The Church of the Brethren Gun Violence Prevention Action Team works to galvanize the Church of the Brethren to be faithful as an effective force for reducing gun violence in our neighborhoods and wherever it occurs.

Are you concerned about the escalating issue of gun violence in our country? Do you long to make a meaningful difference but want to connect with other Brethren in addressing this challenge from a Jesus-centered perspective? Do you want your congregation to speak up and take action on this issue but don’t know how to get started? 

Join us on Saturday August 10 at 2:00pm Eastern (11:00am Pacific), for our quarterly Church of the Brethren Gun Violence Prevention Organizing Meeting.  See the start time in your time zone (click here).

Main Topic:  Annual Conference recap, Congregational Ambassadors exploration, and International Day of Peace planning 

The meeting will be led by members of the CoB Gun Violence Prevention Action Team along with staff and interns of On Earth Peace. 

It can be easy to feel despair as we watch the news. Let us build hope together and move forward into ongoing efforts to heal our communities. We need YOU to expand this work.  Whether you or your congregation have already taken steps or are looking to get involved, OEP’s Church of the Brethren Gun Violence Prevention Action Team invites you to our fourth quarterly organizing meeting specifically for gun violence prevention advocates connected to the Church of the Brethren.

Previous attendance at our quarterly meetings is not required, but we will build on work done in the previous meeting. Slides and resources from our previous meetings can be found here:

December 2023: [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TRVjdOVEmnzbGzs9j5KfmAaob3WxFAXk?usp=drive_link]

March 2024: [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1W62i9ELD-gF6tpBRjCx4zxhSjpCqEKqc?usp=drive_link]

May 2024: [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uDIFxDU_XewClZ9SHTDPGSp5QsluVQKR?usp=drive_link]

Event Details:

Date: August 10th, 2024

Time: 2:00pm Eastern Time

See the start time in your time zone: https://dateful.com/eventlink/5754325258 

Location: Zoom

What to Expect:

• We’ll celebrate and provide a wrap-up of 2024 Church of the brethren Annual Conference GVP activities.
• We’ll explore each level of the LEARN, SPEAK,ORGANIZE flow for Congregational Ambassadors and other COB GVP advocates and how this flow connects to the stages of conflict and change in the Kingian Nonviolence approach.
• We’ll discuss Pinwheels for Peace and Memorials to the Lost—options for your congregation to participate in the International Day of Peace (Sept. 21)
• Hear updates on the work of the Church of the Brethren Gun Violence Prevention Action Team
• Learn what other Church of the Brethren congregations are doing on this issue 
• Reflect on your potential role in the movement and how you can contribute
• Connect with like-minded individuals from within the Church of the Brethren who share your concerns
• Get energized and empowered for the work ahead through practical skill-sharing and spiritual formation
• Collaboratively identify immediate next steps in you and your congregation’s own action against gun violence

With this program, On Earth Peace's aim is to build capacity, commitment, courage, and a collective way forward in the fight against gun violence. The Church of the Brethren Gun Violence Prevention Action Team has formed with the support of OEP to galvanize the Church of the Brethren to be faithful as an effective force for reducing gun violence in our neighborhoods and wherever it occurs.

Come be part of the change. Let's work together to create a safer future for our communities.