Presbyterian Peace Fellowship - We are saving lives!

Nearly 1,000 Guns Dismantled June 11 Ed, We are gaining momentum, and we're just getting started! On June 11, PPF was part of a nationwide coalition for a National Guns to Gardens Day. Local communities from Ohio to Utah to Connecticut gathered to dismantle guns using simple chop saws. Join an Action Circle for Guns to Gardens Training Approximately 1,000 guns were dismantled on June 11, 2022, many of which were AR-15's. Rev. Harry Eberts, one of the PPF Peaceseeker Award recipients at this year's Peace Breakfast said, "We had a fantastic day in Albuquerque. Cars were lined up down the street for almost two hours straight. We held it at a Presbyterian Church parking lot, and it worked out wonderfully. We received 240 guns and when we ran out of gift cards people just gave us the guns. Just wanted to get rid of them."  Guns dismantled on June 11: Albuquerque, NM - 240 Aurora, CO - 111 Bridgeport, CT - 22 Columbus, OH - 14 Euclid, OH - 40 Madison, WI - 29 New Haven, CT - 66 Oakland, CA - 131 Sandy, UT - 36 Worcester, MA - 26 plus hundreds more across 10 locations in Maine. There are many reasons that someone would surrender a gun. There may be conflict, illness or a crisis in a family. Older hunters and gun collectors may no longer feel that they can safely handle guns. Or they may have children and teenagers visiting in the home. Or law enforcement may have returned a gun to a family after their loved one used it in a suicide. The church is equipped to accompany gun owners through the safe surrender process. For the church to help turn guns into garden tools can provide hope and healing to communities that have been traumatized by gun violence. Pina, the founder of Swords to Plowshares NE said, "We were able to capture such great stories from participants.  It is clear we are doing God’s work!! So proud to be a part of this amazing team!!" Join this amazing network of churches that are dismantling unwanted guns and help save lives! We have two cohorts of Guns to Gardens Action Circles starting August 18, an evening cohort and a midday cohort. They are one hour weekly sessions for six weeks and will train you and your congregations to be ready to host your first Guns to Gardens event. Training covers safe chop saw procedures, publicity, pastoral care, gift card options and best practices learned from prior Guns to Gardens congregations. The next national Guns to Gardens day is under discussion for the days surrounding the 10th memorial of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in early December. Be ready to join us! Rev. Deanna Hollas PPF Gun Violence Prevention Coordinator Presbyterian Peace Fellowship 845-786-6743 | presbypeacefellowship.org Instagram | Facebook | Twitter