Baltimore–area ?megachurches? ? if not their safer smaller or more secluded sister sanctuaries ? are heeding the recent deadly shooting rampages at high-profile, Colorado faith communities.
“I?m aware of what?s happened [there],” said East Baltimore?s Israel Baptist Church Business Manager Isaiah Sanders of the attacks, allegedly by a disgruntled, former missionary student who killed four and wounded several others at a Colorado Springs megachurch and nearby missionary center.
Police later said 24-year-old Matthew Murray took his own life after being shot by a volunteer security officer at the 10,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
“We have security,” said Sanders, whose 1,200-member, 115-year-old church has had 10 deacons doubling as security guards for years. “We?re always concerned about security. This is something that?s been [on the rise] ? people doing things they shouldn?t be doing.”
Sanders said that he would soon discuss the Colorado matter with his traveling pastor but didn?t think the incidents warranted additional measures.
“It was a terrible tragedy,” said Southwest Baltimore?s New Psalmist Baptist Church spokeswoman Joi Thomas, who also said the Colorado killings likely wouldn?t affect current security measures at the 7,000-membermegachurch. It already has a volunteer security ministry of 50 people.
“We?re keeping them in our prayers,” Thomas added, stating she wasn?t aware of anything of the magnitude ever occurring at her church. “Events like that always afford a learning opportunity? I would think that [it] would raise the awareness of churches across the country.”
According to a University of Maryland research paper by professors Wayne McIntosh, Irwin Morris and Lynne Garcia there are about 600 megachurches in the United States ? and Maryland has 26, with the bulk of them in three area counties and Baltimore City.
The remaining faith communities are of the smaller, more traditional ? often denominational ? variety that likely are more concerned with screening for unsavory employees than with gearing up for shooting sprees.
None interviewed had formal security guards on duty.
“There have been so many sexual scandals,” said Baltimore?s Unitarian-Universalist Church Co-Minister Phyllis Hubbell, who said the sexton at the 275-member church doubles as a security guard. “Frankly, that?s the big thing. I think a lot of churches are concerned about protecting our children.”
A spokesperson at the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland agreed with Hubbell, noting that the diocese had a “safe church” policy, but it had “nothing to do with protecting the church against mad gunmen.”
