From Bishop Marcus Matthews
For all United Methodists in The Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of The United Methodist Church
Today United Methodists stand together with other leaders of the faith community, citizens groups, and government and law enforcement officials to call state legislators to take action to end violence in our streets. 50 buses of citizens have gone from the City of Philadelphia to the steps of the capitol in Harrisburg to decry the violence that plagues our streets and neighborhoods across Pennsylvania. To date, the murder rate in the City of Philadelphia has climbed to 285 persons killed by handguns - most of them illegally bought and sold.
Today's rally in Harrisburg coincides with a day-long discussion on reducing gun violence in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The rally has been organized by The Coalition to End Handgun Violence, and includes Mayor John Street of Philadelphia along with mayors from Reading, Lancaster, Bethlehem and Allentown. Many pastors and laypersons from our United Methodist churches in Eastern Pennsylvania have joined the effort, including our Conference Lay Leader, Dr. Mary White. The three goals of the rally are to ask legislators to stop the flow of illegal handguns, to enact smarter laws and support more effective law enforcement to curb gun crime, and to invest in a peaceful future by expanding opportunities for education and employment.
Together, as United Methodists, we mourn for the victims of gun violence, including the murdered persons, their families, and their communities. In our Wesleyan tradition, and as part of the Body of Christ we are called to be witnesses to a loving God, to love our neighbors, to heal our communities, and to restore God's kingdom of justice and peace.
As it says in our United Methodist Social Principles, "We offer our prayers for those in rightful authority who serve the public, and we support their efforts to afford justice and equal opportunity for all people." Social Principles 164 F
Now is the time for United Methodists in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference to pray. Now through November 1, I am calling every United Methodist in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference to a season of prayer for peace in the region. Join me in praying for God to stop the violence in our communities. While we pray for our communities to be safe for people of all ages, let us pray for God to guide our ministry outreach to victims and perpetrators of violence.
In Paul's first letter to Timothy, he urged believers to pray for everyone and for leaders.
"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity." (1 Timothy 2: 1-2,NRSV)
God is calling us to pray for peace in our communities.
Let us pray....
Dear God,
We lift prayers for peace in the Eastern Pennsylvania area, in the United States and in our global community. We pray for our children who are being killed by senseless guns that we make available. We pray for our seniors who struggle to make ends meet in an economy that is not just. We pray for the poor, and that you would give us the wisdom and heart to share our resources. We pray for our lawmakers and public servants that they may lead the way in creating a climate of peace in our communities. Help our congregations be places of hope, peace and healing for our communities. These prayers we pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
