CFCU FEBRUARY 2023 DIGEST
GIFFORDS TOWN HALL
FEB 8, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
First Baptist Church of Denver
1373 Grant St. Denver, CO 80203
This event is free but you must register here: Gun Violence Prevention Town Hall with Gabby Giffords
Legislative Alert!
Look forward to information about the CFCU and Colorado Ceasefire joint Legislative Briefing. The meeting will be at the end of February! More information to follow.
Guns to Gardens Event February 25, 11-1 at Columbine United Church
Volunteer at a Guns to Gardens (G2G) Safe Surrender event in Littleton on Saturday, February 25th. Learn more and sign up here.
Donate to support congregations hosting Guns to Gardens Safe Surrender events. Give here or buy a t-shirt to help us fundraise.
Educate folks about the national Guns to Gardens movement. Email us at gunstogardensmetrodenver@gmail.com to schedule a presentation about local G2G opportunities.
Dismantle your guns by bringing them to a Guns to Gardens event. Read more here.
Spread the word to friends and family about this modern-day “swords to plowshares” ministry and our upcoming event in February. Email us at gunstogardensmetrodenver@gmail.com and we'll send you a flyer to copy and distribute!
Next Guns to Gardens Upcoming Event at Most Precious Blood Parish on Saturday, April 15.
Prayer for the Victims of the 36th Mass Shooting in the United States in the first 23 days of 2023
O Lord,
Save us from guns!
Save us from the gun sellers, the gun manufacturers,
The ghost gun designers, the NRA.
Save us from all who believe that the second amendment allows the right
for an average of 125 guns to be owned per 100 people in the United States.
Save us from ourselves, and our need to promote gun possession over people
Eight killed in Cedar City, Utah on January 4
Six killed in Goshen, California on January 16
Five in Cleveland, Ohio, Six in High Point, North Carolina
And Dallas, and Philadelphia and Rockford
And those who were shot, but not killed, injured and never the same
And the survivors with their guilt and fear,
And the neighborhoods in trauma, devastated.
Embrace the families of those who danced, smiled
and wished one another a happy new year,
And then died of gunshots.
Embrace the children whose parents did not come home that night,
The grandchildren who will grow up with a story, rather than a grandparent.
Welcome those who, forced unexpectedly out of this life have entered eternity.
They who are now safe and whole, unafraid, part of the communion of saints.
May our hearts remain broken until every weapon has been dismantled,
Every mind and body made whole,
Until you are restored to your rightful place as God,
And the false god of guns is dethroned.
Amen.
Rita Niblack
Most Precious Blood Parish
Join the Outreach Team
As an all volunteer organization, how do we keep our members connected to all that CFCU has going on? The Outreach Action Team is, in many ways, the internal 'face' of CFCU.
We deliver presentations and orientations to existing and discerning congregations. We connect with member representatives to ensure that they are aware of upcoming events and feel supported. We help member congregations develop their Rapid Response network. We manage booths at public events, spreading the word about the work of CFCU.
There is room and appreciation for you and your talents in Outreach. Contact Susan Oakes (soakes1219@gmail.com) for more information.
Analysis of ERPO’s use and effect
In 2019 CFCU worked hard with other GVP allies to help pass an Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law in Colorado. A recent Colorado Public Radio report provides an in-depth analysis of that question and raises some other questions in the process.
While the CPR report cites numerous examples of ERPOs successfully preventing gun violence, an important takeaway is that usage of the law has remained slow since its introduction. In fact in 40 of the 64 Colorado counties there have been no ERPO filings at all. Several actions are in the works to address including grant money for training of law enforcement, greater awareness raising campaigns through the Office for Gun Violence Prevention, and legislation to improve and strength ERPO. CFCU in cooperation with Colorado Ceasefire schedules presentations to expand public understanding of this life saving tool. Please contact Susie Pappas, susiepappas@hotmail.com with CFCU’s Public Health Strategies Action Team.