Photos provided by Plains Mennonite Church, Salford Mennonite Church and Zion Mennonite Church.
By MC USA staff
On Sunday, May 21, 2023, more than 260 people – including members of at least six local Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) congregations – gathered for a Gun Violence Awareness Day witness walk in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Participants were walking to honor those lost to gun violence and to support stronger and more effective gun laws and regulations. The event included a “Memorial to the Lost” T-shirt display in memory of local victims of gun violence, remembrance moments by participating faith organizations, the witness walk and an opportunity to sign letters to Pennsylvania state legislators in support of four pending bills. As of today, two of the four bills passed in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
The event “gave people a sense of empowerment,” said Dave Greiser, lead pastor of Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville. “When we sit around and talk about mass shootings, there’s a corporate helplessness. To get out on the streets, to hold signs, to protest and to show that we can do this peacefully for the good of our communities is important,” he said.
Other participating MC USA congregations included Plains Mennonite Church in Hatfield and Zion Mennonite Church in Souderton. Members of Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, Souderton Mennonite Church and Spring Mount Mennonite Church also joined the walk.
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