Serve, Work and Transform: Presbyterian Peace Fellowship - Oct 6-Nov 10 Guns to Gardens Training Open for Registration

Gun Violence Prevention

News for Congregations

Sept. 2022

For those impacted by the school shooting today in Russia:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, help us to change. Amen.

Contents:

• Nov. 8 Election

• Guns to Gardens

New Logo!

Oct 6-Nov 10 Next Action Circle Training

Dec. 3 National Safe Surrender Day

• Seeking Submissions:

Gun Violence Emergency Response Kit

• Local Spotlight:

Gun Safe Storage Passes Texas School Boards

ACTION NOW: Visit the non-partisan GunSenseVoter.org to find almost 7,600 candidates of all political parties who support gun safety action, listed by state. Support candidates of your choice. Learn what congregations can do to encourage Americans to vote. See Elections & Voter Education* HERE.

*From the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Gun Violence Prevention Congregational Toolkit

New Logo!

The Guns to Gardens Movement is Growing!

New Logo, left.

Next Training

Oct 6 - Nov 10

Join an Action Circle for one hour a week to explore transforming guns into garden tools. PPF has provided this Guns to Gardens training to over 100 folks from 66 congregations, 6 denominations in 22 states.

Learn about safe chop saw dismantling of unwanted guns, as well as about publicity, fundraising & planning your gun Safe Surrender event.

(Thursdays, Daytime & Evening Options)

Learn More & Register HERE

Next National Safe Surrender Day:

Sat. Dec. 3

Join congregations nationwide in dismantling unwanted guns, as part of the Advent Isaiah 2:4 lectionary and in remembrance 10 years since the Sandy Hook School Shooting.

Read the PCUSA General Assembly action on Guns to Gardens HERE.

Gun Violence Emergency Response Kit - Send us your Suggestions

In the aftermath of gun violence, congregations and communities need immediate, easy-to-use pastoral and action tools. Do you have suggestions? Vigils? Hymns? Prayers? Actions? Conversations with children? Please submit short, easy-to-access suggestions to Jan Orr-Harter at janoh4@aol.com

We will offer the Emergency Response Kit on the Peace Fellowship website.

LOCAL SPOTLIGHT:

School Boards & Gun Safe Storage

School boards in Houston and Frisco, TX hope to prevent school shootings and accidents by educating parents on the importance of safe gun storage in homes.

Both school districts passed actions to send a form home with each student to make sure that parents are aware of safe storage laws in their state. See the sample form HERE. They join other districts in GA, CA, AZ, OR, SC, VT and CO in seeking to educate parents about safe storage requirements and options. The form does not ask if guns are in the home. It simply asks parents to respond that they received the information about the importance of safe storage.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, up to 80% of school shooters under the age of 18 use a gun from the home of family and friends that was not securely stored.

In Ohio, the group God Before Guns offers the top-rated Gun Safety Card that can be shared in your school, congregation or at Guns to Gardens events to promote gun safety and gun safe storage. Request free cards at GodBeforeGuns.org

Learn more about gun Safe Storage HERE and about approaching your School Board to promote Safe Storage HERE.