Change.org Petition: Stop School Shootings! Improve Safe Storage Laws

Stop School Shootings! Improve Safe Storage Laws 700 have signed Bobby Callagy’s petition. Let’s get to 1,000!

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As a student, I shouldn’t fear for my life every day when I go to school. I shouldn’t have to hide in bulletproof closets during lockdown drills. Students are afraid; however, no consensus has been reached on the dangers of guns. Why are we on the receiving end of petty conflicts between politicians and partisan beliefs? As a kid, I want to change now. Enough is enough. The number one leading cause of death for kids in this country is guns. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. We now have to take a stand to make sure we are safe. Urge your local and state officials to improve national safe storage laws to make sure guns don’t get into the hands of dangerous people!

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Change.org Petition: Urgent Call for International Community to Address Poisoning of Schoolgirls in Iran

Urgent Call for International Community to Address Poisoning of Schoolgirls in Iran 21,491 have signed Woman Life Freedom’s petition. Let’s get to 25,000!

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We, the undersigned, are deeply concerned about the reports of schoolgirls being poisoned by toxic gases in Iran, especially in light of recent evidence suggesting the involvement of state agents in the attacks. More than 1,000 Iranian students have fallen ill over the past three months in what has been reported to be a wave of poisonings. It is unacceptable for schoolgirls, or any members of society, to be subjected to such attacks. These incidents represent a grave violation of human rights, and urgent action is needed to address this situation. We call on the international community and the UN to take swift and decisive action to address this issue and protect the human rights of Iranian citizens, particularly women and girls who are the most vulnerable in this situation. We urge the international community to: - We call on the United Nations to urgently conduct an independent investigation into the incidents to determine the cause of the poisoning and hold those responsible accountable. An independent investigation is critical to ensuring transparency, impartiality, and fairness in addressing this situation. - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) should provide technical expertise to help detect and identify the toxic gases that were responsible for the poisonings. This could include providing specialized equipment and training. - The international community should use diplomatic channels to put pressure on the Iranian government to investigate and address the poisoning incidents. Diplomatic pressure should also be used to call for accountability, as the evidence suggests that these were deliberate acts of sabotage. It is imperative that those responsible are held accountable for their actions to prevent any further harm to innocent civilians. The international community must act quickly and decisively to ensure that those responsible for these attacks are held accountable and that the human rights of Iranian citizens, particularly women and girls, are protected. We stand in solidarity with the affected families and urge the international community to join us in calling for swift action.

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Today in the Mission Yearbook - #CSW67 looks at protecting the rights of migrant, refugee and asylum-seeking women and girls

Witness, Share and Evangelize: Today in the Mission Yearbook - #CSW67 looks at pr...: Presbyterians and others attending the Commission on the Status of Women hear from a prime minister and others concerned about 100 million f...

WCC News: WCC appeals for ending hostilities in Sudan to ensure a sustainable peace

World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed grave concern about the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan, and urged an end to hostilities. A weekly market in Gidel, a village in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. Photo: Paul Jeffrey/Life on Earth 27 April 2023 “As many other countries move to evacuate their citizens, WCC member church and ecumenical partner contacts in Sudan report that after more than ten days of armed violence and destruction, hospitals are still not operating, shops and markets remain closed, and essential services are still not functioning,” he said. “People are struggling to find food and the basic necessities of life.” Pillay appealed to the warring parties to refrain from any further hostilities - especially affecting civilians and civilian areas, to respect and protect places of worship (churches and mosques), and to act urgently to ensure a sustainable peace, so that essential services can be restored and critically-needed humanitarian operations resumed. “The WCC urges a swift and sufficient response by the international community to the humanitarian emergency resulting from this unconscionable violence, and supports calls for an urgent special session of the UN Human Rights Council on the consequent human rights crisis in Sudan,” said Pillay. “We encourage all WCC member churches, ecumenical and interfaith partners, and all people of good will to join in prayers for peace and in active solidarity with the people of Sudan.” WCC statement on the situation in Sudan, 26.4.2023 NGO call for a special session on Sudan to To Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

Presbyterians for Earth Care - Sacred Grounds Webinar , Earth Day Program Recordings, GreenFaith Climate Finance Summit, and MORE!

REGISTRATION OPEN! Presbyterians Planting for Wildlife An Introduction to National Wildlife Federation’s Sacred Grounds Program Date: Tuesday, May 9, 2023 Time: 7:30 pm EDT (6:30 CDT, 5:30 MDT, 4:30 PDT) Presenters: Natalie Cohen, NWF Manager of Community Conservation and Danielle Wendt, NWF Chesapeake Conservation Corps Sacred Grounds is a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) program that recognizes congregations, houses of worship, and faith communities who both create wildlife habitat and actively link faith practices and caring for the environment. Participating congregations simultaneously learn to plant and install their own native plant gardens, educate and engage their communities around the importance of environmental stewardship, and contribute to a network of accessible natural spaces and habitats. Natalie and Danielle will share the important role native plants have in building a more resilient environment, give examples from churches actively involved in the program, and outline how to utilize the Sacred Grounds program with your congregation. CLICK HERE to watch a video spotlight on Sacred Grounds in action in Toledo and Detroit.

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Earth Day 2023 Presentation Recordings Now Available for Viewing & Sharing Everyday Earth Day with The Rev. Dr. Patricia Tull-  Presented at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, KS on April 22, 2023 Recorded Livestream Available HERE Saving the Planet: An Ethical Imperative Panel Discussion with Bill McKibben- Presented at First Presbyterian Church in New York City, NY on April 16, 2023 Recorded Livestream Available HERE

No Faith in Fossil Fuels: A Climate Finance Summit Hurricanes. Excessive Heat. Crop failure. The loss of biodiversity and human life around the world. All of it is horrible – and could have been avoided. Climate destruction is being bankrolled by large corporations and their executives who choose to act against what is right and good, at the expense of our planet’s future. The climate crisis is a crisis of greed. From May 8-11, people of faith will gather to learn about how banks and asset managers continue to invest in the fossil fuel industries that are destroying communities in the U.S. and around the world – and then find out how to hold these financial institutions accountable. Together, we can commit to taking the bold steps necessary to effect real change. This year’s three day summit will amplify the voices of frontline leaders of Turtle Island (what we now call North America) and the Global South, whose communities bear the direct brunt of financial decisions made by Chase Bank, Bank of America, Vanguard, Black Rock, and others who invest in harmful oil and gas extraction. This summit is for you if you’re just making the connections between faith, finance, and climate, if you’re a money manager rooted in just climate values, or if you are part of a community wrestling with these questions. We will build on the momentum sparked with the 2022 launch of GreenFaith’s Climate Finance Campaign. This year we have a lot to celebrate, and the work continues! We hope you will join us and a growing number of partner organizations as together we: Root in our faiths for resilience, inspiration, and joy for the journey ahead Learn more about Indigenous-led campaigns in the U.S. and East Africa Find out how to move your money Take action in our closing Action Hour

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The Climate Crisis & Empowering Hope PEC Conference 2023 Dates: September 20-23, 2023 Location: Massanetta Springs Conference Center in Harrisonburg, VA (in-person) and Virtual Options Some Featured Presenters: Patricia Tull, Diane Moffett, Mark Eakin, Faith Harris (Virginia IP&L) More information and registration coming soon!

Alyeska: A Special Part of Our Earth by Barbara Brown When I first moved to Alaska in 2007 I had visited here twice before, and I was in awe of the magnitude and majesty of this place. The name Alaska is derived from a native word: “Alyeska”, which means great land, and this state certainly is that.   I live in the city of Palmer in the southcentral area of the state, about a 50 minute drive from Anchorage, the largest city. When I watch our local news and weather, the station is based in Anchorage, but the reports cover other areas of the state as well: North Slope, Interior, Southeast, Aleutian Chain, Western, Kenai Peninsula, and  Prince William Sound. I live in the area which is known as being “on the road system”, where a majority of the population lives. Once you get past Fairbanks in the interior there are no roads to get places except for the Haul Road, used by truckers to get supplies up to the oil fields in the north. Read Barb’s full article in the PEC Blog HERE…

Help us grow! Please let us know if there is anyone we should add to our list! Just reply to this email.  Thank you! Please help us to continue to assist individuals and churches in creation care work by donating to PEC through our website by CLICKING HERE.  Thank you!

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