Gun Violence Prevention April News -May 15 Training

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Gun Violence Prevention News for Congregations - April 2025 Welcome, New Readers!  After the shooting at Florida State University, we take courage from the clear call from Pope Francis: "It’s time to say, ‘Enough!’ to the indiscriminate trafficking of guns. Let us all strive to ensure that such tragedies can never happen again.”  --Pope Francis after the Uvalde, TX School Shooting, 2022 While federal Gun Violence Prevention programs are being dismantled, grassroots America marches on. Saving lives is a long journey. No going back. Guns to Gardens Fort Worth-Tarrant County processed on April 11 with an empty red casket to remember lives stolen by gun violence on almost every block in the 76104 neighborhood, which has the lowest life expectancy of any zip code in Texas. Singing, praying and blowing the shofar, the march ended at the New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church for a "Blessing of the Chop Saw" for future Guns to Gardens events. See below, chop saw on altar. That night a 2-year-old was killed in Fort Worth by an unsecured firearm. See Media coverage HERE. See message from Rev. Kyev Tatum HERE. Photos by Madison Hogan HERE. New Partnership on Protecting Children from Gun Violence: The Presbyterian Office of Public Witness has a new partnership with BeSMART. Please join in the first Zoom event to learn how you and your church can promote secure firearm storage: MAY 15 7:30 ET on Zoom Secure Gun Storage Training with Temple Hiatt Temple Hiatt is a mother, a veteran and a gun violence survivor. She leads BeSMART training throughout Iowa, where she is a member of First Presbyterian Church of Iowa City.  Register for May 15 HERE. Link works best from laptops. Resources for Protecting Children: Download a free new brochure to print out for congregations HERE. Watch for news about Action Circles for Protecting Children coming soon. Sparking Peace is a new children's book from our friends at RAWtools by Hannah Rose Martin and Teresa Kim Pecinovsky for ages 5-9. Sparking Peace provides a springboard to discuss gun violence and trauma with children in a safe way that highlights help rather than harm. The picture book helps children learn about conflict while also carefully addressing gun violence and peacemaking. Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo. Learn more HERE. Register Now! James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage Sept. 24- 27, 2025 Massanetta Springs Conference Center, Harrisonburg, VA Build Skills, Courage & Friends for Gun Violence Prevention The Atwood Institute is a game-changing, ecumenical project of the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship to equip and encourage clergy and lay leaders for gun violence prevention ministry with congregations. 2025 Leadership Includes: Rev. Sharon Risher, Author of For Such a Time as This - Hope and Forgiveness after the Charleston Massacre; Faculty from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center for Gun Violence Solutions; Rev. Jimmie Hawkins, Director of the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness in Washington DC; RAWtools South with hand-ons Guns to Gardens Training and more. Hold your space! Learn More HERE The Atwood Institute honors the legacy of Rev. Jim Atwood, Christian prophet of gun violence prevention. Plan now to attend the Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage in 2025. Bring a Team! Scholarships Available You Gotta See This! Michigan Guns to Gardens on The Daily Show HERE. In South Bend, Indiana, First Presbyterian Church, United Presbyterian Church of Cassopolis and 19 other groups dismantled 25 guns on March 22. Congratulations! See media clip HERE. See a report from the churches HERE. Take Direct Action to Reduce Gun Suicide, Gun Theft, Unintentional and Mass Shootings Guns to Gardens Learn how to Transform Unwanted Guns into Garden Tools and Art Summer Action Circles July 10 - Aug. 14 Register HERE for Noon ET Register HERE for 7:30 PM ET Action Circles are Thursdays on Zoom Noon ET or 7:30 pm ET 1 Hour Per Week & 1 Hour of Preparation Planning a Guns to Gardens event soon? How about during June, Gun Violence Prevention Month? Please let us know HERE. Wear Orange June 6-8 See wearorange.org T-Shirts 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! presbypeacefellowship.org/gun-violence-prevention  Rev. Margery Rossi, Minister for Gun Violence Prevention margery@presbypeacefellowship.org Rev. Jan Orr-Harter, Editor & Moderator, Gun Violence Prevention Working Group gvp@presbypeacefellowship.org Presbyterian Peace Fellowship