Church Security Concerns — The Role of Greeters And Ushers
An update on this free church security material!
This document on greeters and ushers has now been updated and included in the larger document (really a small book) with the title: How to Assess the Safety and Security of Your Place of Worship. It’s a tremendously helpful guide that will take you through the process and allow you to really get to know the safety and security of your place of worship, as well as to plan for emergencies. Please contact me for the free PDF file, which can be freely copied and distributed, but not sold. Send it to anyone you think could use it in their place of worship. I’m happy to see it out and about as a free resource! Tina Rowe, May 8, 2009
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A Free 24 Page PDF: The Role of Greeters and Ushers in Church Security
The post below was originally published on January 12, 2008, and has resulted in over 1,800 requests for the document. (UPDATE: Over 2,500 as of May, 2009, from this site alone!)
That’s just the count of people writing to this site. There are several other sites who also offer it–some as a part of a subscription package for other things. (That bothers me, but I hope people will realize they can get it from other sources as well.) Several pastors have given it out at conferences and conventions, so I suppose it has been copied several thousand times by those people. I think all of that is both interesting and fun!
I have heard back from hundreds of pastors, security team leaders and others, and have enjoyed every message. I wish there was not a need for such material. But, I’m glad to be able to provide at least one piece of a security package.
I have also been asked to do presentations in several settings, and have done that on occasion, when circumstances made it possible. My underlying message is that planning is almost as valuable as the plan. There are some very good things that come from looking at safety and security systematically. It is never wasted time and effort. And, when done correctly, it is an energizing project for the entire church family.
Thank you for the contacts and your follow-up messages!
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Church leaders, no matter what the size or location of the church, have a responsibility to develop plans and processes that help ensure the safety and security of members, visitors and church property. This is made more challenging by the fact that church buildings and congregations may be targeted for violence, threats or disruption. In addition, church buildings have the same risks as other buildings about safety and security problems related to natural disasters, fires, mechanical and electrical failures and safety hazards.
One of the key components of a church security program is observant and responsive greeters, ushers and deacons. These front-line roles are often the first people to see or hear problems, and often have access to all parts of the building before, during and after the service. But sadly, many greeters and ushers receive little or no training related to the role they can play in observing, getting help quickly and providing leadership in an emergency. Even if you have a security team, greeters and ushers are often the ones who first observe a problem situation and must react appropriately.
Church Security Concerns: The Role of Greeters and Ushers is a free, 24 page PDF document, which can be copied for use in church security training.
•It provides a well-balanced, realistic approach that can help the meeters and greeters of churches feel more confident and be more effective in situations of concern as well as in emergencies.
•This document has been useful for pastors, church security teams and greeter/usher teams, as well as being a great resource for distribution by law enforcement organizations.
Topics:
The role of greeters and ushers in the area of church security (with or without a formal security team).
Awareness and response
Potential security concerns and options for action
A security self-evaluation checklist
This security information is a great addition to your church manual and should be part of the orientation training for all greeters, ushers, deacons and church leadership. Contact me for your FREE PDF copy of, Church Security Concerns: The Role of Greeters and Ushers.
