Your Church, Voting & Gun Violence - Part 2

Gun Violence Prevention News for Congregations Aug. 2020  Contents: Voting & Gun Violence Prevention Part 2 PPF's Antiracism Deep Dive "Democracy is not a spectator sport." --Marian Wright Edelman

VOTING & GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION What Can Churches Really Do? Part Two Last month we focused on preventing voter suppression. Review that HERE. This month we focus on VOTER REGISTRATION under Covid-19. Learn about what churches can and cannot do during election years HERE. (from the PPF GVP Congregational Toolkit) 1. Sept. 22 National Voter Registration Day Under Covid-19, there has been a huge drop in voter registration in 2020, as much as a 70% decrease in many key states. You and/or your church have time to join in National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22. Since 2012, this nonpartisan national holiday has registered over 3 million voters. See HERE for Sept. 22 stickers, how-to and other tools for safe registration efforts under Covid-19.  2. Safe Registration in Your State: See the League of Women Voters award-winning website www.vote411.org to find voting and registration deadlines and procedures for each state. Learn more from the League about outdoor, safe and touchless registration devices such as QR codes and widgets HERE See also the Covid-smart "How-To" Voter Registration Kit for your state at Vote for Our Lives, a project of March for Our Lives HERE. 3. Everytown for Gun Safety Interfaith Initiative: This initiative brings together individual religious leaders who will partner to engage their networks around gun safety in the 2020 election, including activating them to register to vote and pledge to vote for gun sense candidates. These partners will host at least 50 events and communications to mobilize people of faith, with a focus on key states including: AZ, CO, FL, GA, IA, MI, MN, NC, NH, NV, PA, TX, and WI. Rev. Deanna Hollas is among the religious leaders in the initiative. Read her Justice Unbound editorial, Our Country is in the Midst of Twin Pandemics, HERE. If your church has experience or projects to share about voter access and education, especially about virtual efforts, please contact gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org "We see voting as a way to effect change. It's not enough just to talk and pray about an issue." Barbara Overton, Co-Chair of the Mission Committee, Riviera Presbyterian Church, Dade County, Florida

Deep Dive into Antiracism The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship has embarked on an organization-wide focus on discerning action against racism and police brutality, including how antiracism can strengthen PPF's Gun Violence Prevention Ministry. This week, as the police shooting of Jacob Blake inflames protests in Wisconsin and beyond, join in these steps: 1. As part of the Everytown Interfaith Initiative (above), see Rev. Sharon Risher on "Gun Violence, Racism and Forgiveness" in her conversation with Rev. Deanna Hollas, PPF Gun Violence Prevention Coordinator. Watch HERE. Risher's mother, Ethel Lance, was among nine African Americans killed by a white supremacist gunman in the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. Risher's book, For Such a Time as This: Hope and Forgiveness after the Charleston Massacre, can be ordered HERE.      2. Learn & Discern Action: Over 200 PPFers are now organized into ten book club groups to read and discuss the top-selling book, How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. At the same time, PPF is launching "Action Circles" around the nation to discern and plan for future work to defund the police, in the face of undeterred police brutality against people of color. For more information on the book clubs, contact Alison Wood at alison@presbypeacefellowship.org PPF has asked Rev. Ashley Bair in Minneapolis to organize the Action Circles on defunding the police. To become involved, contact ashley@presbypeacefellowship.org 3. The long-anticipated new GVP Curriculum will not be ready for fall church use as we are pausing publication to participate in PPF's deep dive into antiracism. The intersection of racism and gun violence is complex and we want the new curriculum to excel in helping churches discuss and act on it. The new six-session curriculum is going to be outstanding. Stay tuned for news!

“Along with faith and prayer, I also know that ‘faith without work is dead.’ I am imploring everyone to continue to fight for more comprehensive background checks — especially as we see gun sales surge.” --Rev. Sharon Risher

Gun Violence Prevention Ministry Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Rev. Deanna Hollas, Coordinator 214-702-2265