Writing for a diocesan newsletter, Special Edition from the Bishop [subscribe], the Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel of the Diocese of Olympia explains several guidelines about guns in church buildings:

For a while, the Office of Bishop has been asked to come up with some possible guidelines. I write today for just that purpose. I want to reiterate that these are simply guidelines. This is not a policy. This office is not encouraging a specific action, nor directing you to do anything. Instead, we are providing you with information.

Over a year ago I was asked by a reporter what our policy on guns in church were and I simply said, our policy is that we follow the law. I would say that “policy” remains as far as I am concerned. What you will find attached to this letter are the guidelines developed carefully over the intervening time, and overseen by our Diocesan Safety and Security Coordinator Ron Miller, our Chancellor Judy Andrews, our Governing Bodies, and many other researched findings. These guidelines come from the concerns above, and from a common question, which has come in various forms but most usually is something along the lines of “What shall we do about guns in the church?”

That question must be considered alongside the reality of the law currently in place. Here are a few facts: