Welcome to The Ministry Lab's curated list of resources to help congregational leaders encourage congregational engagement in the work of gun control and mitigating gun violence. Here you'll find opportunities for:
If you don't find a resource to fit your need, don't hesitate to consult with The Ministry Lab's director, Rev. Emily Meyer, who is happy to assist you.
Access free digital resources related to Redeeming Violent Verses, including a group/individual discussion and reflection guide and suggestions for teaching violent verses to children (including notes on answering children's difficult questions) at www.wjkbooks.com/RedeemingViolentVerses.
The Gun Violence Archive [GVA] was established in Fall of 2013 as an independent research and data collection organization to provide comprehensive data for the national conversation regarding gun violence.
Peter Wallace's blog post Anger in the Service of Justice: Following Jesus’ Example offers helpful biblical context and grounding.
Download the Congregational Toolkit from Protect Minnesota to help you have conversations about gun violence and take action for its prevention in your congregation and in your community.
Our Great God Gun: This gun-obsessed society is a disgrace
Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, President Emeritus of Chicago Theological Seminary adapted Isaac 58 to use as a confession/forgiveness/change liturgical element, to be used, 'until the guns fall silent'.
RawTools does more than turn guns into garden tools: they are turning violence into peace and fear into trust; through relationship, dialogue, and resources, they are welcoming neighbors with loving arms rather than bearing arms. Join them.
Gundamentalism on the Rise: What would Jesus carry?
Peace Village Global: creating strategic partnerships with peace builders worldwide to design and implement exceptional programs that prevent and reduce violence.
School-Based Programs are here.
by James Burklo - explores how congregations can participate in and inform a shift in culture and politics to create a more just - and peaceful - social structure and politic.
Find our Great Idea based on this article here.
Talking With Children About ViolenceParents and children around our country are reeling with fear, anger, and despair. Following are links to a variety of resources to help local congregational leaders support them.
Courageous Conversations for Youth: Gun Violence
By Cindy Klick
This resource asks participants to explore gun violence and gun laws by sharing their opinions, doing research, and discussing any local impacts in their communities from violence that includes guns. This guide to create space and respectful discussions is built upon the series published by Discipleship Ministries, "Courageous Conversations" by Scott Hughes. Click here to view the adult counterpart to this resource.
Weapons at Church: The Unthinkable in God’s House - A PC(USA) resource list (helpful and accessible for any congregation)
It is unfortunate that church leaders must think about how to prevent gun violence or how to respond to it if it happens in their buildings. But church safety should be discussed and strategized. Available resources include:
Additional downloadable resources include:
Consider organizing a committee to discuss and make recommendations for safety policies and procedures.
In November 2018 following a massacre in Thousand Oaks, California, Bishops United Against Gun Violence — an activist group of bishops in the Episcopal Church — offered a “Litany in the Wake of a Mass Shooting” to commemorate the dead, to comfort their loved ones, and to honor survivors and first responders.
ENGAGE is a Saint Paul Area Synod (ELCA) public witness committee on gun violence prevention.
Our mission is to MEDITATE on, EDUCATE about, and ADVOCATE for gun violence prevention in the non-violent Spirit of Jesus.
explores the guns-into-garden tools movement with Mike Martin and Shane Claiborne discussing the RAWTools organization.
Guns and Grammar, or How to Read the Second Amendment
Frank Bergon
Let’s examine the words of the Second Amendment, the most studied 27 words in American legal history. “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The reason for confusion, as many liberals and conservatives agree, is that the 1791 wording of the amendment seems ambiguous. But it isn’t. The Second Amendment is a perfectly formed sentence. We just need to understand its grammatical construction. READ ON ...
RawTools does more than turn guns into garden tools: they are turning violence into peace and fear into trust; through relationship, dialogue, and resources, they are welcoming neighbors with loving arms rather than bearing arms. Join them.
To Address the Nation’s Gun Violence Problem, We Must First Understand It
More than 8 million mayors, moms, teachers, survivors, gun owners, students, and everyday Americans have come together to make their own communities safer. Everytown starts with you, and it starts in your neighborhood. By introducing evidence-based solutions in every town, we can end gun violence.
Bridgemakers is a holistic civic, social, and financial capacity building platform which amplifies the stories and mentors the leadership of black, brown and otherwise marginalized youth. We build bridges between young artists, activists and entrepreneurs with experienced leaders to engage intergenerational collaboration in breaking cycles of miseducation, poverty, violence and addiction. Together, we’re reimagining and revitalizing marginalized communities to flourish with passion, purpose, positive relationships, and power.
An Interactive Journal on Christian Social Justice offers numerous and varied ways to engage.
Volunteer with Protect Minnesota to participate in virtual activities to tell legislators that we need Universal Background Checks and Extreme Risk Protection Orders now!
