A Word from Our Denomination

As United Methodist Christians, we mourn with the victims and families of those wounded and killed in the shootings on June 12, 2016 in Orlando, Florida. We may even pray and wonder if anything could have been done to avert this heinous act.

But should we do more? Is there anything that can be done to keep something similar from happening in the future?

While we may not agree on a solution, many of us agree there is a problem. What can we do?

In the aftermath of the worst mass shooting incident in U.S. history, church leaders say United Methodists must speak up about the contributing factors — bigotry, hatred and the availability of military-style guns.

“I hope United Methodists will see this as an opportunity to speak up and speak on behalf of what is at the core of our DNA — love God and love neighbor,” Bishop Bruce Ough, president of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, told United Methodist News Service. “Wesley was pretty clear that that’s the mark of who we are.”

In May, the United Methodist General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body, approved “Our Call to End Gun Violence” legislation, which includes eight ways United Methodists may prayerfully address gun violence including advocating for universal background checks on all gun purchases and a ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines and weapons designed to fire multiple rounds.

You may read the legislation in its entirety below.

Excerpts from: Speaking up after Orlando shootings by Linda Bloom and Sam Hodges. www.umc.org

Ways United Methodists can take a stand against gun violence by Joe Iovino. www.umc.org