Gun Violence Prevention in a Horrible Moment - Re-Commitment

Gun Violence Prevention News for Congregations May 2022 Lord, have mercy. The moment is overwhelming: the shootings at Tops Grocery Store in Buffalo, NY and the Irvine, CA Taiwanese Presbyterian Church, and now 19 children and their teachers in Uvalde, Texas --plus 120 daily gun deaths, day in, day out. Lord, have mercy. Help us to change. At this horrible time, join in re-committing ourselves as Christians to healing and to gun violence prevention. Action: Church Bells - On Thurs. May 26, at noon in your local time, join churches across the nation in tolling church bells 19 times, for the number of children who have died so far from the Ulvade, TX shooting. Tell your local media and elected officials why you are ringing your bells. Find immediate Worship/Vigil/Action Resources for your church HERE Join us for more reflection in a Pentecost Bible Study with Theologian-Activist Shane Claiborne on Tues May 31, 7PM ET online. Register HERE Read the blog by Rev. Deanna Hollas, Why White Churches Need to Start Chopping Up Guns, HERE Photo: Buffalo Spectrum News More ACTION: The very least that the US Senate can do is to finally approve a permanent Director for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, after forcing this key position to be vacant for over 7 years. Urge your Senators to confirm former prosecutor Steve Dettelbach as the Director of the ATF because of his experience in prosecuting hate crimes. Take action HERE  June 11 National Guns to Gardens Day From Wisconsin to Utah to Ohio, on Sat. June 11 local congregations will host Safe Surrender events to turn unwanted guns into garden tools. Others are planning Guns to Gardens events for later in June, July and the fall. In Albuquerque, La Mesa Presbyterian Church will host a June 11 event with New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence, photo above. Recipient of the Peace Fellowship's 2021 Peaceseeker Award, this statewide group Christened the name "Guns to Gardens" and has conducted 13 gun buy backs, with 1,037 unwanted firearms dismantled, of which 33% have been semi-automatic or assault weapons. AUGUST ACTION CIRCLES For churches to learn more about Guns to Gardens, the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship will host two Action Circles, starting in late August, with a choice of days and times. Using Zoom, these one hour weekly training calls will introduce you to best practices learned so far and to other Presbyterians considering whether they are called to help turn unwanted guns into tools for life. Learn more HERE New! Guns to Gardens Brochure for Congregations HERE For Sessions, Presbyteries & More Print brochure back to back, flip on the short end and fold with green logos on front. PCUSA General Assembly June 18-July 9 Please act today to join our new GA Facebook Community presbys following GA225 HERE and...invite your Presbytery GA Commissioners to join, as well as friends who may want to follow along. Thank you to 15 local church folks who submitted video testimony to support 5 pending GA actions on gun violence prevention. Another 7 official Overture Advocates will testify in June. Find these actions at pc-biz.org HERE Gun Violence Prevention Ministry Presbyterian Peace Fellowship 214-702-2265 Rev. Deanna Hollas, Coordinator gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org presbypeacefellowship.org  ‌  ‌  ‌