Presbyterian Peace Fellowship - Gun Violence Prevention BIG News for Congregations May 2024

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Gun Violence Prevention News for Congregations May 2024 You did it! Expanded Background Checks Rule Adopted !!! Comments came from 388,000 Americans This new rule will help prevent the kind of mass shooting in Charlotte, NC this week, where 4 officers were killed by someone who could not pass a background check. Gun show and online sellers will now be required to conduct background checks, just as gun stores do. Read about the historic new rule HERE Our prayers and love are with the Charlotte, NC community. Lord, have mercy. Announcing.... The James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage Aug. 22-25, 2024 Come to Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM for skills, courage and community! Continuing Education & Training for clergy and lay leaders in gun violence prevention mission for congregations. The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship invites you, and others from your church, to participate in the inaugural James Atwood Institute, which honors the legacy Jim Atwood, Presbyterian prophet of gun violence prevention for nearly 50 years. The purpose of this annual Institute is to expand skills, courage and community so that congregations can deepen their mission of saving lives over the long haul that this movement requires. Come as indivduals or as clergy-lay teams. Come if you are new to this work. Come if you want to be much more effective. Come to chart the future of gun violence prevention, as God's mercy calls us to action. Find a news article about the new Atwood Institute HERE. Keynote Speaker - Father John Dear On Thur. Aug 22 at 7pm MT, the Atwood Institute will open with a keynote speech by Father John Dear. Area local congregations are invited to join us. A Catholic priest, theologian, author of 40 books, John Dear is a globally-reknowned leader in applying the nonviolence of Jesus in our world today. Father Dear will be with us for the entire Institute, delving into the faith basis for courage to save lives. The Atwood Institute is ecumenical. Find a brochure to print out HERE. Print back-to-back and flip on the short side. Send any questions to gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org Space is limited. Some scholarships are available. Registration is now open HERE Support or Sponsor the Atwood Institute! Sponsor or support the new Atwood Institute, providing funds for scholarships and other expenses, and honoring Jim Atwood. Gifts to PPF are tax-deductible. Give now HERE or to discuss Sponsorship, contact HERE. Thank you! And thank you our first Sponsors: First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe, The Presbyterian Outlook and New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence New Dates!!  Wear Orange Weekend is now June 7-9 Learn more HERE Send us your Wear Orange photos HERE! Photo: Oakland-Cambridge Presbyterian Church, Cambridge, WI Next National Guns to Gardens Days: June 1-2 & 8-9 If you plan an event, please let us know HERE. The Presbyterian Decade to End Gun Violence offers grants for action projects. Congratulations to those who have received grants! Be very specific about your project in your application. Apply HERE. Order Now for June Guns to Gardens Days! T-Shirts & Sweatshirts Guns to Gardens T-shirts and sweatshirts with the Guns to Gardens logo on the front and Isaiah 2:4 on the back. Order for your church volunteers for gun violence prevention events or as a gift. Order HERE Support PPF's Gun Violence Prevention Ministry! We need support from churches, individuals and presbyteries to do this work. Gifts of all amounts are needed. Gifts are tax-deductible.  Give HERE or Mail checks to: "Presbyterian Peace Fellowship" att: Gun Violence Prevention 17 Cricketown Rd. Stony Point, NY 10980 Thank you. GIVE HERE! Learn more at presbypeacefellowship.org/gun-violence gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org  Rev. Margery Rossi, Acting Coordinator margery@presbypeacefellowship.org