Friends who are part of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, and Friends Ending Gun Violence Collaborative of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, have signed this statement calling for changes to Pennsylvania gun laws. It comes as about 1,600 Pennsylvanians are killed by gun violence each year and about 3,000 more are injured.
The following is attributed to Billy Penn and Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.
On average, 1,600 Pennsylvanians die from gun violence every year. 3,000 more are injured. This preventable catastrophe is uniquely American and it impacts every Pennsylvanian. Every day, countless lives are lost, families shattered, and communities torn apart by gun-related incidents. Whether it’s firearm suicide, community violence, or the constant fear and reality of mass shootings, we, as a society, must come together to take decisive action to address this moral crisis.
As faith leaders, we understand the devastating losses caused by gun violence. We experience loss in our faith communities and houses of worship as we organize services for departed community members. We accompany families and communities who are navigating the trauma of losing a loved one to gun violence. We recite the names of people whose lives ended prematurely due to gun violence. As people of faith, we are committed to ending firearm related deaths and injuries by currently advocating for policies including:
- Securing ample funding for Community Violence Intervention (CVI) programs, which are proven to reduce violence by providing support to those most vulnerable to gun violence.
- Safe Storage practices that require firearm owners to secure their firearms when not in use – preventing school shootings, unintentional shootings, and suicides.
- Banning Ghost Guns and Machine Gun Converters to prevent people who can’t legally buy a gun from building or modifying their own.
- Enabling Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs) to provide family members and law enforcement tools to temporarily restrict access to firearms to prevent firearm suicides and mass shootings.
- Closing the loophole in PA’s background check system and consistent enactment of universal background checks for all gun sales.
As faith leaders, we are charged with keeping our communities safe. In order to do so, we need to raise our collective voices in support of common sense changes to Pennsylvania’s gun laws.
Gun violence is a moral issue. The evidence is clear – the above policy changes save lives.
Signed,
Congregations and Organizations
The Episcopal Diocese of the Susquehanna
East Liberty Presbyterian Church, Peace Committee
Islamic Society of Central PA
Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, PA
Interfaith Alignment
Congregation Rodeph Shalom, Philadelphia
Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, Lancaster
Sisters of Saint Joseph Philadelphia, JPIC
Reformation Lutheran Church, Media
Grandview Church, Lancaster
UUJusticePA
Individual Faith Leaders
Layperson Joshua Ian Wretzel, Congregation Brit Shalom, State College
Director of Religious Ed. Ashley Hamlin, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County
Rabbi Janine Jankovitz, Kehilat HaNahar, Doylestown
Professor Emeritus David Teutsch, Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Pastor Alina Gayeuski, Reformation Lutheran Church, Media
Teacher Cynthia Fleming, Saint Stephens Episcopal, Harrisburg
Chaplain Justine Jones, South Pittsburgh Coalition for Peace
Administrator Catherine Kelly Sisters of Saint Joseph, Philadelphia
Lay Leader Susan Tobia, Holy Cross Parish, Philadelphia
Rector Clifford Johnston, Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Hawk Run
Sister Margi Savage, Sisters of Saint Joseph, Flourtown
Sister Marie O’Brien, Sisters of St. Joseph, Chestnut Hill
Chaplain Amy Shorner-Johnson, Elizabethtown College
Pastor Mark Terwilliger, First United Methodist Church, Chambersburg
Lay person Jeanne Cooper,St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Columbia
Lay Leader Phyllis Terwilliger, First United Methodist Church, Chambersburg
Elder Joyce Lambert, Fellowship Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Aldan
Rabbi Jack Paskoff, Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, Lancaster
District Superintendent Daniel Wilt, United Methodist Church, Williamsport
Church Council Member Lisa Bender, Grace United Methodist Church, Harrisburg
Rabbi Eric Mollo, Main Line Reform Temple, Newtown Square
Lay Leader Jane Isaacs Lowe, The Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Deacon Beth Hollingshead, St. George St. Barnabas/St. Mary’s Penn Campus
CEO Hope Christensen, Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence
Manager Scott Clinton, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Executive Jane Clinton, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Pastor Ryan Gephart, Susquehanna Conference UMC Peace w/ Justice Committee
Priest Katherine Harrigan, St. Lukes Episcopal Church, Mechanicsburg
Teacher Meredith Wiggins, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Pastor Jane O’Borski, Heshbon Park United Methodist Church
Manager Kathy White, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Verger Isaac Quelly-Bersier, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Sister, Community Outreach Coordinator Sarah Crotty, Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden
Lay Leader, Molly Hicks, Old Haverford Friends Meeting
Episcopal Deacon, Barbara Gessner, Prince of Peace Church, Dallas
Deacon Margaret Pendergast, St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, Douglassville
Priest William Stewart, Good Shepherd Episcopal Church, Milford
Priest Jennifer Mattson, St. Thomas Episcopal, Lancaster
Vestry member, Marilyn Pyeatt, St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Altoona
Lay Leader Don Baldwin, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Lancaster
Vestry Rebecca Paletski, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Hazleton
Priest Nick Lorenzetti, Trinity Episcopal Church, Mt. Pocono
Deacon Hank Morrow, St. Paul Episcopal Church, Columbia
Priest Ronald Miller, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Hamlin
Lay Delegate Lynnette Wade, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Harrisburg
Executive Timothy Alleman, St. Stephen’s Episcopal Pro-Cathedral, Wilkes-Barre
Priest Joseph Sudano , Grace Episcopal Church, Honesdale
Pastor Ross, Carmichael, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh
Pastor Erin Jones, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Pittsburgh
Pastor Ryan Pusch, Perry Highway Lutheran Church, Wexford
Deacon Amy Kelly, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Retired , Martin Rafanan, St. Andrew Lutheran Church, Shadyside
Pastor Kerri Clark, Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, McMurray
Pastor (retired) Sandra Strauss, Harrisburg
Pastor Jonny Rashid, West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship
Deacon Jennifer, Burkhardt, Episcopal Church of the Mediator, Allentown
Small Group Bible Study Leader Dave Kline, Fishing Creek Salem United Methodist Church
Teacher Kathryn Kuhn, Church of the Apostles UCC, Lancaster
Pastor Kayla Hopgood, Ascension Lutheran Church, Newtown
Rabbi Robert Morais, Temple Anshe Hesed, Erie
Rabbi Laurie Green, Temple B’nai B’rith, Kingston
Lead Pastor Kristopher Sledge, The Journey United Methodist Church, Harrisburg
Honorably Retired Minister Anne Ard, Presbytery of Huntingdon
Lay Leader Luisa Rabe Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Dean Abigail Crozier Nestlehutt, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Bishop Audrey Scanlan, The Episcopal Diocese of the Susquehanna
Bishop Hector A. Burgos-Nunez, United Methodists, Susquehanna Conference
Margaret Lytton, Member, Haverford Quaker Meeting
Sister Betty McVeigh, Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia
Reverend Anne Flynn, Episcopal Diocese of Central PA
Social Justice Chair Gary Graham, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Pastor Jason Schwartzman, Elm Park United Methodist, Scranton
Rector Martha Harris, Saint Paul Episcopal Church, Lancaster
Reverend Kyle Evans, Episcopal Community Services
Sister Veronica Oravec, Sisters of Divine Providence, Allison Park
Violence Prevention Manager, Pat Millen OSF, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia
Judy Heath, Lay Leader, Beth Am Israel, Penn Valley
Martha Bryans, Lay Leader, Friends Ending Gun Violence Collaborative of PYM
Deacon Michael Nailor, Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral
Associate Denise Champe, Sisters of Divine Province, Allison Park
Director Christian Education Karen Moser, Centre County Interfaith Coalition for Gun Safety
Administrative Council Clerk Jeanne Elberfeld, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Deacon Nancy Lesher, Hope Episcopal Church, Manheim
Social Justice & Outreach Committee Chair, Marianne Novy, Redeemer Episcopal, Pittsburgh
Administrator Ramon Segers, Northern Tier Mission Episcopal Diocese of Central PA
Minister Janet Hellner-Burris, Christian Church of Wilkinsburg
