FRS public exhibit to bear silent witness
By Nicole Salemi, Director of Community Engagement, and Ann Haaser, organizer of the FRS Gun Violence Prevention Vigil
On Saturday, November 30, the FRS church courtyard will be transformed into a public exhibit bearing silent witness to the devasting epidemic of gun violence in our nation. With numerous black ribbons and a statistical banner (pictured above) being tied to the church’s cast-iron fences, FRS organizers of the December 4th Service of Remembrance and Hope, hope to do just that, call pointed attention to the over a quarter of a million Americans who have been killed by guns since the Sandy Hook shooting tragedy seven years ago.
FRS vigil organizers also hope the exhibit raises the dialog surrounding gun violence prevention and moves people to attend the Wednesday night vigil, which will be held on December 4, in the Sanctuary, from 6:30-7:30pm, followed by refreshments and informational tables from 7:30-8pm in the Lower Meeting House. This is a community wide event that is open to the public. Rev. Rebecca will participate in the service along with other area clergy and parishioners.
“Of the 100 people who die by gun violence every day, 60 die by suicide, 37 adults die by homicide (including 2 women by domestic violence and 5 children and teens), and 3 die as a result of unintentional shootings and law enforcement-involved shootings.” – Pew Research Center
Part of the nation-wide remembrance, the FRS vigil will include music, remembrance of Massachusetts gun violence victims during 2019, a survivor testimony, responsive readings and information about how gun deaths can be reduced. Following the vigil, refreshments will be served 7:30-8pm in the Lower Meeting House, at which time people can learn more about how to help the gun violence prevention movement.
If you would like to help out preparing for (and at) the vigil, please email Ann Haaser.
People can learn about gun violence in America at the Everytown for Gun Safety website (https://everytown.org), Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence (https://giffords.org) and The Trace (https://www.thetrace.org).
Please share this event with your friends and networks!