Minister’s Message – Quarterly Connection, April 2026

Dear Ones,

One of the responsibilities the Vestry Board and I hold most seriously is ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone on our campus.

To that end, the Board holds me accountable to a comprehensive set of Safety and Security Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), which we follow diligently. These procedures have been in place since my arrival in 2021, with much of the foundation established by the former Safety Committee in the late 2010s. I am deeply grateful for their dedication and foresight. Because of their work, we benefit from critical safety measures such as panic buttons in the pulpit and nursery, security cameras, AED equipment, annual fire drills, and more. The current Vestry Board, staff, and I have been able to build upon this strong foundation.

Today, our staff reviews and updates the Safety and Security SOPs on an annual basis. I am confident that our policies related to natural disasters and weather-related emergencies (such as fires, hurricanes, and tornadoes), as well as our Safe Congregation protocols for the prevention of child and youth abuse, are strong and effective.

However, it has become clear that we need to strengthen our security preparedness, particularly in relation to the possibility of an armed intruder.

Last fall, I invited a small group—one staff member, two Board members, and one lay leader—to participate in an online Congregational and Community Safety Series sponsored by the UU Justice Ministry of North Carolina. This experience provided valuable insight into current best practices and emerging priorities in congregational security. I invited those who participated in this training to join me in a small Security Task Force to organize next steps.

The Security Task Force unanimously recommended bringing in Mitch Fryer of Defensive Strategies and Consultation LLC, a specialist in church security, to assess our preparedness. Mitch joined us for a weekend in February 2026 to conduct this evaluation.

During his visit, Mitch shared that, among the congregations he has worked with, ours is one of the most prepared he has encountered (a further testament to the excellent work of the earlier Safety Committee!). At the same time, he identified several important gaps and opportunities for meaningful improvement.

In response, we will begin by 1.) separating out our Security Procedures from the broader SOPs we already have for Safety and 2.) recruiting a small, dedicated Security Team trained to respond to a range of situations, from minor disruptions to serious crisis scenarios, including an active threat. This team will be equipped to monitor the campus with de-escalation skills and will operate with the goal of fostering a sense of safety and care, not fear or scrutiny.

As part of the development of this new Security Team, we plan to invite Mitch back to provide them with de-escalation training.

Because we believe that having many people trained to de-escalate a potentially difficult situation will benefit all members of the church, this training will also be open to staff, key volunteers, and leaders in the church.

However, please note that attending the de-escalation training as a staff member, volunteer, or church leader does not mean you automatically become an active member of the Security Team.

Once the de-escalation training has taken place, and the new Security Team is up and running, the Security Task Force will be disbanded.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know! I would be happy to speak with you anytime.

Peace,

Rev. Rebecca Hinds