A new church reality: heightened security

From The New York Times:

Armed guards, security patrols and surveillance cameras — at the Potter’s House of Denver, they are just another part of Sunday services, like prayer, psalms and sermons. Much of the security effort is hidden so it does not interfere with worship, but church leaders insist that the military-style protocols are necessary.

“We now live in an America where you must be vigilant,” the Rev. E. Christopher Hill, the church’s senior pastor, said.

The massacre last month during a Bible study at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., has heightened anxiety among clergy members and the faithful alike, particularly in black churches. For Mr. Hill and his congregation, the event was a reminder of the importance of security measures, which they put into place years ago.

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It’s not uncommon to see some stringent security at churches in New York City—cameras, guards and shortened hours for prayer are typical. But now it appears to have spread elsewhere.