Serve, Work and Transform: Gun Violence Prevention News for Congregations

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship

Gun Violence Prevention

News for Congregations

Jan. 2026

Annual Good News Edition

Welcome, New Readers

In spite of constant gun violence, we saw some good news in 2025. See Good News report below.

In the meantime, how about starting the new year with new skills and training for yourself and your congregation? Join a Peace Fellowship Action Circle this week. See below.

Photo:

Volunteers at "Disarmory Ministries" in Detroit have dismantled over 1,000 firearms through Guns to Gardens. Read their amazing story HERE and follow their footsteps into the Guns to Gardens Winter Action Circles, starting this week on Thursdays, January 8- Feb. 12.

Photo by Episcopal Diocese of Michigan

Guns to Gardens

Winter Action Circles

start this week!

Jan. 8- Feb. 12

Sign up by Wednesday 1/7 to learn with other congregations how to offer a Guns to Gardens Safe Disposal Event for unwanted guns in your community.

Learn how congregations are taking this responsible 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.

Each Thursday on Zoom for 6 weeks for 1 hour, plus 1 hour of preparation.

Registration closes Wed. Jan. 7.

Act today!

Photo: Guns to Gardens Metro Denver celebrated 216 guns dismantled in 2025, for a total of 788 guns since they began in a Peace Fellowship Action Circle.

Photo by Sally Harmon

New Action Circles for

Protecting Children from Gun Violence: Imagining a New World

Wednesdays on Zoom

Noon ET, 11 CT, 10 MT, 9 PT

Bring a bag lunch or brunch!

Winter: Feb. 4 - March 4

Spring: April 15- May 13

This five session series on Zoom will guide you and your congregation in finding your action for protecting children from gun violence. Created by educational and pastoral leaders in the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, this faith-based program covers in one hour a key topic each week:

• Children in the Crossfire: Why is gun violence the top killer of our children?

• Saving Child Lives with Secure Gun Storage

• Seeing Our Children: The mental and spiritual health of children in the crossfire

• Direct Action Options for Real Safety for Children

• Advocacy, Voting and Finding Next Steps for Your Congregation

Good News for Gun Violence Prevention

The CNN Hero of the Year was Quinlen Blackwell of Chicago, whose "Southside Blooms" flower farm prevents guns violence by providing jobs and opportunities for at-risk youth, and by transforming a neighborhood with hope.
Gun violence deaths decreased from 41,044 in 2024 to 38,739 in 2025 --- about 2,305 lives saved. Suicide gun violence was about the same, with a decrease in homicides and about 100 fewer mass shootings in 2025 than 2024. While these numbers are still painfully too high, evidence-based strategies are working to save lives. Thank you to each person who helped to make this happen. Source: Gun Violence Archive
The Presbyterian Peace Fellowship celebrates the ordination to the ministry of gun violence prevention for Rev. Mike Martin of RAWtools, our Mennonite brother and partner in Guns to Gardens.
The second annual Atwood Institute for Congregational Courage trained and inspired 65 activists who are now leading congregations in gun violence prevention in 21 states and 10 denominations. See a report HERE.
In spite of the chaos of 2025, Guns to Gardens continues to grow--including into Texas--- and faithful congregations continue to hear the still, small voice of God that calls us to take action, to pray and to keep going in the ministry of gun violence prevention. Congratulations to churches from Georgia to Minnesota to Missouri and many other states for your faithful action and love. You are good news.

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

Thank you to all who have given financially to support gun violence prevention.

To do this work, we need gifts of all amounts. We welcome support from churches, individuals, and regional/national church bodies, as well as other groups.

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