Interfaith Vigil & Rally

212 East Capitol Street Northeast,Washington DC 20003

08 June, 2022

Description

Wednesday June 8th 2022 is a major day of action on gun violence. Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence is gathering together for a solemn interfaith vigil followed by a procession to a major rally. We know that we need more than Thoughts & Prayers in this moment but instead we need #FaithLeadersEndingGunViolence through our actions and our moral call to action! Later that morning, Everytown for Gun Safety, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action, and the Everytown Survivor Network will rally at 11am ET at the U.S. Capitol (details to come). Clergy - we invite you to wear clergy attire. Sponsoring Organizations: Center for Faith Justice and Reconciliation, Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), Interfaith Center of New York, Kingdom Mission Society, Islamic Society of North America, Union for Reform Judaism, United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries General schedule: 10:00am - gather at Church of the Reformation 10:00-10:30am - musical offering and testimony from gun violence survivors and interfaith leaders including Imam Saffet Catovic, Head of Interfaith and Community Alliances and Governmental Relations, Islamic Society of North America Rev. Hope Christensen, Faith Leaders for Ending Gun Violence Alexei Laushkin, Founder, Kingdom Mission Society Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Vice Chair, Union for Reform Judaism, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Amy Reumann Senior Director, Witness in Society Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Sandy Sorensen, Director of the Washington Office, United Church of Christ, Justice and Local Church Ministries 10:30am- Solemn Remembrances 21 moments of silence for those killed in Uvalde, Texas A poetic lament for the 10 killed by hate and terrorism in Buffalo, NY Sacred Litany for Those Lost to Gun Violence 10:45am- Close 10:50am- gather to process to 11am ET rally on Capitol Hill Goals: 1. A Collective Moment of Interfaith Solidarity. We call for action from our elected officials. We can no longer tolerate their complicity in the deaths of innocent people. 2. Lament the lives lost in Uvalde, Buffalo, and countless known and unknown places 3. Call officials and public to pass legislation for common sense gun laws: universal background checks, extreme risk protection orders, community violence intervention funding, and confirming Steve Dettelbach as director of ATF. Parking and Local Transportation: Church of the Reformation is accessible from Union Station and Capitol South Metros: https://www.wmata.com/schedules/maps/ There is very limited if any street parking but there are parking lots at Union Station. Accessibility: We plan on gathering in an area accessible to those who have issues with mobility and/or are in a wheelchair. Safety: 1) It's supposed to be hot, so bring your water and wear some sunscreen! 2) This is a peaceful gathering. Having a buddy is always good protest practice to stay safe. (You can buddy up with someone after you arrive if you don't bring one with you.) We will give more instructions to keep y'all safe on the day.