A church attracting the needy, good lawd.
Of course, general crime in the 1980s was much higher than it is now. But fear of crime appears to be much higher now than in the 1980s.
However, http://www.carlchinn.com/deadly-force-statistics.html indicates that deadly force incidents at religious locations have been increasing.
If you believe the numbers from there and http://www.usreligioncensus.org/images/ACP%2020120501.pdf , Jewish congregations appear to have an above average risk of DFIs (1.6% of DFIs, versus 1.0% of congregations), while Muslim congregations appear to have an even higher risk of DFIs (2.0% of DFIs, versus 0.6% of congregations).
@sylvan8798, people who undress in 20 degree weather and paint screeds on your front steps in red paint, people who shoot up in your garden, people who decide to walk up to the minister in the pulpit and talk to her in the middle of the service, people who bring guns to shoot up an AA meeting…these aren’t just “the needy.”
@MaineLonghorn I’m surprised that your church feels the need for security during services. I would have thought that was the epitome of a safe location.
^Perhaps we have different definitions of “needy”.
Yes to security guards at our local Y (Jewish affiliation) and at area synagogues. On holidays there is even a police presence. Unfortunately that is the world in which we live. (Long Island, a suburb to NYC.)
A church I used to attend did not announce security but there were rumors that church members who were in law enforcement were prepared if anything should happen.
At a church I sometimes attend now the pastor recently gave specific instructions from the pulpit on what to do if an attack happened: the best places to hide and where not to go to hide because doors to certain rooms would be locked as a safety precaution during services because they could potentially be used by attackers. We were also told the best direction to run and where not to run because of fences and lack of cover. And we were told to keep our arms up after law enforcement arrived. The detailed instructions were a little eerie.
We use a field across the street for parking on Sundays and big events and have patrolman there with flashing lights tp assist street crossing. As church officer I know that person stays on the premises during actual service and we have another that walks the perimeter (before mass shootings, car break-ins common and triggered this). We are having law enforcement look at our security and make recommendations for church and the pre-school that operates during the week.
Our large church has had a volunteer security team for many years. Many on the team are in law enforcement. Our security team ensures that the children’s area is safe (parents/children have numbered tags to access the children’s rooms), patrol/observe the parking lot, lobby, and auditorium for any problems. My H is on the team. To serve, each individual has extensive, ongoing training on handling all sorts of potential situations.
Knowing the location of the church in Texas that was hit, I’m sure that’s how that congregation felt before the attack. 
Not in my little small city.
@MaineLonghorn , good point. 
@sylvan8798 Perhaps I just don’t understand what you are getting at. You seemed to be deriding the fact that our downtown church is somewhat concerned about the safety of its staff and others in the building. Yes, all of the people I described were “needy,” some of them are also dangerous, or potentially so. When you’ve had a shooting, possibly a mass shooting, averted by merest chance, these threats are more difficult to shrug off. We still continue to open our doors and serve the community.