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I have not carried at church yet, and I have seen the stories of church shootings in the past couple of years. This Christmas Eve during the service I took my little niece to the nursery as she was getting a little antsy. When I was walking back into the service I saw a homeless man park his bike and walk into the church's restroom.

I was a little worried because he had on a backpack, so I returned to my car, got my gun and enjoyed the rest of the service while carrying. Everything went fine, I had some concerns afterword with people hugging me, but I do not think anyone "made me". I think that I will carry at church from now on.

Is the church posted 30.06? I know some houses of worship don't mind a member packing. This is from Texas State Rifle Assoc. website.

After 9/1/97 a CHL must receive effective notice before he is prohibited from carrying on private premises. Notice is an oral warning, or a card or sign carrying a specifically worded warning (defined in Penal Code section 30.06) in Spanish and English. The sign must have contrasting letters one inch high. Also, after 9/1/97 it is legal to go armed in a hospital, nursing home, amusement park, place of religious worship, or meeting of a government entity if this notice is not posted. (Table)

http://tsra.com/codepages/where-u-carry.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

When people go for the hug, I protect my gun side with my elbow and try to go low with the off-side arm, forcing their arm up high. I have also brushed someone's arm away. It is all slightly awkward, but I am not a touchy-feely type anyway so the awkwardness comes off sort of natural for me.

bdickens wrote:When people go for the hug, I protect my gun side with my elbow and try to go low with the off-side arm, forcing their arm up high. I have also brushed someone's arm away. It is all slightly awkward, but I am not a touchy-feely type anyway so the awkwardness comes off sort of natural for me.

I use the same tactic, although I am a hugger. That being said, a few weeks ago, our band was assembled in the stage wing for prayer just before going on stage. We were standing in a circle, arms "shoulder hugging" the person to either side. The guy on my left was quite a bit shorter than me (I'm average height for my age), and instead of putting his arm across my shoulders, he put it down lower and had his hand resting on my spare magazine which was hidden under my shirt. I don't think he realized what it was and I'm not even sure that it occurred to him to wonder about it; and I never said anything about it to him.

I've been more careful since to try and keep that from happening.

My church in very pro carry. I have trained many of the men and women in our church. We sit where we can see each other but at the same time we are scattered out. My pastor once had a guy come down the aisle toward him with a .45. Several of the men were are to tackle him and that was the end of that. Since we are so pro carry I don't worry much about someone bumping my gun, only the visitors.

I have been carrying at church since September, every time, 4-5 + services per week. I am the lead guitarist in a rather large church (>5000 people), and we have giant video screens and your standard theatrical lighting etc. I am in a very high-visibility position. I haven't been made yet, as far as I know. Hugs, bending over to adjust guitar pedals, hook up cables, reaching up to run my ear-monitor cable down the back of my shirt, etc. Never a problem.

IF a church has a School on the property, does this count as a Church on weekends, and School during the week ?

And what about Sunday School ?


BAT

bat1 wrote:IF a church has a School on the property, does this count as a Church on weekends, and School during the week ?

And what about Sunday School ?


BAT

IANAL, but Sunday School is not considered a 'school' in the intentions of the statute. As for the school during the week, I would think if it was a certified by the Texas Board of Education and licensed as a school, then yes it would be off limits. However, if it is just a 'pre-school' i.e. daycare that is not certified as a school, then I don't believe it would be off limits. Again, IANAL.

Keith B wrote:

bat1 wrote:IF a church has a School on the property, does this count as a Church on weekends, and School during the week ?

And what about Sunday School ?


BAT

IANAL, but Sunday School is not considered a 'school' in the intentions of the statute. As for the school during the week, I would think if it was a certified by the Texas Board of Education and licensed as a school, then yes it would be off limits. However, if it is just a 'pre-school' i.e. daycare that is not certified as a school, then I don't believe it would be off limits. Again, IANAL.

The church has a private school 4-12 grade, Texas does not require to be certified. Aprox 18 - 20 students.. BUT, I believe in court it is consider a school. Police can issue tickets for not obeying "School Zone" speed signs..

So, off limits all the time, or just during school hours ?

BAT

bat1 wrote:

Keith B wrote:

bat1 wrote:IF a church has a School on the property, does this count as a Church on weekends, and School during the week ?

And what about Sunday School ?


BAT

IANAL, but Sunday School is not considered a 'school' in the intentions of the statute. As for the school during the week, I would think if it was a certified by the Texas Board of Education and licensed as a school, then yes it would be off limits. However, if it is just a 'pre-school' i.e. daycare that is not certified as a school, then I don't believe it would be off limits. Again, IANAL.

The church has a private school 4-12 grade, Texas does not require to be certified. Aprox 18 - 20 students.. BUT, I believe in court it is consider a school. Police can issue tickets for not obeying "School Zone" speed signs..

So, off limits all the time, or just during school hours ?

BAT

Good question. The problem is there has not (to my knowledge) been a case that defined joint use buildings. This is just a guess, but my thought would be if there is a section dedicated to school classes and not used for anything else, then that area would be off limits at all times. If it is used other times, then just off limits during school hours or school activities. However, since there is no clear definition, if discovered carrying, you may become the test case that clarifies it.

Keith B wrote:
Good question. The problem is there has not (to my knowledge) been a case that defined joint use buildings. This is just a guess, but my thought would be if there is a section dedicated to school classes and not used for anything else, then that area would be off limits at all times. If it is used other times, then just off limits during school hours or school activities. However, since there is no clear definition, if discovered carrying, you may become the test case that clarifies it.

Hummmmm.... not going to happen.... At this point, I don't plan on carrying in Church. We have a few LEO that I believe have a BUG on them.. I will try and find a definite clarification. I dont have my CHL, I expect it around end of January.. I will carry in other places for a while to get comfortable with it.. That is all I need is a hug by one of the granny's and be found

BAT

Well yesterday while I was back stage between services, I was having a conversation about iPhones with two of the singers and the other guitarist. One of the singers in this group knows I carry. I mentioned that I thought the iPhone was too big for me to carry around for a cell phone, and he said (quite loudly I might add) "Hey man, if you can carry a pistol every day, you can carry an iPhone!". Sometimes it doesn't take a hug for you to get made at church.

Speaking of church carry, I showed Mrs. Oldgringo an article in the Friday Birmingham News where an elderly guy was robbed and beaten to death in the church parking lot between midnight mass services and his car on Christmas Eve. This happened in Washington D.C. but it can happen anywhere.

Yes, I do carry to church.

Oldgringo wrote:This happened in Washington D.C. but it can happen anywhere.

Yes, I do carry to church.

You wouldn't in Washington, D.C. Not legally anyway. There may be a reason why this is less likely in Texas than it is up there.

But you are right, it can happen anywhere. Church is one of the lowest-risk places I go, but I still carry, mostly because that's where I spend a whole lot of my time.

kingalls wrote:Is the church posted 30.06? I know some houses of worship don't mind a member packing. This is from Texas State Rifle Assoc. website.

After 9/1/97 a CHL must receive effective notice before he is prohibited from carrying on private premises. Notice is an oral warning, or a card or sign carrying a specifically worded warning (defined in Penal Code section 30.06) in Spanish and English. The sign must have contrasting letters one inch high. Also, after 9/1/97 it is legal to go armed in a hospital, nursing home, amusement park, place of religious worship, or meeting of a government entity if this notice is not posted. (Table)

http://tsra.com/codepages/where-u-carry.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

can anyone clarify this...this page was last updated on Nov 23, 1998. It is my understanding that we cannot go into an amusement park, hospital, nursing home or a government meeting.