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I was on the security detail at The Vertical Church on Sunday. I noticed that Jeremy was open carrying, so I asked him if I could take a picture after the service. He was kind enough to wait with his lovely wife until I handed off to the next volunteer. Then we stepped outside to take the picture. The lobby was fairly crowded. We are having record numbers attend for August in Yuma!

The can in his left hand is non-alcoholic, they are sold in the Church lobby. The pistol is a Sig Sauer P220 in .45 ACP.

Carrying to church was required by law in some of the early colonies. Now that church shootings are in the news occasionally, the practice is making a comeback.

One of my daughter's high school boyfriends was an early adopter of the Texas concealed carry permit. He told me that he always carried at church, and that one of his regrets was that he happened not to be at a service, which he usually attended, when it was attacked. I think two or three people were killed.

Update: The next Sunday, the 30th of August, another security team volunteer was not on duty, but he was open carrying with his lovely family.

I was open carrying as well. Not volunteering last Sunday. After the service, Pastor Jason was kind enough to pose for a picture with me. Open carry is more common in the summer months, with the temperatures well over a hundred.

http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2015/08/open-carry-at-vertical-church-in-yuma.html

My clothing is a little more formal for church than those of the men shown in the photos. I like my “church” carry in a Sig also but a 9mm.

Like I said, my main objection is for any bad person not identifying me as a threat. I’d rather appear as an innocuous, harmless sheep to a malignant murderer. I’m not there to act as a deterrent, I’m there to worship and defend myself and my family if the need arises. I think that the armed guards are helpful to the occasional “crazy” with a gun, but a jihadist or organized attack usually takes out security first as well as communications.

I think that open carry is good, in that it allows for accidentally showing your weapon without committing a crime.