, I'm pretty sure there would be a significant number of parishioners carrying during services. So far, we've not had an armed incursion, and also no incidents of churchgoers shooting each other.

flashguy

I dont know why someone wouldnt bring a gun to church. I had some discussion about this with some guys around the office and suprised them when I said I carry EVERYWHERE. Unless I'm leaving the country of course. One guy suprised me when he said he doesnt carry in church.

I guess I just never made the distinction that it was somehow safer than other spots and I definately dont think its some offense to God.

I need to tag this to share with my pastor. Good discussion btw.

quote:

Originally posted by flashguy:

quote:

Originally posted by JALLEN:

quote:

Originally posted by sgalczyn:
IIRC - church is off limits in Texas

No they aren’t.

If a church wishes to prohibit firearms by licensed carriers, it must post the signs appropriate to its policy, either 30.06 to prohibit open or concealed carry, or 30.07 to prohibit open carry but not concealed carry.

My understanding is that 30.06 only restricts concealed carry and 30.07 only restricts open carry--a location wishing to prohibit both must post both signs.

Remember, the law requires effective notice, which the prescribed signage is one effective way.

Notice can also be given by telling you, either by greeters, the preacher, by announcements in the handouts, etc. In order to be prosecuted, effective notice must be proven.

I’ve read accounts that in some large churches, they want to prohibit guns but not post signs.

I'm a pastor and I have carried for years. Many of the members do as well. I have never see any Biblical reason for not carrying and being prepared to defend oneself and the congregation.