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To my clergy colleagues,

It's been almost a week since the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas last Sunday. Many questions have come our way this week as we grieve with our brothers and sisters in Texas. The main questions we have heard are "How do I keep my congregation safe?,” “How do I prepare for an active shooter?” and “How can I keep make my church more secure?”

Though I want to caution all of us in making decisions in isolation or making reactionary decisions, I do think this provides us a great opportunity to look at the issue of security in our local churches.

There is no assurance that a violent episode can be avoided. However, we can be prepared for the possibility of an incident occurring. Here are a few suggestions:

  1. Gather a Safety and Security Team. Seriously consider developing a team charged with the responsibility of planning for security gaps at the church. Ideally, at least one person on the team will have a background or experience in security, safety, or law enforcement.

  2. Develop a church security plan. A great resource to look at as you develop your plan is https://www.fema.gov/faith-resources. Additional plans to consider include: Church Emergency Plan, Emergency Calling Chain & Response Procedure, and Media Protocols. The Office of Connectional Ministries will be providing additional guidance as you begin to think through what these various plans can look like and how to implement your plans.

  3. Work with your local emergency responders. Contact community leaders and your local law enforcement agency to see how they can be of assistance. We have heard of many communities where active shooter training is being provided by the local police department. Most police and sheriff departments welcome the opportunity to help church leaders determine security issues. Action plans can be developed in partnership with local enforcement officials that help reduce confusion in a security response.

  4. Conduct an assessment of your facilities and work to keep your facilities secure. Invite your local law enforcement to give an objective assessment of your facility not only with a mind toward active shooters, but physical security of the property as well. Looking at your building and grounds with fresh eyes is a major step to improving church security. Too many churches have too many members with keys and access to the church buildings. It is not unusual for doors to be left open and security to be lax because of the nearly unlimited access. Key control, i.e., those who have keys and an accurate inventory of all keys for your facilities, should be maintained and closely monitored. Your church needs clearly defined hours of operation and clear guidelines on access. Some tools you may use to conduct your assessment: Property Checklist; Building Security Checklist; Perimeter Security Protection Checklist.

  5. Train ushers and greeters and strive for total member awareness. Remind your members that they should watch for anything unusual at the church. Greeters at different places in the church facility, from the parking lots to the sanctuary, should be trained toward awareness as well. Those with keen eyes and discernment can save lives. Once a plan has been developed, ensure that ushers are familiar with the procedures. You may even consider having a response card posted at the narthex or entrances where greeters stand for quick reference.

  6. Watch these videos. Church Mutual has a series of helpful videos that provides steps you can take to protect your people and your property. Click here to watch.

You may have heard the Connectional Ministries team speak over the past few months about “building capacity.” We are in the process of looking at every facet of the life of the Annual Conference to see how we can build capacity for excellence in all areas of ministry. This assessment includes church and congregation security. Be on the lookout for more training and resources in the months ahead.

As we think about these matters I am reminded of what Bishop Bryan said earlier this week: “Let us demonstrate our revulsion to violence by increasing our attendance at worship and by renewing our vows to be loyal to the local church with our prayers, our giving, our service, and our witness.”

As you prepare to minister to your congregation in the morning let me thank you for the ways you so faithfully serve our local churches. Continue to love your people and communities well and share hope in the name of Jesus.

For our retired clergy, you have valuable experience in the local church and can be a helpful resource in the church where you worship as they think through the matter of church security.

Please let me know what questions and concerns you have as we build our capacity and resources around church security. 

From the heart of the connection,

Matt Woodbery
Director of Connectional Ministries


Resources from UMC.org & UM Communications