Guns in church.

[j4jenk]

I carry as a part of my normal, daily routine. Going to church is also part of my routine. I know a lot of who have a similar routine. 15% seems a little low.

 

[Miketodd]

I am one of the several people in our church that is armed at every service I attend. I have brought up the idea of a security team to our pastor and he is looking into it. We have several retired LEOs in our church as well as retired military. We also have a skeet shoot several times a year.
The main reasoning behind having a security team with our church is due to size. We are rural and over 400 in attendence. Our money counters take the offering to an a room that is sometimes unsecured. We are also a few miles off of the interstate and by the time LEO respond to a robbery, they will be gone. We also have a preschool on site but the building that the preschool is in is locked down during those times and it is not licensed, so carry is ok when I go pick up my son.

 

[CitiusFortius]

I'm a Youth Pastor, an I can say that in our church of 100 people, about 15% are armed. In fact, we have a shooting club: "The [church name] Bible Beaters and Pistol Packers." The sound man and I (I run the computers for the screen, etc.) are right in line to look out the Sanctuary entry doors and down the hall. Anything that moves in the hall gets a quick glance from both of us.

Out of curiosity.....do you carry while at yg? I've been a youth leader for several years, I generally leave the gun in my car. The last thing I need is for a kid to spot it during bball / capture the flag / other crazy yg games. I do carry a knife and wish I carried from time to time. Just "feels" like a huge liability.

*edit* i do carry while at service - only when I'm in a leadership role around other peoples kids am i hesitant.

 

[88GT]

I carry as a part of my normal, daily routine. Going to church is also part of my routine. I know a lot of who have a similar routine. 15% seems a little low.

Depends on the location. It probably isn't even double digits at the local churches around here, and my township is probably has one of the highest rates of ownership/carry in the County (Marion). Legal ownership/carry, that is. I know my church's previous pastor was probably anti if pushed to pick a side. Not sure what the new guy thinks. If I have to base it off of the "vibe" of the elders, permission would probably be denied.

Out of curiosity.....do you carry while at yg? I've been a youth leader for several years, I generally leave the gun in my car. The last thing I need is for a kid to spot it during bball / capture the flag / other crazy yg games. I do carry a knife and wish I carried from time to time. Just "feels" like a huge liability.

*edit* i do carry while at service - only when I'm in a leadership role around other peoples kids am i hesitant.

Do you worry about carrying around kids in public?

 

[LanceRobbins24]

I carry at my church. My only concern is not a day care, but there is a school on the grounds. They are not connected and the school is not in session during mass. They do share the same parking lot. Does anyone know if I should continue or stop carrying?

Stop. I have the same scenario. It is school property 100% of the time even if they are not in session. Only "out" is if your priest gives written permission as armed security.

 

[CitiusFortius]

Do you worry about carrying around kids in public?

Yes, carrying kids could get real heavy, real quickly *rimshot*

 

[sloughfoot]

Onward Christian Soldiers.....Always be prepared.

I wonder if those Christians being murdered in Egypt and other countries are armed.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I am the head of the security team at our church. We have an application, background check and interview process to be on the team. There are others that carry at our church and we are aware of just about all of who they are and have no problems with them as long as they follow gun etiquette.

 

[Amishman44]

I CC at church every Sunday...and sometimes OC if I get too warm and take my jacket / vest off! No one's even commented about it although I do take pains to not deliberately 'display' my weapon.

There are several of us standing around after a service one Sunday morning, just talking, when the senior pastor walked up and someone (me) made a joke about needing to start a 'shooter's small group.' Long story short, 10 of the 12 people standing there was CC'ing that morning! As the pastor stated, "I probably have the best protected offering in the city!"

The senior pastor and I are good friends and the last time he purchased a new handgun, he called me to go with him to help him review several pistols to see which one would best meet his need/purpose. I love my church!

We're a church of about 3K...and, after reading several posts on this thread, I'm going to approach the executive group about starting a security team for all three (3) services.

 

[Cool Breeze]

Out of curiosity.....do you carry while at yg? I've been a youth leader for several years, I generally leave the gun in my car. The last thing I need is for a kid to spot it during bball / capture the flag / other crazy yg games. I do carry a knife and wish I carried from time to time. Just "feels" like a huge liability.

*edit* i do carry while at service - only when I'm in a leadership role around other peoples kids am i hesitant.

Now that its cooler weather I carry all the time- as I have a sweatshirt on and it conceals very well. For the games we play- while active like dodgeball- its not a lot of actual contact. The kids all know I have guns, but do not know I am carrying... Several have come shooting with us- along with their fathers. Your concern is certainly valid though, and I would never show any of the kids my gun or anything like that- strictly for a CHTF (*crap) situation.

On a side note, we regularly play airsoft in our woods- even with other youth groups. The kids love it- girls too. There's a lot of therapy in shooting an obnoxious 14yr old with a plastic BB.

 

[100Xkid]

I dont think the gun in the car will help if something happens

 

[cmr13]

For those of you that CC at church (not open), do you just have your shirt untucked, or how exactly do you carry it? When I'm at church I'm always wearing a dress shirt tucked in, so I'm not sure how I could/would carry while dressed that way.

I don't have a pistol or LTCH right now, I'm just curious.

 

[lovemachine]

For those of you that CC at church (not open), do you just have your shirt untucked, or how exactly do you carry it? When I'm at church I'm always wearing a dress shirt tucked in, so I'm not sure how I could/would carry while dressed that way.

I don't have a pistol or LTCH right now, I'm just curious.

Holsters like the Comp-TAC MTAC have a "tuckable" feature. Which allows you to tuck your shirt in over the holster. I have used mine several times. Works great.

 

[DOYOUFEELLUCKYPUNK]

Carried once or twice at mine, always got hit from my grandma after a hug, going to invest in a ankle holster

 

[Amishman44]

For those of you that CC at church (not open), do you just have your shirt untucked, or how exactly do you carry it? When I'm at church I'm always wearing a dress shirt tucked in, so I'm not sure how I could/would carry while dressed that way. I don't have a pistol or LTCH right now, I'm just curious.

An ankle holster works great in that situation...you'll have one on you...but it can't/won't get felt-up with hugs and other 'in-advertant' bumps!

Typically, I wear a shirt untucked (our church is a little more laid-back) or, occasionally, I'll wear cargo pants / shorts and just drop it in the pocket.

 

[Justin727]

I carry at church every week. I do not know of anyone else that does although I am sure there are plenty who do. I first carried my S&W Airweight 624-2 .38 Spl. Now I carry either my Shield 9mm in a leather holster OWB but still concealed or my LCP in a pocket holster. I choose to arm myself in every situation I legally can. Church is no exception.

 

[Maximinus Thrax]

I use a Crossbreed or a Galco tuckable IWB holster when I carry IWB. I'm a thin framed guy in decent shape and if done properly they hardly print at all. Get yourself some J-hooks for the holsters and they will absolutely disappear.

However, when I'm at church I wear a suit jacket anyway so I just carry OWB in a Desantis leather holster and go about my business. Less crap in the way if I have to get to it and it's still concealed (per the request of the pastor). We have a school on the property so part of the agreement allowing me to carry was to demonstrate that I could hit the broad side of a barn and that I always conceal.

 

[spencer rifle]

CW9 in a DeSantis Supertuck, nearly every week. Dress shirt, pullover sweater.

 

[singlesix]

An ankle holster works great in that situation...you'll have one on you...but it can't/won't get felt-up with hugs and other 'in-advertant' bumps!

Typically, I wear a shirt untucked (our church is a little more laid-back) or, occasionally, I'll wear cargo pants / shorts and just drop it in the pocket.

I shake hands with male counterparts and only do "side hugs", shoulder to shoulder and put across the back to opposite shoulder, with females. One female, very pretty and well endowed, express her negative experience with some male members holding onto the frontal hugs too long. She was not comfortable with frontal hugs. The benefit, besides not possibly offending someone, is that I avoid the bumps to my CC gun, hug weak side only.

 

[JettaKnight]

For those of you that CC at church (not open), do you just have your shirt untucked, or how exactly do you carry it? When I'm at church I'm always wearing a dress shirt tucked in, so I'm not sure how I could/would carry while dressed that way.

I don't have a pistol or LTCH right now, I'm just curious.

Options:

1. Under a suit coat or jacket.
2. Crossbreed supertuck under a tucked dress shirt.
3. IWB under a sweater.

I work in the sound booth with a couple other folks. We all carry why we're there. We're in an elevated area in the back so we can see all the entrances to the sanctuary.

I call it my "sniper's nest"