Problems in carrying in my church

[Law abider]

Hi friends. I am still around, carrying by trusty EAA 38sp/ 357 Mag pistol. Planning to buy a handgun after all these years. I began to attend church after holding chapel services for 4.5 years in a nursing home. The new director was hostile to gospel preaching. I open carried in church in the winter of 2018, but by default my gun was covered up by my winter jacket. Come summer everyone could see my gun. No one said anything for a while till one day a middle aged lady who was ushering said do you carry in church? I said yes. She said are you a cop? I said no. She said oh so you like to carry gun. I nodded. Two weeks later I got a call from a close friend of mine, who is not always in church because of his business, who told me that he got a call from the pastor because people were calling him about concerns that I was OCing a gun in church. Now this friend was high up in Homeland security and was a federal agent and in the military, who said that I needed to conceal my pistol because folks were getting concerned. He carries concealed in church and he has the privilege to carry anywhere. I told him that I did not have the means to hide, cloak my pistol in the summer. He said folks don't know me and that they are afraid. I don't blame them. I am a first generation American in my family even though my dad attended the U of M from 1949 to 1952 for his post doctorate. That's how I ended up here. I found some over sized T shirt to help me conceal, but I have not gone to church for 2 weeks lest that lady asks me if I am still carrying under my shirt. So friends, That's my latest challenge. I hope all of you are well. I am still sad about Grape Shot passing away and Don't know how MKE Gal is doing and Protias and Nightmare.

 

[protias]

I'm still around, just very busy.

 

[solus]

Law abider...your “friend” nor the usher are not in control of the religious property, therefore they cannot tell you what you can or cannot do on the property...PERIOD!

The “pastor” represents the church’s board and therefore is the sole individual who is in charge of the property and they can tell you you cannot carry on the church’s premises!

High in homeland...yippeeee who cares!

If pastor says ya can’t carry...guess ya need to find another place to worship...huh?

 

[color of law]

Is the church posted per 943.13(bm)1

Wisconsin Legislature: 943.13

docs.legis.wisconsin.gov

 

[Firearms Iinstuctor]

One has to decide what battles are worth fighting for.

 

[color of law]

One has to decide what battles are worth fighting for.

True and as solus said find another church.

 

[protias]

One has to decide what battles are worth fighting for.

I'll just say this, there are churches out there who teach proper doctrine and are pro-protection.

 

[Doug_Nightmare]

I CCW almost every Sunday. I also wear a white dress shirt and tie EVERY Sunday. Occasionally the AC falls behind and I am unable to wear a jacket (that means Blazer or “dress coat” for y’all heathens), then I don’t carry. I am clear in which battle I will engage.

 

[solus]

One has to decide what battles are worth fighting for.

As i quote i recently read state...

You must decide if you are pounding in the nails or the one hanging on the cross...

Just saying...

 

[solus]

I CCW almost every Sunday. I also wear a white dress shirt and tie EVERY Sunday. Occasionally the AC falls behind and I am unable to wear a jacket (that means Blazer or “dress coat” for y’all heathens), then I don’t carry. I am clear in which battle I will engage.

Well stated dougie for the OPEN CARRY forum!

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

The only place I conceal is at church, not because I want to hide that I am carrying but I want people to hear the good news coming from the pulpit, not be distracted by me.

When I go to church for activities that aren't the primary worship service, I open carry. All the members of the church know I carry. The pastor as his CCL. We used to host free WCI CCL classes.

Now that I live in AZ, I am part of the churches security team. We conceal but wear security armbands. If anyone asks, I tell them I carry. Once again, I am there for fellowship and worship, not to be a distraction.

That being said, if you OC to any church I am in, I may come up and talk to you, most likely to discuss our common interests.

 

[Firearms Iinstuctor]

Everybody except visitors know that I carry at my church and I know that there are several other members that carry along with the pastor.

I wear a suit and tie every Sunday except the first Sunday of deer season when I come in from the woods in my hunting clothes. There has been times I had to go wash blood off my hands before I could start shaking hands.

My Ti 41 mag hardly gets noticed.

We have had deer rifles placed in the corner of the church before.

More then one gun has been brought and sold in parking lot after service.

 

[Law abider]

Is the church posted per 943.13(bm)1

Wisconsin Legislature: 943.13

docs.legis.wisconsin.gov

No it is not posted. The pastor told my friend that he doesn't mind me carrying but ' the people' I think it's that lady, are concerned. He should have called me not my friend.

 

[Law abider]

The only place I conceal is at church, not because I want to hide that I am carrying but I want people to hear the good news coming from the pulpit, not be distracted by me.

When I go to church for activities that aren't the primary worship service, I open carry. All the members of the church know I carry. The pastor as his CCL. We used to host free WCI CCL classes.

Now that I live in AZ, I am part of the churches security team. We conceal but wear security armbands. If anyone asks, I tell them I carry. Once again, I am there for fellowship and worship, not to be a distraction.

That being said, if you OC to any church I am in, I may come up and talk to you, most likely to discuss our common interests.

Yes I agree. When summer arrives, I wore summer clothes and that's when I couldn't hide the gun. I could find another church but I know the Lord has called me to this. What I'll do is to conceal with a t shirt that is large enough and not tucked, and I'll have to upgrade for a 'Sunday church gun' with a CC holster or some type of clothing worn under the shirt where the gun is tucked on the side. I saw it in my monthly USCCA magazine..
Paul How are you enjoying AZ gun laws/ infringements and how is your wife doing health wise?

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

Paul How are you enjoying AZ gun laws/ infringements and how is your wife doing health wise?

So far so good on the carrying. I generally open carry except for church and for restaurants that serve alcohol. The law is vaguely written and implies that, even though we have Constitutional Carry, you need a CCL and need to conceal in a restaurant that serves.

As for Nancy's health, much better. Still not perfect but the good days outnumber the bad.

 

[Law abider]

Is the church posted per 943.13(bm)1

Wisconsin Legislature: 943.13

docs.legis.wisconsin.gov

No, not posted.

 

[Wstar425]

The only place I conceal is at church, not because I want to hide that I am carrying but I want people to hear the good news coming from the pulpit, not be distracted by me.

When I go to church for activities that aren't the primary worship service, I open carry. All the members of the church know I carry. The pastor as his CCL. We used to host free WCI CCL classes.

Now that I live in AZ, I am part of the churches security team. We conceal but wear security armbands. If anyone asks, I tell them I carry. Once again, I am there for fellowship and worship, not to be a distraction.

That being said, if you OC to any church I am in, I may come up and talk to you, most likely to discuss our common interests.

Ok, I’ll dabble my toes in the water. A topic I can resemble.

I’m very close to this position, tho not on any formal security team.

As weather permits, I wear a sport coat or vest. Some of my vests may allow a short bit of barrel to poke out the bottom. No one has said anything.

In the summer I do the Hawaiian shirt untucked thing. I’m an old white guy, so maybe I can get away with that? Is that racist? I do see nearly all young men have button down shirts untucked, so concealing under that should not really be an issue, or out of place, in my opinion.

While I would not be opposed to open carry in church, I also don’t want it to be a distraction, and I think it would be for many of those that noticed. There are other places that I conceal at, at times, as the situation seems appropriate. (To me) I have been going to city council meetings lately, a few there know I OC, and there is no law against it there, but I choose to conceal. I open carry in the same building to pay my water bill.

I believe our church does have some kind of informal security team, tho I’m not on it. I personally wouldn’t be too thrilled about the armband idea, if I was concealed in that position. I have not inquired about joining, and no one has mentioned anything about me carrying, in almost 4 years attending. After church we shop at Walmart and see many church members there, where I often open carry. I don’t usually tuck in an Hawaiian shirt, but I might lose the vest or jacket, depending on weather. This in a small town of about 4000.

My personal opinion is that if you are OC and minding your own business, most people don’t notice as they are too involved in their phone or kids. A church, at least ours might be a little different as you can’t walk two feet without someone shaking your hand.

I guess my advice would be to bite the bucket and conceal until you have attended a little while and have established some relationships. After that, reassess. If my church were to put up no gun signs I would find some place else to attend. People get shot in GFZs, and places of worship seem to have become a target lately.

I guess that was more than a dabble. This is a topic of quite a bit of interest to me.

 

[paul@paul-fisher.com]

A church, at least ours might be a little different as you can’t walk two feet without someone shaking your hand.

Same with mine in AZ. We have approximately 400 regular attenders and we have greeters at every door. Security roams around and I try to shake people's hands of people I haven't seen before. In some cases, hugs are even given out.

We decided to have arm bands not to necessarily draw attention to ourselves, but to not get shot when LEO shows up. For our main service, we rent a local city LEO and the come in full uniform and with a squad car parked visibly out front.

 

[solus]

The only place I conceal is at church, not because I want to hide that I am carrying but I want people to hear the good news coming from the pulpit, not be distracted by me.

When I go to church for activities that aren't the primary worship service, I open carry. All the members of the church know I carry. The pastor as his CCL. We used to host free WCI CCL classes.

Now that I live in AZ, I am part of the churches security team. We conceal but wear security armbands. If anyone asks, I tell them I carry. Once again, I am there for fellowship and worship, not to be a distraction.

That being said, if you OC to any church I am in, I may come up and talk to you, most likely to discuss our common interests.

hummm...so you are following AZ title 32 chapter 26 and licensed by the state with 16 hours of mandated training and are appropriately identified, etc.,

The board of trustees have provided written guidelines & keeping appropriate documentation and blessed you'al by providing liability coverage or insurance in the event of an incident or injury?

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

Here in Kentucky, you can OC and now CC with no permit needed. The church I go to has a no gun sign on the door and I've mentioned to one of the elders there who is also a friend of mine that the sign has no weight of the law. There is a security team there that do carry which is good. Once it gets cold and I have to wear a coat, I will carry, and if I'm ever told that I can't carry, I'll point out that the sign has no weight of the law, and if they persist, then I will never step foot in there again. They know that Christianity is under attack, but still....