Gun Violence Prevention May News for Congregations

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Gun Violence Prevention News for Congregations - May 2025 Welcome, New Readers!  As shootings continue to mount, what can your church do for Gun "Violence Prevention Month" in June? Read on! Gun Violence Prevention Month Ideas • Wear Orange Sabbath -- June 6-8 Incorporate the color orange into your worship and daily life June 6-8. Read why HERE. Ideas: orange flowers, orange ribbons, flags, banners or choir/clergy stoles. Turn your Social Media Profile Orange HERE. Find Worship, education and action resources in the Peace Fellowship's Gun Violence Prevention Congregational Toolkit HERE. Share stories of gun violence survivors. See "Moments that Survive" HERE. • On June 6, in person or on Zoom, join Scipioville Presbyterian Church in the tiny town of Scipioville, NY for the 4th annual Psalm Vigil for Gun Violence Awareness. For 12 hours, 8am-8pm ET, a live reading of the Psalms as an expression of the deep personal, spiritual and cultural pain caused by gun violence. Sign up to listen or read in person or by Zoom HERE. • Protect Children from Gun Violence by sharing "Gun Safety & Secure Storage Cards" in the month of June. Order or Download a pdf to print HERE. • Write your federal representatives and senators to oppose HR 38 or S 65. This dangerous bill would allow concealed firearms to be carried in every state without a permit. Learn more HERE. • Purchase Orange Guns to Gardens tee shirts HERE. Decide in June to attend or to send a team from your church: James Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage Sept. 24- 27, 2025 Massanetta Springs Conference Center, Harrisonburg, VA Build Skills, Courage & Friends for Gun Violence Prevention "Atwood Institute Fosters the Joy of Acting Together to Save Lives" See this Recent News Story HERE. View a short video from last year's participants HERE 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, including the recently-released Atwood Institute Schedule 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. Bring a Team! Scholarships Available In June, Prayerfully Commit to 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 Six 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 In June, 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