Gun Violence Prevention Sept. News for Congregations

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship Gun Violence Prevention News for Congregations Sept. 2025 Welcome, New Readers! Photo: Under cloudy skies on Sept. 6-7 Guns to Gardens bloomed in Texas. Fort Worth-Tarrant County volunteers from 17 congregations and groups gathered at New Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church to safely dismantle 36 firearms, of which 29 were semiautomatic handguns. Special thanks to Scotty Utz (green safety vest) from RAWtools South for helping with gun safety and training. The next day, Scotty helped in Dallas where 47 guns were dismantled at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration. Feeling Frustrated by gun violence, grief and division? Take Direct Action. It is a tough time for America, following months of shootings: political shootings, school shootings and the daily grinding theft of human life from gun violence. We know that many of you have preached and prayed and taken risks for public safety. Thank you. Direct Action helps us move forward with a positive response to the painful issue of gun violence. It means not waiting for someone else to act, but taking the steps you can to save lives in your community. Our favorite direct actions? Be SMART for Kids/Secure Gun Storage & Guns to Gardens, transforming unwanted guns into tools for life. Please hold in your prayers the Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage as it convenes in Harrisonburg, VA next week to train church members for gun violence prevention minisry. Have faith and read on! "For lo, I am with you always...." -Matthew 28:20 Sponsored by The Decade to End Gun Violence, Office of Public Witness, PC(U.S.A.) Protecting Children from Gun Violence This Week! Fall "Be SMART Training" Sept. 18 1pm ET, noon CT, 11am MT, 10am PT with Temple Hiatt, Mother, Veteran, Gun Violence Survivor Join Be SMART trainer and Presbyterian from Iowa,Temple Hiatt, to learn how Secure Gun Storage can protect children and others from gun violence. One hour, Free. Register Now HERE Click HERE for a timely statement from the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness on the recent political and school gun violence: "What Are Our Leaders Waiting For?" Guns to Gardens Fall Action Circles Oct. 16-Nov. 20 Take direct action to reduce the number of unwanted guns to be found by children, youth, or others; used in a crisis; resold or stolen to be returned to the gun market. Learn on Zoom with other congregations how to plan and offer a Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event for unwanted guns in your community. Every Thursday for six weeks for one hour per week, plus one hour of preparation. Learn more HERE. Register for Noon ET Daytime Circle HERE. Register for 7:30 pm ET Evening Circle HERE. Photos: On Sept. 6, this chop saw volunteer in Fort Worth safely dismantled firearms in memory of a loved one taken by gun violence. Group photos: The next day Dallas Guns to Gardens dismantled 47 firearms at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration. Guns to Gardens comes to Texas! New Podcasts on Gun Violence Prevention Peace-ing It Together Pastor Ben Fitzgerald- Fye interviews PPF's Margery Rossi and Jan Orr-Harter on what keeps them going for gun violence prevention. Listen to Part 1 July 22 HERE Listen to Part 2 July 29 HERE Sign up for Peace-ing It Together HERE 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 Please 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 845-786-6743 | presbypeacefellowship.org Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship | 17 Cricketown Road | Stony Point, NY 10980 US