One of the first critical items in church safety and security is to walk around your property and the building and decide where you are and what you need to do to reduce your liability and decrease the attractiveness of your church as a place to take advantage of. We have put together the "Building Security Review Sheet" to give you an idea of what to look for. Even if you are not an seasoned security professional, the items on this list will start you on the path to understanding what can be done to make it a little harder for the burglar or thief to take advantage of the church.

Police say there's been an arrest in the case of a woman who was attacked while praying in a Catholic church. The suspect is identified as John Michael Petry. Police say he has previous arrests dating back to 1981 including previous sexual assaults.

I watched a video of an amazing person. Jeanne Assam, the true hero of the Colorado shooting last December, was interviewed by a local reporter. In the video below, Jeanne explains what transpired that morning, and how she continually prayed during the incident, felt complete peace, and engaged the suspect while her church security team members worked to get the church members out to a place of safety.

If you are like most greeters and ushers (G/Us), you have little or no background in emergency planning, protection or security activities. You may be a senior-aged member or have a disability or illness, or you may be youthful and inexperienced in dealing with people who are upset. You may be friendly in a quiet way or assertively outgoing. You probably thought your role as a greeter or usher would involve smiling, shaking hands, directing guests, passing the offering plate and helping during services. Fortunately, those will continue to be your primary tasks.