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December 2024 Digest

In this edition of the Digest:

  • Attend an Event to Honor All Victims of Gun Violence - Listing of CFCU Congregations' Events Below
  • Resources to Plan your December Vigil Event
  • Donate to CFCU during Colorado Gives Day
  • 10th Anniversary memory features Father Michael Nicosia
  • Ordinary People Can Prevent Gun Violence
  • Guns to Gardens on December 14 at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Northglenn
  • Repairing the Breach program opportunity
  • CFCU December Calendar

Attend an Event to

Honor All Victims of Gun Violence

 

See the CFCU Congregations Events Below

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Photos:  Tom Mauser, speaking at the Columbine Memorial, Pastor Gordon Kieft at a Sandy Hook Memorial Vigil, Pastor Anne Scalfaro lighting candles for victims of gun violence (with Alana Smart assisting) at CFCU General Meeting November, 2023)

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National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence

Events sponsored by CFCU Congregations

 

December 14 marks the 12th anniversary of the heartbreaking  Sandy Hook grade school shooting that was a turning point for so many of us.  The Newtown Action Alliance will be hosting the National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence on December 11 in Washington D.C.  Newtown Action Alliance

 

CFCU congregations have planned events around this date and invite anyone who would like to participate in any of them.  All events are listed by date and there is a contact in case you have questions.

 

Sunday, December 8

  • Community UCC, Congregation Bonai Shalom, First Congregational UCC, St. John's Episcopal Church
    Boulder Public Library
    1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder 
    11 AM to 1:00 PM 

    We'll be distributing handouts on safe storage, ERPO, and suicide prevention as well as free gun locks. Please stop by and see us!
    Contact Stephanie Greenberg advocacy@cfcu-co.org

  • Central Presbyterian Church
    1660 Sherman St, Denver, CO 80203
    10:30 AM

    Candle Lighting Liturgy to Remember and Honor All Victims of Gun Violence during the Sunday morning service.
    Contact Cheryl Fleetwood cherylrfleetwood@gmail.com

Tuesday, December 10

  • Denver Health
    Belonging Park on the Denver Health Campus
    777 Bannock St.
    We will be outside at Pavs D and E
    4:30-5:30 pm  

    Candlelight Vigil to Remember Victims of Gun Violence  
    Contact Rebecca Scull, MA, BCC Rebecca.Scull@dhha.org 

 

Saturday, December 14

  • Community UCC, Congregation Bonai Shalom, First Congregational UCC, St. John's Episcopal Church
    Boulder Public Library 
    1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder 
    11 AM to 1:00 PM 

    We'll be distributing handouts on safe storage, ERPO, and suicide prevention as well as free gun locks. Please stop by and see us!
    Contact Stephanie Greenberg advocacy@cfcu-co.org

  • B’nai West (Highlands Church)
    1700 South Grant St., Denver, CO.
    10:00 -11:30 AM followed by lunch

    Along with a special prayer and song, Havurah B’kavod Jose Diaz, the gun violence prevention group at B’nai Havurah will host a brief presentation at services about the work of the congregation’s volunteers in Denver's HIP (Handgun Intervention Program).  HIP helps youth convicted of non-violent firearm offenses chart a new and safer path.  Lunch will be provided after services along with table discussions about ways to help prevent gun violence.
    For questions or to RSVP, contact alanaks@aol.com

Sunday, December 15

  • Green Mountain Presbyterian Church
    12900 W Alameda Pkwy, Lakewood 
    10:00 AM Worship

    We plan to include a remembrance of victims of gun violence.  We will light a candle remembering those who have died as a result of gun violence and share a Litany of Remembrance  (from Vigils Against Violence by Pat Long and Vandy Bradow, found in the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship’s Gun Violence Prevention Congregational Toolkit).  Possibly sing,  Come and Fill Our Hearts with Your Peace. 
    Contact Marcia Charlton mcharlton1952@gmail.com

  • Capitol Heights Presbyterian
    1100 Fillmore St, Denver, CO 80206
    9:30 Sunday Morning Service

    The service will hold as a focus those who have died from gun violence, as we ponder Advent as a Season to remember and hope. 
    Contact  Rev. Mark Meeks  mkenosha@aol.com

Monday, December 16

  • Most Precious Blood Parish
    2200 S. Harrison, Denver.
    December 16 from 6:30 - 8:00 PM 

    Prayer Vigil for Victims of Gun violence with a program on non-violent conversation techniques.  Anyone attending is also able to sign a pledge of non-violence.
  • Contact Rita Niblack raniblack@icloud.com

Please let us know if your congregation has plans that are not included above.  We will continue to make this list available on our website. 

Resources for planning your

Event to Honor All Victims of Gun Violence

Names and photos of those who have died from gun violence in Colorado.
Music, Prayers and Services, Links to Resources can be found in this folder.
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Support CFCU through Colorado Gives Day and help us grow our efforts to end gun violence!

 

Colorado Gives Day is an opportunity to make your donation to Colorado non-profits multiply!  

From November 1 through December 10, every donation you make will be boosted from a $1M+ Incentive Fund made possible by Colorado Gives Foundation and FirstBank.  Each nonprofit including CFCU will receive a share of this fund based on the percentage of the total that CFCU raises.  

 

Monthly giving is matched for the first month, and supports our work year round!

If you set up a new monthly donation, Colorado Gives Foundation will match your first monthly donation up to $100. If you choose this option, your donation will be automatically matched. There’s nothing more you need to do to double your impact.

 

Your donation helps us save lives and strengthens our organization!

 

With your help we can 

  • Unite faith communities and amplify our voices in the prophetic work of speaking against the culture of violence proliferated by firearms
  • Participate in public health efforts that reduce gun-related deaths and injuries
  • Provide faith-based resources for congregations, for preaching and praying about issues of gun violence.
  • Advocate for sensible gun laws and inform you about advocacy opportunities,  especially during the legislative session.
  • Examine issues of gun violence and their causes through the lens of faith and provide programs and events to reduce harm
Donate to CFCU through Colorado Gives here.

Because CFCU is a project of the Colorado Nonprofit Development Center, you will find us listed under this organization on the Colorado Gives Day website.

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Fr. Michael J. Nicosia, St. Paul Catholic ECC Church, prays with music and song at the CFCU 10th Anniversary Celebration.  Listen here: https://youtu.be/cHSlbWp76ps

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Fort Collins Interfaith Council Invites You to:

Ordinary People Can Prevent Gun Violence

Thursday, December 5, 2024

9-10:15 am

 

Trinity Lutheran Church

301 E. Stuart St., Fort Collins, CO 80525

 

The program includes:

  • A panel of professionals discussing areas of concern for households with guns in the home, focusing on statistics, warning signs, recommended actions
  • What can we do to protect juveniles from gun violence?
  • What can we do to protect adults from gun violence?
  • What is an ERPO, and how does it protect us from gun violence?

12.14.24 Guns to Gardens Flyer

An opportunity from one of our CFCU Congregations:

Repairing the Breach

In a Time of Toxic Political Polarization

Tuesday, December 3rd - 4:30 PM at Temple Emanuel

 

Join Governor Jared Polis as he hosts this important event. Discover how we can forge new understandings across political differences and respect the dignity of others. Learn from leaders who engage their differences productively.

 

This gathering will elevate examples where leaders are successfully engaging their differences respectfully and productively.  Leaders will share how insights from faith can be used to bridge political and cultural divisions and how we can “disagree better”.  In this moment, when relationships have frayed, we are all invited to become repairers of the breach, as in Isaiah 58:12, and to find our way back to each other as fellow Americans.

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Register for Repairing the Breach here.

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Calendar  for December

  •  Tuesday, December 3 at 2:00 PM:  Advocacy Team meeting.  For more information please contact Stephanie Greenberg advocacy@cfcu-co.org
  • Tuesday, December 10 at 1:30:  Executive Committee meeting.  For more information please contact Alana Smart (publichealthstrategies@cfcu-co.org)
  • Wednesday, December 11:  National Vigil for All Victims of Gun Violence   See the list of activities around this event above.
  • December 19, 10 AM - 12 PM.  Communications Meeting on Zoom.  For more information please contact Daryl Foelske (dfoelske@gmail.com)

Colorado Faith Communities United to End Gun Violence, P.O. Box 18770, Denver, Colorado 80218, USA

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