First Lady Michelle Obama Visits Atlanta Church!

"The faith community surrounding Atlanta played host to first lady Michelle Obama for a speech marking the first anniversary of her Let’s Move initiative.

Let’s Move is a program to get children to live more active lifestyles and eat healthier.

Co-hosts were Northpoint Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia, and Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Georgia. She spoke in Alpharetta."

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Question for Readers? Has your church ever experienced a VIP in attendance? This could be a politician or celebrity. Please comment and tell us about the experience.

Church Liable for Construction Workers Death?

UPPER WEST SIDE — "The Department of Buildings issued a violation for improper safety measures to the owners of an Upper West Side construction site where two workers fell 65 feet to their death Tuesday morning.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church's construction site at 150 West 83rd Street did not have a proper guardrail system installed in the elevator shaft where the men were working, according to the violation on the DOB’s website. The city has issued a stop work order until the fixes are made."

Read more: http://www.dnainfo.com/20110209/upper-west-side/church-hit-with-safety-violation-ironworkers-deaths#ixzz1DavtXP6w

This is a great article to get you thinking about different things at your church facility that you may be liable for. Just because the construction workers were not employed by the church does not mean that they are not liable for their deaths. If you have any major projects occurring at a facility that you own, make sure that you are involved all aspects of keeping the project safe!

Special Note: Winter is still upon us...Make sure that your facility properly maintains icy sidewalks and parking lots. Someone slipping and falling due to neglect of the facility can be a fast track to a law suit. 

4 Accused of Throwing Molotov Cocktails at Church

POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KFVS) - "Poplar Bluff Police arrested four suspects in association with the fire at Fellowship General Baptist Church early Sunday morning.

The boys are accused of making Molotov cocktails and throwing them through the windows of the church."

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Car Crashes into the Basement of Church Near Boston

"A car sits on its side after crashing into the basement of St. Peter’s Church on Route 137 in Harwich , Massachusetts early Sunday ( 02-07-11 ) morning. The driver of the car, Lauren DeAngelis of Dennis, will be summonsed to court to face operating under the influence charges. There was extensive damage to the basement of the church. "

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Photo Credit: Christian Holleck/ SatelliteNewsService.com

$317,000 Stolen from West Chicago Church

"A former Catholic church deacon and business manager who admitted he stole more than $317,000 from his West Chicago church was sentenced Monday to six years in prison.

George Valdez took the money from St. Mary’s Catholic Church, using it to pay credit-card bills and other personal expenses — and to buy himself $10,000 in Bears and White Sox tickets."

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Exciting News! Grand Opening...

Exciting News! Grand Opening of the www.securityatchurch.com store.

I added a new section to this website. It is listed under the “Store” tab on the main tool bar. I wanted to have a section where I could recommend resources that you might find helpful. I often receive emails asking me for suggestions for Church Security books, supplies, and clothing…

I have split the store into three different sections.

- Recommended Books

- Security Product 

- Security Apparel

The store is linked to Amazon for your shopping convenience. I hope you find some of the resources helpful!

Free Church Security Conference Audio Resources

Many resources from the 2010 Church Security Vigilance Conference are available online for free from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS). 

 

Click on the below link for resources.

http://www.sbts.edu/resources/category/conferences/vigilance-2010/

Is Your Church Safe in the Snow?

"A historical church that's among the few that survived the Great Chicago Fire sustained extensive damage from this week's blizzard. 

The roof of First Baptist Congregational Church, at 1613 W. Washington, collapsed from the weight of the snow damaging the church's exterior and interior."

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/stories/Blizzard-Damages-Chicago-Landmark-115275724.html#ixzz1D1c8hMLN

I noticed several recent articles in the news regarding churches that sustained damage due to the heavy snow fall. A large part of the nation received extensive snow fall this past week. I thought that this would serve as a good reminder to make sure that your church facility is ready for the winter weather. If your area experiences heavy snow fall make it a priority to have someone safely remove excess snow from the roof of your building. Many churches (especially older ones) can not hold the added weight for an extended period of time.