Old South Church featured in WGBH

WGBH interviewed our Senior Minister, Nancy Taylor, on how we ensure that our church is both welcoming and safe. See below for a preview, or click here for the full article.

Churches Face A New Reality

By Bob Seay

"Churches are traditionally places we think of as not only being sacred, but safe. But that image was shattered after the mass shootings in South Carolina and Texas.

The threat of violence presents a unique challenge for institutions like churches. Unlike schools, hospitals and courthouses, churches are constrained when it comes to subjecting visitors to security measures. That leaves church leaders concerned they may not be doing enough, so they want to know all they can about providing security.

At the nation's largest insurer of church buildings, Church Mutual Insurance Company, the number of customer calls continues to rise. Church Mutual's Vice President of Risk Management Cheryl Kryshak said churches by nature want to be open and welcoming, but they also have to protect those inside from threats. Kryshak said she hears two primary concerns from religious leaders: first, securing the church's perimeter, which involves locks, lights and surveillance cameras. The second is concern about someone inside the sanctuary behaving strangely or threateningly."