Gun Violence Prevention

Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Summit!

January 29-30

Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin will be joining the Michigan Gun Violence Prevention Summit! She'll be speaking during the "What's Next? New Policies and Best Practices fromAcross the Country" panel on January 30th at 11:00 AM. Rep. Slotkin will speak alongside representatives from Giffords, the Center for American Progress, and State Representative KellyBreen.

Click here to Register

 

 

Exploring the Faith

Sunday, February 11
11:00 a.m. | Lewis Room
 

As part of Exploring the Faith series, we will welcome two excellent speakers to address the current crisis of gun violence in Michigan and the ongoing efforts to make our communities safer for all. Sessions will be held at the church from 11 AM to Noon.

Ryan Bates, Executive Director of End Gun Violence Michigan,  will describe the statewide efforts of EGVMi which have led to new safety legislation. He will explain the practical impact of the new laws, plans for their implementation, and possible future efforts to contain the epidemic of gun violence in Michigan.

Dr. Sonya Lewis, President of Physicians for Prevention of Gun Violence ( PPGV ), will discuss ways the medical community continues to advance the cause of gun safety and how patients can participate in this effort. There will be particular emphasis on prevention of suicide and firearm deaths among children.

 

Join End Gun Violence Michigan

 To find out more information, click here.

Membership Information Session

January 11
7:00 p.m.

Click here to register.

 

Contact Your Elected Officials

Click here to contact your elected officials.

 

Additional Resources

Click here for more Resources for Gun Violence Prevention

 

 

A Call to Address Gun Violence

While we are painfully aware that more than 100 Americans die each day from guns, the recent spate of mass shootings in this country has again heightened our sense of urgency to take action to stem the tide of gun deaths.  As an initial response in 2019, First Presbyterian Church Ann Arbor produced the following statement to serve as a guide for our congregation to address this societal scourge with prayer and potential action.  

Please read the statement below and consider how you might help in this cause.

First Presbyterian Ann Arbor Commitment to Reduce Gun Violence

We, as members of First Presbyterian Church, in an effort to model the love and the care of Jesus Christ in the world, commit ourselves to work actively to increase the respect and sanctity for life in our community and across our nation.  We hear Jesus’s call to us to be peacemakers and lift up this special concern as we pray, worship, study and take action together in the world to reduce gun violence.

We believe we should love our enemies and follow the commandment, “Thou shall not kill.”  We will pursue peace through non-violence. We are called to love and bear one another’s burdens without fear, without judgment, without resentment, without enabling, without condemnation and without guilt.  We are called to generously share God’s grace with all people.

We agree that as Christians, we will work to diminish fear and violence.  We will work to increase our love and safety in a Christian community that allows for differences and opinions.  We are not of one mind about the appropriateness of owning or carrying handguns for personal safety.  We acknowledge that this discussion is not about guns used for hunting or shooting sports.

As a Christian community, we commit to supporting our neighbors and caring for one another.  We commit to welcoming, protecting, and educating our congregation and community.  We commit to providing a safe place of worship.  We commit to continual prayer for an end to gun violence.

We commit to providing a safe place of worship
We commit to educating our congregation and community
We commit to working in partnership for action and advocacy
We commit to continual prayer for an end to gun violence

Link to PCUSA Resolution-Gun Violence-Gospel Values, Mobilizing in Response to God’s Call:

https://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/acswp/pdf/gun-violence-policy.pdf

Gun Violence Prevention

Legislation

 

Contact

For more information on how you can get involved, please email the Social Justice Action Group at sjag@firstpresbyterian.org