Gun Violence Prevention - NC Council of Churches

The North Carolina Council of Churches is the primary convener of the N.C. Gun Violence Prevention Coalition. With our partners at North Carolinians Against Gun Violence (NCAGV), MomsRising, Moms Demand Action, and a host of faith communities and concerned individuals, we strive to tell the truth about gun violence in this country.

Overview

Several times in the past couple of decades, the North Carolina Council of Churches has spoken out about the proliferation of guns and gun violence. The way of Christ is a way of peace, reconciliation, forgiveness, and love for enemies. The spirit of Christ is sharply opposed to the spirit of violence and the instruments of violence. It is also opposed to the law of retaliation or responding to injury with injury. Christ rejected the use of violence in the pursuit of his mission.

The North Carolina Council of Churches has adopted several policy statements since the 1960s calling for restrictions on gun ownership, tightening regulation of gun dealers, requiring safe storage for guns, and banning the sale and possession of assault weapons. We continue to work towards a safer North Carolina by educating the public about gun violence and advocating for positive gun violence prevention legislation.

Council Resources

Legislative Bulletin: Gun Violence Prevention

The North Carolina Council of Churches has spoken out about the proliferation of guns and gun violence for the last several decades. Check out our updated legislative bulletin that outlines why gun violence prevention is an issue of faith, what scripture tells us, facts about gun violence in our nation and state, and what actions need to be taken to prevent gun violence in the future.

Denominational Members’ Resources

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Disciples Resources on the Prevention of Gun Violence

Episcopal Church

More Faith-Based Resources

Baptist Peace Fellowship/Bautistas por la Paz, Gun Violence Prevention Congregational Toolkit

Use this toolkit for educational resources suited to your needs. You can use this guide to lead discussions in small groups, fostering understanding and community bonds.

Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Worship Guide

The God Not Guns project, a program of the Brady Center To Prevent Gun Violence, is an interfaith partnership consisting of faith-based groups that work to educate the public about gun violence by promoting community awareness and grassroots mobilization

Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence

Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence is a diverse coalition of denominations and faith-based organizations united by the call of various faiths to confront America’s gun violence epidemic and to rally support for policies that reduce death and injury from gunfire.

Educational Resources

Firearm Safety Awareness and Education

North Carolina Department of Health and Human, Services, Division of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch is dedicated to providing data on firearm-related injuries and death in North Carolina. Check out their webpage with information about firearm safe storage, how this protects children and youth from firearm-related deaths and injuries, and resources and tools that individuals and communities can use. Click here to access the webpage.

Firearm Violence: A Public Health Crisis in America: The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory 2024

A Surgeon General’s Advisory is a public statement that calls the American people’s attention to an urgent public health issue. This advisory was developed through a substantial review of the available scientific evidence, primarily found via electronic searches of research articles published in English and resources suggested by subject matter experts, with priority given to meta‑analyses and systematic literature reviews.

NC SAFE

NC S.A.F.E. (Secure All Firearms Effectively) is North Carolina’s statewide initiative designed to raise awareness of the importance of safe firearm storage. Established in 2023, the initiative provides resources and best practices for firearm storage and safety.

Gun Safety in North Carolina; A Discussion Guide

This discussion guide makes it easy for you to gather some friends to get used to talking about gun safety safely and comfortably, to help reduce the risk of gun violence and save lives.

EveryStat: The Landscape of Gun Deaths in North Carolina

Although the impact of gun violence is felt throughout the United States, its contours vary widely by state, county, race and ethnicity, gender, and intent. EveryStat helps users understand how gun violence impacts the communities they care about.

Mom’s Demand Action: Responsible Gun Storage

Moms Demand Action volunteers partner with the Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund to provide education and awareness about child gun deaths and responsible gun storage through the Be SMART program. Readh over their resources.

Gun Violence Prevention Partner Organizations

Below is a list of our partners statewide with a link to their website for more information:

North Carolinians Against Gun Violence

North Carolina Department of Health and Human, Services, Division of Public Health, Injury and Violence Prevention Branch

Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People

Mom’s Demand Action, NC Chapter

MomsRising

NC Safe

NC Justice Center

Religious Coalition for a Nonviolent Durham

Ways to Take Action

Tell your lawmaker: Vote NO on two dangerous gun bills!

Tell your lawmaker to vote NO on HB 50-Pistol Purchase Permit Repeal and HB 49-Protect Religious Meeting places.

HB 50 would do away with the requirement that everyone who buys a handgun must pass a background check, no matter where they buy the handgun – even at a gun show or online. We know based on other states that doing away with the Pistol Purchase Permit (PPP) system will cause more firearm homicide and suicide – like it did in Missouri, where gun homicides and suicides increased in the years after they repealed a similar law.

HB 49 would allow concealed carry of firearms in religious places of worship with associated schools on their property.

Click here to send your NC Representative a letter!

Tell Congress to act to end gun violence

Send a Letter to the Editor of your local paper

Help us make some noise that will carry all the way to Congress and the NC General Assembly by writing a Letter to the Editor that urges lawmakers to support commonsense gun laws.

Share how gun violence has impacted you

Your personal story and your experience matter. Lawmakers often gather data on bills they’re proposing or preparing to vote on. What they don’t have (yet) but sorely need are your personal, real-life stories that bring a deeper understanding of the impact of these laws.

Host a film screening

Key Contact

Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

jennifer@ncchurches.org

Jennifer is a native of South Carolina and an ordained minister in The United Methodist Church. She loves South Carolina, but has managed to spend all but ten years of her adult life in North Carolina. Those ten years were spent pastoring United Methodist churches across the Upstate. She attended Duke University several times and in the process earned a BA, double majoring in English and Religion, a Master of Divinity, a PhD in religion, and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies. Prior to coming to the Council, she spent 16 years as the United Methodist Chaplain at Duke University, where she also taught undergraduate and divinity school classes, served on committees and task forces, and attended lots of basketball games. She writes frequently for various publications when time permits and preaches regularly in congregations across North Carolina. Jennifer has two adult children, Nathan, who is a software developer in Durham, and Hannah, who is a digital marketing analyst in Charlotte. Jennifer is the overjoyed grandparent of Benjamin and Theodore.

Overview

Key Contact

Rev. Dr. Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director

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