Several times in the past decade, we have spoken out about the proliferation of guns and gun violence. In 1994, we noted why this is of concern to people of faith.
Gun violence, especially handgun violence, has increasingly become a cause for alarm in our nation and state. As Christians, we especially are disturbed. 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, and when one of the disciples drew his sword in defense of Jesus, the Lord said, "Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword" (Matthew 26:51-53).
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Gun Violence Prevention
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 […]
Peacemaking Summit to Prevent Gun Violence
Gun Violence Prevention What You Can Do to Advocate for Change Join us for a Peacemaking Summit to raise awareness on what can be done to prevent gun violence and […]
Worship Resources on Gun Violence
Date: Proper 26 - Nov. 3, 2013
Topic: Gun Violence
Focus Text: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
What poverty of spirit causes Americans to so glorify their guns – in movies, on television, in video games, on the streets of our neighborhoods and in the halls of Congress? Where are the prophets who will condemn the religion of the second amendment which preaches a sacred right to own any and all kinds of firearms? Why are people of faith and conscience not protecting the sacred trust of children’s lives as vehemently as Congress protects the gun lobby? It is time for pastors, priests, rabbis, and imams to speak out against the blasphemy of gun violence.
Topic: Gun Violence
Focus Text: Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
What poverty of spirit causes Americans to so glorify their guns – in movies, on television, in video games, on the streets of our neighborhoods and in the halls of Congress? Where are the prophets who will condemn the religion of the second amendment which preaches a sacred right to own any and all kinds of firearms? Why are people of faith and conscience not protecting the sacred trust of children’s lives as vehemently as Congress protects the gun lobby? It is time for pastors, priests, rabbis, and imams to speak out against the blasphemy of gun violence.
Executive Director Jennifer Copeland Receives Award from North Carolinians Against Gun Violence
Jennifer Copeland, Executive Director of the North Carolina Council of Churches, and Beth Messersmith, North Carolina Campaign Director for MomsRising, received the 2017 Effie Steele Award from North Carolinians Against […]
Gun Bill Advances in GA; National Gun Violence Awareness Day is June 2
Consider the shame of the North Carolina General Assembly working to rush through a bill that weakens gun laws as National Gun Violence Awareness Day approaches. It is right up […]
Public Education Advocacy Resources
NCFLPE Resources: Let’s Get this Advocacy Started Let’s Get this Partnership Started Organizations: North Carolina Association of Educators Public Schools First NC EdNC Save Our Schools NC Justice Center Education […]
Gun Violence Prevention and its Impact on Faith and Business Communities
ncchurches.org/event-single/gun-violence-prevention-and-its-impact-on-faith-and-business-communities
Join us, MomsRising, Action NC, and North Carolinians Against Gun Violence (NCGV) for a virtual town hall on gun violence prevention and the impact it has on faith and business […]
Gun Violence Prevention Consortium
In response to the recent uptick in gun violence in Durham, Moms Demand Action is holding a community meeting to explore how we, as a community, can end gun violence. […]
Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit
The Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit is a way to bring about change and transformation in people, policies, structures, and systems. Note: Because the NC Council of Churches is made up of […]
Interfaith Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath Weekend, December 10-14
Faiths United Against Gun Violence and Washington National Cathedral are working together to have congregations and faith communities across the U.S. recognize December 10 through 14 as Gun Violence Prevention […]
U.S. Senate Expected to Take Up Gun Legislation
Next week, the United States Senate is expected to take up legislation intended to curb gun violence. Given recent mass atrocities at the hands of gunmen along with the daily loss […]
National Gun Violence Prevention Sabbath — March 15-17
If ending gun violence were easy, nightmares like Sandy Hook would never happen. Young lives would not end on urban streets in a hail of bullets. We wouldn’t need to parse the […]
2016 Gun Violence Awareness Day — Wear Orange
Join the Council, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, and others for a Wear Orange event on the lawn at Bull McCabe’s on National Gun Violence Awareness Day. There […]
Legislative Advocacy Toolkit Now Available
A Legislative Advocacy Toolkit is now available from the Council. The toolkit provides a wealth of information for people of faith who want to be effective as grass-roots lobbyists, especially […]
Action Needed Before Monday Night on Guns in Places of Worship
Our friends at North Carolinians Against Gun Violence have issued the alert below. Please note that it requires action before this evening, Monday, March 27. _________________________________________________________________________ We are continuing to […]
Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Gun Violence Prevention
The second annual Interfaith Prayer Vigil for Gun Violence Prevention is being organized by Wilmington Faiths Against Gun Violence in alliance with some thirty local faith communities and organizations, including […]
Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit
Table of Contents Note: Because the NC Council of Churches is made up of Christian denominations, this toolkit has been prepared specifically with Christians in mind. However, most of its […]
Council Posts Billboard about Gun Violence
On your drive along I-85/40 outside of Mebane, look for our billboard on the side of the road. It will go up this week and stay in place for the […]
Violence and Guns
Remarks delivered at the Community Conversation on Gun Violence on May 15, 2018 at Wake Forest Presbyterian Church. God knows that we are a violent people. It’s been this way […]
The Path Beyond Gun Violence
For those of us who believe in a merciful God, days like this are particularly hard. The unimaginable violence in Oregon follows similar tragedies in South Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, […]
Interfaith Call-In Day to Prevent Gun Violence Feb. 4
Gun violence has long been an issue of concern for the North Carolina Council of Churches. Every injury endured and life lost, whether on a downtown street corner or in […]
Gun Violence and Public Health
New York City’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Mary Bassett, recently published a blog on the Huffington Post about Gun Violence as a public health issue. It is essential that we pay […]
Gun Violence Prevention Summit
According to the American Public Health Association, gun violence has become a major public health issues in the United States. More than 85,000 people are affected by gun-related injuries per […]
Beyond Gun Violence: A Conference for People of Faith and Conscience About Ending America’s Deadly Epidemic
Join us one month from today for a weekend of preaching and teaching about the cost of gun violence to our nation and how we can bring about change. Speakers […]
Gun Violence Prevention Summit
According to the American Public Health Association, gun violence has become a major public health issue in the United States. More than 85,000 people are affected by gun-related injuries per […]
Candlelight Vigil Against Gun Violence
In commemoration of the second anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, as well as the 60,000 American victims of gun violence since December 2012, North Carolinians Against Gun […]
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 […]
Candlelight Vigil Against Gun Violence
Commemorate the 32,000 lives that are lost every year to gun violence. Roughly once a week this year, on average, a small child has found a gun, pointed it at […]
Interfaith Call-in Day to Prevent Gun Violence April 9
The National Council of Churches, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, and others are sponsoring an Interfaith Call-in Day to ensure that the voices of faithful Americans are heard throughout […]
Gun Violence Prevention: The Work Goes On
The North Carolina Council of Churches has long cared about gun violence prevention — you would expect that from an organization that devotes much of its energy toward PEACE. A […]
Candlelight Vigil Marks Losses to Gun Violence
Dozens of people gathered at Durham’s Judea Reform Congregation on the evening of December 10 to mark lives lost or forever changed by gun violence. Speakers shared personal stories and held […]
Vigil to End Gun Violence
This peaceful event organized by North Carolinians Against Gun Violence will be a great opportunity to reflect on the progress and losses of 2016, and reconnect with others who are […]
Extremism & Gun Violence: What are the Connections
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. Join us and coalition partners as we continue the conversation on gun violence safety and prevention. This event will open with a presentation describing the connections […]
Call Legislative Leaders About Gun Measures
We will never know if George Zimmerman would ever have gotten out of his car if he hadn’t had a gun. We do know that countless children of God have […]
Justice Center Crucial Conversation: Gun Violence
A year after the Charleston tragedy: Growing hope for saner anti-gun violence policies N.C. Policy Watch presents a special Crucial Conversation luncheon: Register here It’s been nearly a year since […]
Beyond Gun Violence
A weekend of preaching and teaching around the cost of gun violence to our nation and how we can bring about change. A schedule for the weekend can be found […]
Gun Violence Prevention Summit
On November 15, 2018, we discussed solutions to gun violence at the state and national level with organizations throughout North Carolina. Join us again on Tuesday, January 15 from 10 […]
Congress is on Recess but You Can Still Take Action
Congressional leaders are still in their home states for their spring recess, but your voices are still important. Please attend town halls held by our elected leaders, and please request […]
Lectionary on Gun Violence
The horror of what has occurred in Connecticut is unimaginable, and the days ahead will be a test for all of us. The Council’s resources include a lectionary on gun […]
Congregational Toolkit: Supporting Immigrants and Welcoming Strangers
This toolkit is designed to equip faith leaders and congregations with practical resources to respond to the current immigration enforcement landscape. It provides talking points for leaders, worship materials, congregational […]
Raleigh Report – March 11, 2019
INTRODUCED BILLS GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION With the passing last month of the first anniversary of the shooting deaths of 17 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, the […]
Standing Together Against Gun Violence
Remarks from a June 2 press conference recognizing Wear Orange Against Gun Violence Day. Last fall, we at the NC Council of Churches, invited all the organizations we know who […]
Gun Control Advocates hold Memorial to Mark One-Year Anniversary of Ariz. Shooting
Raleigh News & Observer
A gathering on a hillside outside a church in West Raleigh late Sunday marked the one-year anniversary since a shooting in Tucson, Ariz., left a federal judge and five other people dead and 13 injured, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
Organizers used the occasion to highlight a shifting focus in what has been a decades-long effort to promote legislation aimed at limiting people's access to guns.
Instead, there is a growing focus on using churches and other faith-based efforts to promote a change in how the American culture views guns, they said. It's also an acknowledgement that work in legislatures across the country have been met with resistance to many anti-gun measures.
Vetting the Vote: Gun Sanity
As if we need to be reminded of the preponderance of guns and gun-related violence on our streets, we’ve had served up for us in the closing days before the […]
Moving Beyond Gun Violence
Two weeks ago I flew to Florida for a national gathering of state ecumenical leaders and a few days later I flew home. In between my landing and leaving, in […]
Take Action
Sign-Ons from Other Organizations The petitions and other sign-on statements on this page have been submitted to the NC Council of Churches for circulation to people of faith. While the […]
Sacred Series Toolkit: Becoming a Trauma-Informed Faith Community
By the Rev. Jessica Stokes, Associate Director of Partners in Health and Wholeness, Statewide Mental Health Advocacy Thank you for viewing our toolkit! Please use the Sacred Conversations Toolkit: Becoming […]
Guns in Bars and Restaurants Before Subcommittee on March 20
The folks at North Carolinians Against Gun Violence have called House Bill 17 a “Recipe for Disaster.” That about sums it up. This is the bill that would allow anyone […]
Vigil Against Gun Violence, December 10 in Durham
As Rob Schofield at NC Policy Watch pointed out earlier this week, the situation around gun violence in this country may feel hopeless, but it’s not. Rob writes: ….there is reason […]
Update — GA Takes Up Dangerous Gun Law, June 7
Representatives in the General Assembly are scheduled to take up H.B. 746 this afternoon. Calls are still needed against this bill. As our friends at NC Policy Watch reported, the […]
Questions You Asked: Further Conversations on Domestic Violence, Social Justice, and Faith Webinar
Last month the Council co-sponsored a webinar entitled, “Uncovering the Roots of Violence: New Perspectives on Domestic Violence, Social Justice, and Faith.” The webinar brought together three anti-violence activists to […]
Vigil to End Gun Violence
Come together with others to remember the half a million Americans killed or injured by guns since the Sandy Hook shooting tragedy. Hundreds of events are being held at locations […]
NCIPL’s Spring into Action Kickoff Week has Wrapped Up
By Reuben Gelblum, NCIPL Intern Thank you to everyone who helped make our Spring Into Action kickoff week a success! You all participated from all over the state, listening in […]
Put Your Faith into Action — Join the Public Policy Advocacy Team!
The North Carolina Council of Churches advocates for just and compassionate public policy in North Carolina, and North Carolina Interfaith Power & Light, a program of the Council, brings that […]
NAACP, Council of Churches gather for prayer, call for end to gun violence
Community partners are calling on gun owners to secure their firearms in response to Thursday’s mass shooting. Watch the press conference:
Policy Statement on Domestic Violence
The scriptures instruct us to love one another – to create mutually respectful relationships in which there is shared responsibility, negotiation and fairness, trust and support, honesty and accountability. When violence is present in a relationship, it is a violation against the image of God in which we all have been created. Domestic violence is a pattern of coercive behavior that one person uses to gain and maintain power and control over an intimate partner or ex-partner. This behavior includes sexual abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse (a form of which is economic coercion).
Let Us Reason Together — Vigil Against Gun Violence 12/10
December 10, 7 p.m. Judea Reform Congregation 1933 West Cornwallis Road, Durham The NC Council of Churches, partnering with North Carolinians Against Gun Violence and the League of Women Voters, […]
‘Grins and Glocks’: Wake Forest orthodontist offers free gun with Invisalign treatment
As part of a promotion, Gladwell Orthodontics and Youngsville Gun Club & Range are giving certain customers their pick between a Silver membership at the Youngsville Gun Club & Range […]
Action Alert: May 31, 2017 — GA May Act on Guns
As was feared, some members of the General Assembly may be bringing back legislation that would roll back existing gun safety laws. A version of the previously introduced H.B. 746 […]
Violence, Harassment, and Discrimination against Gay Men and Lesbians
Violence cannot be ignored by those who stand in the prophetic tradition of justice and peace and in the gospel tradition of Jesus Christ, who came “to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” Violence is evil. Intolerance cannot be tolerated. Silence and passivity by the churches allow hostility, and are unfaithful responses to the Christian gospel. Justice, respect, and freedom must be claimed and pursued for all persons in the service of the justice and peace of God’s sovereignty in history.
Stand-Up Sabbath Against Gun Violence, June 17-19
According to the news reports, it all started over a place on a pew. One parishioner sat in someone else’s spot and then objected to moving. Another flashed his legally […]
N.C. Council of Churches advocates for gun violence prevention
After tragedies like the Hedingham mass shooting in Raleigh, people often turn to their faith for answers and healing. Members of the North Carolina Council of Churches have over 6,200 […]
Farmworker Advocacy Network Coordinator (Bilingual – Spanish/English)
FARMWORKER ADVOCACY NETWORK DESCRIPTION The Farmworker Advocacy Network (FAN) is a statewide network of organizations that works to improve the living and working conditions of agricultural workers in North Carolina. […]
Let’s Get this Partnership Started: Partnership Toolkit
THANK YOU for signing on to NCFLPE. We have two goals: to encourage partnerships with schools in your community, and to encourage advocacy on behalf of public schools in your […]
Vigil to End Gun Violence
This is my favorite time of the year. I’m a sap about all of it. I love decorating the house, seeing the lights downtown, the music, getting cozy with a […]
EPA Takes Moral Action to Cut Carbon Pollution from Power Plants
On June 2, the EPA acted on our moral obligation to address unlimited carbon pollution coming from the nation’s power plants, the single largest source of global warming pollution in the country. The […]
Too Many Victims — Gun Violence Vigil on January 8
As part of the national “Too Many Victims” campaign, there will be a vigil in Raleigh on Sunday, January 8. That day is the one-year anniversary of the Tucson shootings, which […]
Workers’ Rights and the 2020 Election
Work is an essential part of our lives. We work to put food on the table, pay for housing and medical care, and to support our families. We work to […]
Organizing Call: A Lent for Action
Building on the organizing work against federal attacks on our communities through organizations like the North Carolina Council of Churches and Siembra NC, and congregations like yours, we are inviting […]
Public Education Day of Advocacy Suggested Messages
1. GLEAN COMMUNITY IDEAS! If you are on Facebook, we encourage you to visit the Association of Educators Facebook page for your district. We have seen good ideas on the […]
Episcopal Diocese of NC: Take Action on Climate Change
On January 21, during the 196th Annual Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, the delegation resolved to receive with thanks the “Teaching of the House of Bishops on Environment” […]
UPDATE — Urgent Action Required: Let GA Members Hear from You
The NC NAACP has called for a People’s Assembly at 4:30 p.m., today, Thursday, December 15, in the General Assembly building, 16 West Jones Street. Details can be found here. […]
Take Action to Protect Medicaid
Faithful Reform in Health Care is urging people of faith to act to protect Medicaid–health care for the voiceless and our most vulnerable citizens. This is our chance to be […]
Faith in Action: Navigating and Responding to the Opioid Crisis through Harm Reduction
Discover a path of action for faith communities in the face of the opioid crisis through our Faith in Action Webinar. Participants will understand the depth of the opioid crisis […]
Faith in Action: Navigating and Responding to the Opioid Crisis Through Harm Reduction
Discover a path of action for faith communities in the face of the opioid crisis through our Faith in Action event. Participants will understand the depth of the opioid crisis […]
Faith in Action: Navigating the Opioid Crisis Through Harm Reduction
Discover a path of action for faith communities in the face of the opioid crisis through our Faith in Action event. Participants will understand the depth of the opioid crisis […]
Faith in Action: Navigating the Opioid Crisis Through Harm Reduction
Discover a path of action for faith communities in the face of the opioid crisis through our Faith in Action Workshop. Participants will understand the depth of the opioid crisis […]
Faith in Action: Navigating the Opioid Crisis Through Harm Reduction
Discover a path of action for faith communities in the face of the opioid crisis through our Faith in Action Workshop. Participants will understand the depth of the opioid crisis […]
Faith in Action: Navigating and Responding to the Opioid Crisis through Faith Response
Discover a path of action for faith communities in the face of the opioid crisis through our Faith in Action Workshop. Participants will understand the depth of the opioid crisis […]
Faith In Action: Navigating and Responding to the Opioid Crisis through Harm Reduction
Various dates and locations Choose an event near you Discover a path of action for faith communities in the face of the opioid crisis through our Faith in Action Workshop. […]
Take Action for Justice in North Carolina Tobacco Fields
Workers in tobacco fields suffer the same injustices that other farmworkers face, including the low wages, weak workplace protections, and harsh conditions. However, their work is even more unhealthy and […]
Take Action For Health
I am roughly halfway through my internship with Partners in Health and Wholeness, and the pressure is on. There are a lot of behind-the-scenes activities that make PHW successful. For instance, it can […]
Your Energy. Your Bill. Your Voice. Take Action!
Due to the extreme heat forecast, Sierra Club has canceled today’s rally against Senate Bill 266. This dangerous weather is a stark reminder of the climate crisis, which SB 266 would only worsen. […]
Take Action for Public Schools — Aug. 24 and 26
North Carolina’s public schools has suffered at the hands of this General Assembly and Governor. The impact on the schools, their employees, and the children they serve will be felt for […]
Domestic Violence Awareness and Support
Support for impacted individuals of domestic violence is crucial, especially within faith communities, where individuals may turn to their religious leaders for guidance and support during times of crisis. Recognizing […]
Legislative Advocacy
Legislative advocacy is an important part of the Council’s work because we recognize that much of our state’s legislation has been rooted in a legacy of racism. By centering the […]
No More of This
Remarks from Jennifer Copeland at the Vigil to End Gun Violence in Durham on December 13, 2019 About two years ago, the North Carolina Council of Churches paid for a […]
Tragic Combination: Guns and Mental Illness
Let’s hope this isn’t the case, but recent history suggests that President Obama is not done with a duty that surely is among the most difficult and heart-wrenching aspects of […]
Gun Violence Prevention: New Web Page, Stand Up Sabbath
NC advocates in orange at the General Assembly last year. Photo provided by Beth Messersmith, NC Campaign Director, MomsRising. Less than a month ago, our middle son sat with his classmates under […]
Staying Sane: Gun Laws that Work
The Mother Emanuel, Charleston, SC, shooting was four years ago today, June 17. The N.C. General Assembly Senate Judiciary Committee will consider Senate Bill 90 tomorrow, June 18. A favorable […]
Scrutiny for Gun Laws, Post-Charleston
Their timing, as it turned out, was less than impeccable. The gun-rights boosters who are pushing N.C. House Bill 562 ran up against some common-sense objections that resulted in two main […]
Raleigh Report-Gun Bills Flood In
Gun bills that extend the availability and use of guns flood the General Assembly.
Faith, Hope, and Healing: #Every1KnowsSome1
Have you seen the trending #Every1KnowsSome1 for domestic violence awareness? It may surprise you to think you know someone. Or maybe you think you are the only one? In truth, […]
Proper 26, Year C
The school year of 2006 began rather quietly as most school years do. But on August 30th, a boy with a gun walked into a high school in Hillsborough, NC, and the new school year was marked by violence.
Little did we know that this August 30th shooting at a North Carolina high school would be a harbinger of a national spate of school shootings. The young shooter in Hillsborough had a deadly plan and a number of guns; after killing his father he shot and wounded a student at a nearby high school.
Farmworker Advocacy Network Coordinator
Farmworker Advocacy Network Coordinator (Bilingual – Spanish/English) The Coalition Coordinator will be an employee of the North Carolina Council of Churches, which is a member of FAN and the fiscal […]
Faith in Action NCIPL
We are committed to helping you put your faith in action in North Carolina with the greatest possible impact. We currently offer programs and resources in the areas of energy, […]
Law expands concealed carry rights in churches
At the beginning of December, a new law expanded allowing people to carry concealed guns in North Carolina. State law now allows people to conceal carry in churches that share […]
Sol Train Connects Climate and Faith with Solar Power
Many people want to take meaningful action on climate change but don’t know where to start. Taking a big step, like switching to solar, doesn’t have to be hard. Any […]