October 2024 Digest

In this edition of the Digest:

• Our 10th Anniversary Celebration!  Photos and article.
• ERPO Information Presentation on Zoom...Please register.
• More Doves to Celebrate: Mike Earnest and Lord of the Mountain
• Memories of the Founding of CFCU Video Available
• News from the Advocacy Team
• Follow us on Facebook and share our posts on your feed!  
• Photos from Rally at the Capitol for International Day of Peace 
• Our Featured Congregation:  Epiphany Lutheran Church
• CFCU October Calendar

Alana Smart welcomes guests to the 10th Anniversary Celebration.

Daryl Foelske invites attendees to contribute time, talent and treasures to CFCU.

Our 10th Anniversary Celebration

I had the immense pleasure of attending CFCU's 10^th Anniversary on Sunday, September 22. Being relatively new to CFCU (although my congregation has been involved since the beginning), it was a lovely learning experience and history lesson.

We learned about the public health effects of gun violence from Dr. Emmy Betz, Director of the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. I am grateful for her work.

Attorney General Phil Weiser shares his thoughts on the work of faith communities in ending gun violence.

Attorney General Weiser reflected on the past years of progress in the work of gun violence prevention,  and noted that when people become organized for action, progress happens.  But when we give up and lose our motivation to make change, special interest groups govern. That inspired me and reminded me to look at the bigger picture. So often it can feel like all of our meetings, decisions, and small tasks don't amount to much since things don't seem to change fast enough. But it is through this organizing and all of its small tasks that change does happen, even if it takes a long time.

I enjoyed the celebration section where we each filled glasses with sparkling apple cider and heard from different partners in progress: Mike Martin, the Director of RAWTools, Adam Shore from Colorado Ceasefire, Deborah Garcia-Sandoval, Coordinator of the Handgun Intervention Program, and Dr. Michael Earnest with Denver Health and CDC. It reminded me how CFCU's programs and partners touch on so many different areas: mental health, public policy, public health, youth, outreach, and more.

Tom Mauser shares a toast to CFCU.

ERPO Information Session on Zoom on October 29

Do you want to know more about Extreme Risk Protection Orders, who can enact them and how they can support vulnerable families?  CFCU Public Health Strategies member Susie Pappas will be leading an information session about ERPO on Zoom on October 29 at 7 p.m.   Consider attending this session as a starting point to bringing the  presentation to your own faith community.  Contact Susie Pappas (susiepappas@hotmail.com) for more information or register below to receive the zoom link.

Many thanks to our Flight of Doves who support us financially.

We want to honor two of our financial supporters who were left off the program for our 10th Anniversary Celebration.

Mike Earnest

Lord of the Mountains Lutheran Church

Memories of the Founding of CFCU:

 A Documentary about the Founding of CFCU starring Founders Jerry Arca, Gene Drumm and Alana Smart Is Now Available

Longtime friends, Jerry Arca, Gene Drumm and Alana Smart gather to remember their first meeting, which resulted in a movement and an organization--Colorado Faith Communities United to End Gun Violence.   

From the CFCU Advocacy Team

Article submitted by Stephanie Greenberg, Congregation Bonai Shalom

New White House Executive Order Directs Federal Agencies to Combat Emerging Firearms Threats and Improve School-Based Active Shooter Drills

On September 26, the one-year anniversary of the establishment of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, President Biden and Vice President Harris announced a new Executive Order with directives involving multiple federal agencies.

This November, vote YES to support mental health services for veterans, youth, and victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes and safety and gun violence prevention programs in schools.

CFCU supported the passage of legislation to put Prop KK on this November’s ballot. More funding for mental health services for Colorado’s most vulnerable populations and school safety is desperately needed.  Prop KK will provide these funds through a modest excise tax on gun manufacturer and retailers' sales of guns.

November 5 is Election Day:

Be Sure You’re Registered to Vote

Ballots will be mailed to Colorado voters 2-3 weeks before the election. If you’re not registered to vote, now is the time to do it. It’s easy and quick to do online at the Colorado Secretary of State’s website: https://www.coloradosos.gov/voter/pages/pub/home.xhtml  

If you’re not sure if you’re registered, you can use the same link to check, and you can also find the nearest location for a polling place or drop box. The stakes in this election couldn’t be higher -- your vote is essential.

Help us get the word out!

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and share our posts with your friends!

Photos from International Day of Peace Rally on Capitol Steps: 

Photos submitted by Cheryl Fleetwood, Central Presbyterian Church

September 21 has been declared International Day of Peace, by the United Nations.   Longtime CFCU member congregation, Prince of Peace Church of the Brethren hosted a Peace Rally on the Capitol steps.  Senator Rhonda Fields gave the keynote and CFCU member congregation Central Presbyterian's Pastor Louise Westfall was invited to speak.  Rev. Erisman-Valeta, who organized the Rally shared:  "When we are encouraged in so many ways to be a divided society, this peace rally encourages us to be a community that resists that, especially when division can encourage violence.  During this election year, we especially want to encourage peace and our common humanity.

Our Featured Congregation of the Month:

Epiphany Lutheran Church

On the front page of Epiphany Lutheran's website is the following statement:  "This congregation lives to lovingly invite all people to the unconditional love of Jesus Christ, to teach and build community among those who respond and to relieve the suffering of those in need."  They are a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and also a "Reconciling in Christ" church, meaning that they "ensure the welcome, inclusion, celebration, and advocacy for people of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and gender expressions; work for racial equity and commit to anti-racist work and support the national program." (https://www.reconcilingworks.org)

Epiphany Lutheran has been at its current Wash Park locations since 1938.   It was built brick by brick by hand by the parishioners themselves.  They currently have two worship services, one on Sunday, that is more "liturgical" and one on Wednesday evening that includes a Bible study and more interactive conversation.  The church currently has about 100 members.  Their new pastor is Nicole Garcia, who is entering her fourth week with Epiphany Lutheran.

Susan Hahn, member of CFCU Advocacy Team and of Epiphany Lutheran Church

Susan has been a Lutheran her whole life.  She loves knowing what to expect in terms of liturgy and also the invitation at EL to "be yourself."  "You can wear what you want, bring your coffee into the service, listen...visit."

Rory Clawson, member of CFCU Executive Committee  and of Epiphany Lutheran Church.

Rory joined EL after he received an invitation from someone who suggested that the Wednesday evening Bible study and conversation might fit his needs.  At the time he was disenchanted with a downtown church that was large and for which it was impossible to find parking.  The smaller congregation with the two way conversations was just what he was looking for.

Rory experienced gun violence during his college years at CSU, when a friend, Tony Taitt, was murdered while he was working at a 7/11 store in Loveland.  "It still affects me.  he would have gotten married, had kids..."

 Susan approached her previous pastor Libby after the shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas.  She thought, "I can't take any more of the weeping and horrified children and families.  Along with the terror, these two mass shootings were both raced based.   Something has to be done."   She was part of the "Safe Communications Team" and wanted them to find ways to work to end gun violence.  In the meantime, Pastor Libby had discovered CFCU, and Peter Fogg came to give a presentation at EL.  The rest is history

Epiphany Lutheran became a member of CFCU in 2019.  "We realized that an organization was already doing what we wanted to do...use our faith to work to end gun violence.  We realized we didn't have to reinvent the wheel," said Susan.  "We attend our first large meeting in the fall of 2019...a gathering about legislation...then covid brought us all to zoom."

Susan leads the Rapid Response Network at Epiphany Lutheran.  "Right now 20% of our church members support the efforts of CFCU specifically through this advocacy group."  Rory is a member of the CFCU Executive Committee and since CFCU became a nonprofit, and is a partner of Colorado Nonprofit Development Center, he has been the Project Manager for CFCU.

Article Submitted by Rita Niblack, Most Precious Blood Catholic Church