statement

A call to action on gun violence

The board of directors, at their spring 2018 meeting, supported the March for our Lives and other efforts to prevent gun violence.


Official Action of the GBCS Board of Directors, taken March 16, 2018

Our hearts are broken at the number and frequency of mass shootings, and for the victims and families whose lives have been forever altered by these tragedies. We also know that in addition to mass shootings, gun violence in many forms impacts communities every day in the United States. Young people have been stepping forward leading a movement to end gun violence. We, as the General Board of Church and Society Board of Directors, encourage our churches and conferences to be supportive of this movement.

We invite members of The United Methodist Church to participate in these steps of solidarity with youth in the United States and across the connection:

  • Encourage young people and congregations to join in the non-violent movement to end gun violence. Join the March for our Lives with the students on March 24 (locally and in Washington, DC). If you cannot march, hold the students in your prayers.
  • Write letters to your lawmakers. Hold letter writing campaigns in your congregations. Bring your letters to the altar and pray over them before being sent. Receive inspiration from the Florida Conference and set a conference goal of writing 5000 letters to send your elected officials.
  • Get social! Post live videos and photos from the marches. Send a message of peace on Twitter using the hashtags #EndGunViolence and #UMC
  • Refer people in your communities and congregations to the Church and Society Gun Violence Prevention webpage for resources and further information at www.umcjustice.org/gun-violence