Good evening. My name is Lenette Johnson. I am a retired music teacher in the NKCSD and KCPS school districts. After Sandy Hook, the active shooter drills began. 1) The first drills, teachers and students were to hide from the shooter, 2) Then a few years later, teachers were told to hide and then flee from the shooter. 3) A few years later, teachers were asked to hide, flee and then fight the shooter. Throw whatever was in your classroom at the shooter. In my classroom, it was keyboard instruments!! I was emotionally affected by these experiences and I could only imagine the trauma that the children were feeling. My daughter went through her entire school life with active shooter drills. And yet the white elephant in the situation , the guns, was never addressed.
So what do we do as a faith community ? These are just suggestions….you might come up with your own list. 1) There are organizations here and in the nation that are trying to address the situation. MOMS DEMAND ACTION is one such organization. They are working with legislators to enact gun sense laws, they have rallies such as the one on Saturday in Washington Park and they are meeting in Jefferson City for an Advocacy Day on Wednesday, March 27. . Text READY to 64433. BE SMART is another organization that promotes gun secure storage. This program is a 20 minute presentation that emphasizes the necessity of safe secure areas in your home for firearms. Our diocese has presented this program to several churches in the Kansas City area. If you are interested in bringing this presentation to your community, please see me after the service. The Peace and Justice Committee of the Diocese of West Missouri has a Call to Action email base that sends out emails whenever there are gun issues in the legislature. Possible actions include emails or phone calls. These actions can be done from your home. And finally vote. Missouri is in urgent need of legislators that promote gun sense laws. Thank you for listening to me. I would like to end with a prayer. Dear Lord, We whisper NO MORE in our prayers at night as we remember gun violence victims. We say NO MORE as we go through our day as we remember students and staff of gun violence. We shout NO MORE when we are at rallies and remember all those affected by gun violence. Help us to have the strength and courage to do those things that will lessen gun violence in our city and nation. Amen Leave a Reply. |
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To the Glory of God and in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary
St. Mary's is a parish of the Diocese of West Missouri, The Episcopal Church, and the Anglican Communion.
Address1307 Holmes Street
Kansas City, Missouri 64106 |
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