We continue our reflection on God’s call to us through the ELCA’s “60-Day Journey Toward Justice in a Culture of Gun Violence.”
DAY 57: Planning for What You Hope Will Never Happen
Most congregations have risk-management and emergency plans in place for severe weather, medical emergencies, fires, abuse prevention, and other risks. Does yours include steps for helping prevent, respond to, and recover from an armed intruder or a shooting incident in your congregation? We pray it will never happen—and it probably won’t—but it is something we need to prepare for, as best we can.
Fortunately, there are ample safety and risk-control resources to help congregation members and leaders talk through and develop plans for prevention, response, and recovery.
Check with your congregation’s insurance provider to see how it can assist in developing or updating your current risk-management plans, and consult with neighboring churches and your police or sheriff’s department.