After Conference:
The WFZ Conversation Continues
By Dana Lede
In discussion at this year’s Pacific Northwest Conference’s Young Adult Retreat, I learned that if I wanted to – I could bring a gun to church with me. It was a statement made in jest, but one that was absolutely true. Our denomination’s Book of Resolutions states that our churches are weapon-free zones. But in order to uphold that language, we needed legislation at our Annual Conference.
Last June at Conference, I presented legislation that would reverse the ‘default’ and make our church properties weapon-free zones. Churches would have the ability to ‘opt-out’ through a vote of the charge conference. During the discussions, many questions were asked that could not be answered due to procedure. For instance:
“Would camps still be allowed to have archery?”
Camps are already weapon-free zones due to ACA regulations.
“What about parsonages?”
Parsonages wouldn’t fall under that law because they are private dwellings, even though the church owns them.
“What defines a weapon?”
This question was trickier and in my opinion, the true reason we could not move the legislation forward. Schools are weapon-free zones and include knives and other firearms as banned items. Defining a weapon is difficult because intent is so important. During this year’s AC, I heard joking during a meal saying that bibles are sometimes used as weapons. Would they be banned?
Overall the legislation was sent back to committee, in my opinion because the language was too broad. When making church law, people want more defined language than that of the Book of Resolutions. I hope over the next year we can refine it and bring it back to the floor, because I believe it is very important for our churches.
Churches as Weapons Free Zones
Unwelcoming and Crime-Magnets
By Sam Forck
When it comes to having our churches becoming Weapons Free Zones, I have mixed feelings on this.
Neither side of me can see a positive outcome of hanging these signs on church buildings. I have not had to “church-shop,” in my life; Bothell UMC has been there for me all my life (thus far). Now if I were to put myself in the shoes of a “church-shopper” and if one church I’d try had one up, I think that it would be lessening the luster of a church. Imagine a nice, well-maintained church with its grass mowed, flowers planted and everything in bloom. Surely, a “Weapons Free Zone” sign will distract from all the beauty. Curb appeal is important and for me, a WFZ sign doesn’t look too inviting or welcoming.
I’ve seen WFZ’s signs at schools and other places. They usually go hand-in-hand with large fences, and other security devices. While the security of its occupants is greatly important, for students like me, it’s one more thing to distract me from learning in the classroom. I don’t want the church that I would call “mine” to be so institutional looking. Churches are sacred places, adding these signs would diminish that, I think.
Another side of me sees these signs as a magnet for criminal activity. For a criminal baddie, a silly sign on a building would not deter that person from engaging in criminal baddie shenanigans. Weapons Free Zone signs may even encourage vandalism by those who are opposed to them.
Church is a Weapon-Free Zone
Whereas, in keeping with the spirit of Isaiah 2:4: “God will judge between the nations, and settle disputes of mighty nations. Then they will beat their swords into iron plows, and their spears into pruning tools. Nation will not take up sword against nation; they will no longer learn how to make war”;
Whereas, reflecting the church’s traditional role as a place of safety and sanctuary,
Therefore, every United Methodist church is officially declared a weapon-free zone.
ADOPTED 2000
READOPTED 2008
Resolution #5011,
2008 Book of Resolutions
Resolution #241,
2004 Book of Resolutions
Resolution #227,
2000 Book of Resolutions
See Social Principles, ¶ 164.
From The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church — 2012. Copyright © 2012 by The United Methodist Publishing House. Used by permission.
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