Going to get your take on what happened Sunday at church.
Background:
• Small country church in NW Alabama. Usually about 35-45 attendees each service.
• Community around the area is everyone knows everyone, or atleast the extended family.

We have occasional visitors, but usually it’s someone in the community that we may distantly know, but today we had a lady that looked to be in her mid 40’s wearing a head scarf that didn’t speak until spoken to and we she did she covered her face. Very heavy middle eastern accent. Sat in the back pew, was extremely fidgety. She only stayed for about 10 minutes. She then put on shooter ear muffs and walked out the door. Our other deacon is a retired trooper and was already keying up on her, once the door to the church opened and she left he walked out with another deacon. The lady apparently ran around the church got her car and left. We saw the vehicle and saw that it was a local tag number, but we dont know if we just had someone that had a mental issue or a case out of a “soft” church to return too later. Was strange to say the least. Also could be completely nothing and we’re all overthinking the situation, but in today’s world you never know.

There will be a few more concealed carry happening for Easter Sunday. Normally our retired cop deacon usually is concealed, but today he wasn’t, but he did have a pistol in his truck.

What say you?
• overreacting
• Muslim casing the place for an “opportunity”
• mentally ill individual

Not overreacting in my opinion. Have a plan in place at church and stay prepared.

Pistol in the truck does absolutely zero

X 100, about like having a parachute in the truck

Our church has had a group who are armed and train together and coordinate inconspicuous monitoring of the church and services every Sunday for several years now. They politely try to engage persons who exhibit suspicious behavior and will sit close to any person of concern and notify others on the team of any concerns. They have had many interesting encounters but none that were a direct threat.

We have strategic areas where us three deacons sit. We only have three, but we have front rear left right in view of everyone, but we only had one carrying, but we will be upping that from this point forward. Already had a deacon meeting about signaling and steps to take. Our front door of the church is extremely loud when opened so we would all hear someone coming in, but if they’re already in the pew then we now have a better plan in place. I guess we got lazy. One deacon has been there 30 years and never had this type of an encounter. Strange folks yes, but nothing of this feeling of an actual threat.

It is certainly good to stay alert these days the way random shootings seem to be a common occurrence.
This is suspicious behavior, but let me play devil's advocate here. (no pun intended)

As a woman of Middle Easten decent, and likely Muslim, she wants to check out a Chistian Church. and is met with suspicion. This makes her uncomfortable, and not welcome which then causes here to act the way she did.

This could be completely wrong, just adding another option.

Be prepared. Hopefully she is someone seeking the truth of the Gospel.

It’s always best to stay vigilant but gets hard obviously. We attend a large church where we live and I would venture to say that at least 40% of our congregation conceal carries. We’ve had several odd interactions that are all different and not quite like you had but definitely puts you on guard.

There’s a guy that has been arrested twice in our area for going in churches and making threats and causing scenes.

While it could absolutely be a bad player with ill intentions, think about this.

Imagine being a woman, especially from the Middle East, who perhaps has not been stateside long. Maybe she is already a believer, or maybe she is feeling the draw of the Spirit on her, so she is trying to find a place to worship. After being there a short time, feels uncomfortable and decides to leave. Has one man already watching her every move (retired trooper) and another (deacon) follows her out the building. Probably scared the crap out of her, so running to her car makes sense.

Culturally, if she does indeed come from a Muslim dominated area, she would cover her face and not dare look a man in the eye while speaking... so some of that behavior is almost to be expected. The ear muffs say to me "audio-sensory issues." I would immediately assume there is a high likelihood she is on the spectrum.

I'm not saying that any of the above are certain and true. However, they are just as likely, if not more so, than a muslim doing recon on possible soft targets for attack.

The better question is, how can we handle this better next time? She spoke when spoken to, so perhaps a little friendly conversation. How are you today? What brings you to church with us this morning? Maybe another lady within the church that would take it upon herself to try to get to know her, sit with her, and make her feel welcomed. By all means, keep an eye on her, but doing so discretely.


Just some thoughts I had. Not trying to be critical, just offering a different view.


(Essentially, the same thing Hawndog said, he just typed faster )

Based on current social climate and her behavior no there was no overreaction. She's either off her rocker or meds or up to something I'd go with the latter.

So she puts on shooting ear muffs and runs out? That's the extremely odd part to me, the ear muffs.

she probably already succeded in scaring folks into not coming on easter sunday. Satan works in mysterious ways. If it was me I would not allow muslim stuff to be worn in god's house at all and wouldv'e stopped her at the door.

Serious question…would you stop an unknown person at the door wearing a covid mask?

Put the muffs on before she activated her suicide vest. When it malfunctioned she got the heck outta there!

Are you sure it was shooting ear muffs and not an over the ear headset? I wear a noise canceling one while listening to music or an audio book when I mow the yard.

Maybe she was looking for someone specifically and not for anything nefarious. Was there any type of special thing going on during the service? Did someone get baptized, someone new in the choir? Maybe she was there because someone asked her to come watch what they were doing.

I think it is good to be wary, but maybe check through the congregation and see if someone did actually invite this woman.

I would have just welcomed her and sat beside her. I would have asked her questions about her faith. I would haved shared the gospel with her while making sure I was close enough to shut down any incident. It certainly is strange but we can't forget that Jesus gave his life to save her like she did you and I. Sometimes it's extremely hard for me to grasp the extent of God's grace.

if she filled out a visitor card, call her

This is IT! WWJD?
I remember in the 80's a black man and a white woman came to the small Baptist church I attended. One of the deacons met him at the door and and asked him what he was doing there. The man responded "I'm here to worship the Lord! What are YOU here for?" I attended a small Methodist church that a small family of Pakistani's attended. They were met with suspicion by a lot of the members at first. They turned out to be a fine Christian family.