IT HAPPENED AGAIN

By Rev. Joy Melton

Author of SAFE SANCTUARIES, Resources for Safer Churches
published by Discipleship Resources

On February 14, news broke that students and staff members were assassinated on a high school campus in Florida. Seventeen have died and more are hospitalized. The suspected gunman, a former student at the school, is in police custody. This is a tragedy. The consequences of the gunman’s actions will be suffered by many families, individuals, and communities for years to come. I state that as a fact – not an allegation, not an item for speculation. We know this fact as a result of living through a long series of previous tragic school and church active shooter massacres.

In April 1999, Columbine High School, was attacked by two student gunmen. I still, nearly twenty years later, remember. Do you? What was the Columbine Effect in your community?

For my community – the church community at the local, regional, and national level – the Columbine Effect included prayer and vigil in the first stages. Then, we began to realize there are actually specific things we can do in schools and churches to protect our children, youth, and vulnerable adults in an active shooter situation.

I simply want to encourage every church, pre-school, school, and senior adult center, to reach out to your local police authority. Invite them to come to your congregation and help you plan for active shooter emergencies.  Schools and churches are normally required to have regularly scheduled fire drills. My church had one on the first Sunday in June last year – during Communion with rain pouring down outside! That was the only fire drill we’ve ever had on a Sunday – when the building has more people in it than any other time of the week – and our results were disappointing. Preparatory drills and practices for active shooter emergencies are not exactly the same as fire drills. Your local police or sheriff’s deputies are highly trained. They would be grateful for an opportunity to teach you what is most important for securing your people and premises during an active shooter situation.

Don’t wait. Prepare now. Do all you can to keep your congregation a Safe Sanctuary.

Christ have mercy! Lord have mercy!

Joy