NEWS

October 1, 2020

Visit In This Together: Voices of Hope featuring Rev. Rachel Griffin-Baughman 

https://vimeo.com/463254343 

August 8, 2020

In this together: Voices of Hope: 

Rev Ray Jordan  https://vimeo.com/442238042 

Rev. Rebecca Walls: https://vimeo.com/444627317 

FEATURED ARTICLE

Swords  into Plowshares
When The Rev. Karen Weldes Fry of Center for Spiritual Living was in her early 20’s, her father gave her a handgun for protection.  On International Day of Peace, September 21, 2019, as a symbol of letting go of fear and choosing love, Karen transformed her gun into something for good – a garden tool.   In partnership with Compassionate DFW, The Crow Museum of Asian Art, Dallas Arts District Compassion Council, and Dallas Peace and Justice Center, members of the Gun Sense task force of Faith Forward Dallas @ ThanksGiving Square organized a silent Peace Walk that ended at ThanksGiving Square where a representative of RAWtools, James/Natalie Drew, disabled Karen’s gun with a metal chop saw.  

RAWtools is an organization that takes the words of the Hebrew prophet Isaiah literally: “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.” (Isaiah 2:4) Faith communities can participate in making the world Isaiah declares manifest by becoming a disarming congregation with RAWtools.  To be a disarming congregation, a faith community will need to provide a safe, outdoor space like a parking lot to disable unwanted guns.  You will also need a metal chop saw (cost around $200) and access to electricity to run the saw. RAWtools will contact a representative of the community when they have a gun donor in the area, and the congregation can contact the donor and schedule a time to disable the firearm.  RAWtools will provide diagrams on where to make the required cuts to legally and safely disable the firearm according to federal guidelines set forth by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).  According to the ATF, no transfer of ownership occurs so laws like background checks or dealer licensing do not apply like they would in a gun buyback program.  RAWtools also assists in making sure local firearm carry laws are abided by as they often change from city to city and state to state.  Once the firearm is disabled, the gun donor sends the gun parts to RAWtools to be turned into garden tools and other life giving items.

A disarming community can also advocate for more gun donations in addition to the contacts sent by RAWtools.  Most firearms are donated from people who have inherited firearms or have firearms they no longer feel they need to have, yet do not want to return the gun back into the gun market and community AND appreciate the transformation of the firearm.  It is unlikely to receive a gun that has been involved in a crime, however, it is not unlikely to receive a gun that was used to complete suicide.   While the disabling is a healing moment, it is also a moment that can bring pain and trauma to the surface.  Faith communities are encouraged to incorporate a ritual or service of healing and transformation along with the disabling of the gun.  Some gun donors are interested in telling their story before the gun is disabled.  Some are comfortable with a prayer of transformation and blessing as the gun pieces take on new life.  We recommend being open to the donor and offering these and similar options if they are comfortable.  One organization, Lead to Life, has covered the firearm in water before disabling it as a representation of baptism and a commitment to nonviolence and life giving change.  This can also be done after the gun is cut, both to cool the hot metal and to serve as a ritual experience. 

Now is the time to take action to end gun violence.  COVID-19 has led to a record breaking increase in gun sales with an estimated 3 million more guns than usual sold since March. We know that more guns don’t make us safer.  Due to the prevalence of guns in our society, the United States has the highest level of gun violence of any other developed nation. We don’t have to wait on lawmakers. We can take action now by serving as a disarming community and create a world without violence.    

August 3, 2020

In this together: Voices of Hope: Rev Ray Jordan  https://vimeo.com/442238042