Gun Violence: Promoting Safety &
Preventing Misuse

Divine Love, guide us to deepen our love for you and one another. We mourn the immense harm wrought by gun violence. We earnestly pray for the transformation of hearts by your Holy Spirit, that righteousness may prevail, mercy may flourish, resources may be employed for holy purposes, and that violence may cease. This we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

Message from Bishop Kym on Gun Violence Prevention

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Dear Beloved in Christ,

As we work together to engage, equip, and empower God’s people to love and follow Jesus, we are reminded of our call to care for all of God’s creation. It is within this call, rooted in our Baptismal Covenant, that we turn our attention to the deep wounds inflicted by gun violence, a scourge upon our communities that tears at the very fabric of our common life.

The Episcopal Church is a strong advocate for common-sense gun safety policies. The Church works through its Office of Government Relations and through the Episcopal Public Policy Network to end our national epidemic of gun violence. The Church’s positions on Gun Safety and Gun Reform have been approved by our General Convention.

In the Fall of 2023, Gun Violence Prevention became the fifth “reality” area of the Episcopal Church in Colorado. These five realities have been consistently named by Episcopal Churches across Colorado as areas of devastating brokenness in our communities and world that require healing and reconciliation in order that all people may live in justice and peace.

Read Full Message from Bishop Kym >

Who Can Help Us in this Work?

Mentors, Coaches, Advisors

The Rev. Gary Darress, Deacon, St. Michael’s, Colorado Springs

Formation Team

We welcome your comments, resource suggestions, and questions at any time. Please reach out to anyone on the formation team:

The Rev. Greg Foraker, Canon for Formation
Tracy Methe, Missioner for Baptismal Living
Elizabeth Cervasio, Missioner for Children, Youth, and Campus Ministry
Janet Choyce, Events Coordinator

Communications Support, including Websites

Mike Orr, Canon for Communications

Resources

Access the resources below by clicking on the plus sign next to the topic you wish to explore.

Episcopal Church Resolutions

The Episcopal Church is a strong advocate for common sense gun safety policies. The church works through its Office of Government Relations and through the Episcopal Public Policy Network. The church’s positions on Gun Safety and Gun Reform have been approved by our General Convention.

Here are individual resolutions on issues relation to gun violence:

Bishops United Against Gun Violence

Bishops United Against Gun Violence, a network of nearly 100 Episcopal Church bishops, urges our cities, states and nation to adopt policies and pass legislation that will reduce the number of people in the United States killed and wounded by gunfire. Learn more >

In the fall of 2023, Gun Violence Prevention became the fifth named “reality” area of the Episcopal Church in Colorado. These five realities have been consistently named by Episcopal churches across Colorado as areas of devastating brokenness in our communities and world that require healing and reconciliation in order that all people may live in justice and peace.

The diocesan Working Group on Gun Violence Prevention meets monthly to discuss possible actions, curate resources, and further the work of gun violence prevention in our diocese.

Coming soon!

Pray and Worship

Consider how your congregation might incorporate regular prayers for gun violence prevention in its worship services, e.g., during the Prayers of the People.

The Bishop’s United Against Gun Violence website offers liturgical resources to help you pray to remember, pray to lament, pray to mourn, and pray for peace. View resources >

Form a Team

If your congregation feels called to do the work of gun violence prevention, the next step is find committed individuals who can help determine next steps and actions.

Presbyterian Peace Fellowship offers a free toolkit for congregations seeking to engage in the work of gun violence prevent. Included are resources for learning, worship, and advocacy. Read more >

Learn Together

Faith vs Fear Bible Study (UCC) is a free, five-part study about gun violence prevention. Topics include: Love One Another, Put Away Your Sword, The Gun as Idol, Swords into Ploughshares, and All Who Take the Sword. View Bible Study Now >

Advocate

Colorado Faith Communities United to End Gun Violence (CFCU): Six Episcopal churches in Colorado are now a part of the CFCU: St. Aidan’s, Boulder; St. Ambrose, Boulder; St. Andrew’s, Denver; St. John’s, Boulder; St. Thomas, Denver; and St. Paul’s, Fort Collins. With membership, churches are a part of a network to learn about and advocate for or against gun legislation that comes before the Colorado General Assembly from January to May.

Join CFCU >

Questions? Contact Kathleen Ashworth at kathleen687@comcast.net.

This year, CFCU helped pass the following bills:

HB23-1219 Waiting Period: Requires a mandatory waiting period of 3 days between initiation of the background check and the actual transfer of the firearm or when the background check completes, whichever is later.

SB23-168 Gun Victims Access to Justice System: Repeals the state law providing the gun industry with sweeping immunity from civil liability, which no other industry has.

SB23-169 Minimum Age for Firearms: Establishes a minimum age of 21 for the purchase of any firearm. Currently, Colorado has no minimum age for purchase, but Universal Background Checks require firearm dealers to follow federal minimum ages of 21 for handguns and 18 for long guns. With this bill, all firearm purchasers must be at least 21.

SB23-170 Extreme Risk Protection Order (Red Flag Law) Petitions: Expands who can petition for ERPOs in addition to the immediate family and law enforcement: this includes the Attorney General, District Attorneys, educators and health care and mental health professionals; establishes an ERPO hotline to provide information on ERPOs; and requires that the Office of Gun Violence Prevention conduct annual public information campaigns on ERPOs.

SB23-279 Unserialized Firearms and Firearm Components: Prohibits possessing, transporting, transferring, selling, or purchasing a firearm without a serial number. Prohibits manufacturing a firearm or frame or receiver without a federal license.

In addition to CFCU’s advocacy work, the organization also promotes a public health approach to reducing firearm deaths and injuries with several projects:
  • Public education about Colorado’s Extreme Risk Protection law (also known as ERPO or red flag law) and Colorado’s law on safe storage of firearms
  • Provides volunteers for Denver Juvenile Probation’s Handgun Intervention Program (HIP): working with young people on parole for their first arrest for illegal handgun possession
  • Connects CFCU congregations that would like to host gun surrender events with local resources

Learn

The Diocese of North Carolina has curated videos, podcasts, and readings around the topic of gun violence prevention. Visit webpage now >

The Gun Violence Archive provides statistical data about gun deaths in the United States.

The Violence Prevention Project is dedicated to reducing violence through research that is both accessible and actionable. It is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research center located in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Colorado Ceasefire
Colorado Ceasefire is the longest-running grassroots gun violence prevention organization throughout the State of Colorado. Made up of parents, teachers, students, community members, gun violence survivors (and more) Colorado Ceasefire has been working since 2000 to prevent and reduce gun violence in Colorado. Actions include education, outreach, and legislative advocacy. Visit website >

Extreme Risk Protection Orders
Commonly known as a Red Flag Law, an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) is a civil court order issued by a judge that temporarily prohibits a person in crisis from possessing or purchasing firearms. ERPOs provide a select group of individuals with a formal legal process to temporarily remove an individual’s firearms and reduce any further access to firearms if they pose a danger to themselves or others. Learn more >

Keep Your Home Safe

Safe Storage
Safe Storage means storing firearms locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition. Securing firearms protects children and adults by preventing unintentional shootings and gun suicides. An estimated 54 percent of gun owners don’t lock all of their guns securely. Every year, nearly 350 children under the age of 18 unintentionally shoot themselves or someone else. Colorado’s Safe Storage Law, passed in 2021 requires gun owners to store firearms in locking devices out of the reach of children or prohibited persons. Learn more >

Be Smart for Kids
Be Smart for Kids provides best practices for gun storage in homes and cars, as well as other resources and tips for preventing gun violence, especially with children and youth. Visit web page >