Gun-Lock Safety Sunday

The Gun Safety Alliance increases connections and coordination across supporters of the gun violence prevention (GVP) movement, finding ways to amplify each others’ work toward our goal of reducing gun deaths.

May 3, 2022 Fort Lauderdale, FL
As a result of the increase in gun violence and bloodshed continuing to flow throughout the United States, the faith communities across our land are officially responding to the victims family’s cries and protest signs which have been directed at us….they shout “More than Prayers – Do Something!” If feels that until now, our faith communities have done little to respond or continue to look away! All faith and interfaith communities/denominations are invited to take place in this critical social justice action and to simply ask their congregants to lock up and safely store their guns. We CAN make a difference! Whereas this initiative began in the Christian community, it has quickly spread throughout the interfaith community, thus we are expanding it to our diverse faith community’s worship days which also include Friday and Saturday this same weekend. It will take place June 24-26, 2022. In the Christian community the focus will be during worship on Sunday, June 26 th and other denominations are encouraged to recognize and speak on the need for gun safety during their services that weekend. We are teaming up with the national Gun Safety Alliance to spread the word and increase the lives that will be saved with this effort. The campaign’s relevant tagline “More Than Prayers-Do Something” stems from protest signs carried and passionately displayed at gun violence demonstrations following both the Pulse Nightclub and Marjorie Stoneman Douglas school massacres. The faith community’s message received and heard from the survivors and victim’s families is that they are seeking our help to halt these senseless murders and to save lives especially of our youth and children. It’s time that our faith communities do much more than pray and literally ‘do something!” If we don’t, who will? Do we hear their cries for help? While the debate continues regarding the “right to bear arms”, and we are not entering that forum, innocent adults and children are being murdered and much harm can be prevented. Families are devastated and suffering. Our youth and children are being wounded and dying. Again, they cry out for our help. This gun-safety social justice action is not geared to ban firearms, it is solely to bring safety measures into place to save lives. It’s that simple. ALL WE ASK IS “LOCK IT UP” with a gun-lock!

Some statistics:

• 5.4 million children live in the United States in homes with unlocked guns
• Over 50% of all teen suicides are committed with a gun from the home
• In Florida, a child is shot, on average, every 17 hours
• Gun-lock safety WILL diminish these statistics and save lives. That’s a fact!

Join in with our nation’s faith communities and do something – Make a Difference! Our gun safety initiative team will be glad to provide you and your community of faith with digital promotional materials advertising the event (which you can edit for your specific faith community), how to take part, talking points, sample prayers for worship, and even guidance of either how to obtain gun locks for free or for minor costs.

To obtain information and/or to receive press kits, digital advertising, flyers, information packets and advice on purchasing or receiving donated gun locks which you can have available at your worship service, please contact our office at 954.563.4271 Ext 201 or email us at GunSafetyInitiative@UCCFTL.com Sponsoring this social justice action is the Florida Conference United Church of Christ. Let’s “Do Something” TOGETHER!