Force For Good


Force For Good

Thousands of people are killed every year in our country due to senseless gun violence. Guns are used as a force for harm. We are a “Force For Good”- a force beyond firepower - in that we believe every person has the right to feel safe from gun violence wherever they are.

Driven by our belief that all lives are sacred, and our compassion for others, “Force for Good” desires to promote love over fear. We are committed to promoting gun safety measures, as well as violence reduction and conflict resolution efforts.

Our situation urgently requires a unified effort to shift our current gun culture and to envision a different and hopeful future that protects the safety of each individual. This includes kids, people of color, police officers, teachers, and ALL OF US.


Our Mission

We believe that everyone has the right to feel safe in their community. We believe that we collectively share a responsibility to promote peace, safety, and hope. We pledge to be leaders in the efforts to end gun violence in our Indianapolis community and beyond. 

Force For Good Info to Know

We are a movement at St. Luke’s UMC Indy that believes in promoting love over fear and committing to gun safety measures and violence reduction because gun violence - including suicide, street violence, domestic violence, unintentional shootings, mass shootings, domestic terrorism and police shootings - needs our attention and action.

  • In an average year in Indiana, 959 people die and 1,654 are wounded by guns.
  • Young Black men are 28 times more likely to die by gun violence than are young white men.
  • Guns are the leading cause of death among children and teens in Indiana, with an average of 95 dying by guns every year.
  • Indianapolis is currently averaging two people shot every day and is well on its way to more than 200 criminal homicides for the third year in a row.
  • 234 of the 296 homicides in Indianapolis between March 2018 and February 2020 were murder by gun violence. 60% of gun deaths in Indiana are by suicide and 37% are homicides. 

Local Groups & Organizations

This coalition of faith congregations works to educate the public about and offer support to the Gun Violence Reduction Strategy adopted by the City of Indianapolis. Contact tres257@yahoo.com for more information.

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Moms Demand Action shas chapters in Indianapolis, Zionsville, Hamilton County and elsewhere in the state. Operates under the umbrella of Everytown for Safety. Learn more at momsdemandaction.org/events.

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This group offers support and resources for those personally impacted by gun violence, by those who have experienced it themselves. Learn more at purpose4mypain.com.

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This group works with community leaders and neighbors to curb urban violence, provides reentry programs for ex-offenders and assists police. Learn more at indytenpoint.org.

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This organization brings together Hoosiers concerned about the rising tide of gun violence to seek solutions to this problem at local, state and national levels. Learn more at hcgv.org.

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This is grassroots organization to empower people in high crime areas. Volunteers are always welcome. Learn more at stoptheviolenceindy.org.  

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This website uses the power of journalism to improve public understanding, increase accountability and identify solutions that can lead to safer homes and communities for all Americans. Learn more at thetrace.org.

thetrace.org

Here you can search the site for different types of gun incidents in the city of Indianapolis. Visit gunviolencearchive.org.

gunviolencearchive.org

Thousands of people are killed every year in our country due to senseless gun violence. Guns are used as a force for harm. We are a “Force For Good”- a force beyond firepower - in that we believe every person has the right to feel safe from gun violence wherever they are.

Driven by our belief that all lives are sacred, and our compassion for others, “Force for Good” desires to promote love over fear. We are committed to promoting gun safety measures, as well as violence reduction and conflict resolution efforts.

Our situation urgently requires a unified effort to shift our current gun culture and to envision a different and hopeful future that protects the safety of each individual. This includes kids, people of color, police officers, teachers, and ALL OF US.

Monthly Reports, Events & Info

Assault Weapons Ban

The Assault Weapons Ban passed last year by the House of Representatives was never heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee. It is highly unlikely to be revived in the current Congress. The good news is the State of Illinois joined 7 other states & the District of Columbia in passing an Assault Weapons Ban last week. Illinois will also crack down on illegal weapons. Many of those weapons are purchased in Indiana.


There are also bills on related issues of mental health and domestic violence, which are listing at this time.

A digest of all bills can be found and followed at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/

SB 14 Prohibition of Firearms at polling places Sen. Lonnie Randolph

SB 42 Reporting of lost or stolen firearms Sen. J.D. Ford

SB 144 Minimum age to carry a handgun-raises age to 21 Sen. Lonnie Randolph

SB 149 Privately made Firearms - defines -level 5 felony for removing ID “ “

SB 205 Task Force for the Reduction of Violent Crime Sen. Fady Qaddoura

SB 295 Red Flag Laws- makes the law stronger Sen. Jack Sandlin

SB 358 Firearm safety - safe storage Sen. Fady Qaddoura

SB 360 Firearms Matters -requires license to carry a handgun- Sen. Fady Qaddoura

Deals w/ domestic violence carry issues -transfers-safety training - read this one

SB 361 Regulation of assault weapons -raises age to 21 Sen. Ron Alting

HB 1177 Handgun training for Teachers Rep. Jim Lucas

HB 1227 School distribution of firearm safety information Rep. Maureen Bauer

HB 1238 Regulation of assault weapons-raises age to 21 Rep. Chris Campbell

HB 1308 IN Crime Gun Task Force- adds Allen County Rep Martin Carbaugh

HB 1321 Police Officer training- Officer mental health, wellness, Rep Victoria Garcia-

& suicide prevention Wilburn

HB 1323 Information privacy related to firearms -controls release of Rep. Craig Haggard

Info to the Federal government

HB 1347 Income tax credit for firearm safety expenses Rep. Jim Lucas

HB 1348 Disposal of firearms by trade for new equipment Rep. Jim Lucas

HB 1360 Violence prevention services Rep. Maureen Bauer

HB 1365 Machine guns- defines Rep Mitch Gore

HB 1366 Firearms Storage- safe storage Rep. Mitch Gore

Rep Carey Hamilton

HB 1471 Dangerous access to a firearm- safe storage Rep. Pat Boy

HB 1486 Surrender of Firearms for domestic violence crimes Rep. Vernon Smith

HB 1487 Carrying a handgun- requires liability insurance Rep. Vernon Smith

HB 1492 School Safety- IN Secured School Fund changes Rep. Wendy Mc Namara

Requirement of plans, guidelines, drills

NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE AWARENESS DAY, JUNE 2
National Gun Violence Awareness Day, also known as “Wear Orange Day,” is Friday June 2nd. Some communities will dedicate that weekend, the 2nd through the 4th or even the entire month of June to gun violence awareness. Four “Wear Orange” events are scheduled in Indiana. 

One could think, given what we learn daily in the media or what so many of us experience personally, that we surely do not need a special day to call attention to gun violence. But special days on the calendar that lift up important causes are valuable beyond reporting statistics. They are opportunities to show up, demonstrate our support for the cause, experience common purpose with partners; to expand knowledge of the issues to those who don’t think about them as much as we do; to strengthen our readiness for speaking out; to learn more about how to contribute and be part of the solution. 

This is the second year for Wear Orange Day. Wearing orange for gun violence prevention had its beginning in the death of Hadiya Pendleton, who was shot and killed on a playground in Chicago on January 21, 2013. Soon after her death, Hadiya’s friends commemorated her life by wearing orange, which is the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others from being shot.

Below are some wear orange events in Indiana:
Indianapolis – Rally 
Rainbow Bridge
132 W Walnut St
Indianapolis, IN 46204

Friday, June 2, 9:30 AM

Join in for guest speakers and presentations that honor the lives of gun violence victims, sponsored by Moms Demand Action.

Hamilton County – Sign Making & Social
Mashcraft Brewing
11069 Allisonville Rd
Fishers, IN 46038

Wednesday, May 31, 7:00 PM

A time to honor survivors of gun violence by creating signs to carry in the peace walk on Friday, June 2, organized by Hamilton County Moms Demand Action. 

Hamilton County – Peace Walk
Fishers Nickel Plate Train Platform
8654 E 116th St
Fishers, IN 46038

Friday, June 2, 7:00 PM

Join Hamilton County Moms Demand Action group to honor survivors of gun violence with a peace walk. Meet on the former Nickel Plate Train Platform where the Nickel Plate Trail meets 116th St in downtown Fishers. 

Bloomington – Rally 
Monroe County Courthouse Lawn
100 W Kirkwood Ave
Bloomington, IN 47404


Saturday, June 3, 4:00 PM

Wear Orange to raise awareness about gun violence and honor gun violence survivors in the community. Join in to hear from community leaders, survivors, and friends about the impact of gun violence.

“THE DIVINE RIGHT OF GUNS, WHY THE GUN LOBBY LOVES CHRISTIANS, AND HOW WE CAN CHANGE THAT” By Liz Bierly
January 2023 issue of Sojourners Magazine
Read Here.
A fringe Christian ideology linked to the homeschool movement has stoked an out-of-control gun culture. A look at the battle against the “divine right” of guns.
THE LEADING CAUSE of death for children in 2020 wasn’t COVID-19. It wasn’t cancer. And it wasn’t car crashes. Rather, more than 4,300 of our children in the United States died by firearms — the first time in at least 40 years that guns have accounted for more deaths than motor vehicle incidents.

Going Public: National Gun Violence Survivors Week 2023
Watch Here
Leslie Washington with 'Moms Demand Action', speaks about the upcoming 5th Annual 'National Gun Violence Survivors Week', from Feb. 1st—7th, 2023.
She speaks about her personal experience with domestic gun violence, the Cape Girardeau City Council's National Gun Violence Survivors Week' Proclamation, recent statewide and national gun safety legislation, and gun safety in the home.

National Gun Violence Survivors Week 2023

BLACK HISTORY MONTH & NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE SURVIVORS WEEK
Read here:  gunresponsibility.org 
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email
February marks the start of Black History Month and National Gun Violence Survivors Week. National Gun Violence Survivors Week—February 1-7—is a time to honor every life that has been touched by gun violence, from the more than 40,000 people killed and 100,000 people wounded each year to the countless others who have experienced the trauma of shootings or who have lost a loved one to this epidemic. You do not have to be shot to be a survivor of gun violence. 68 percent of Black Americans or someone they care for has experienced gun violence.

Paralyzed by Gun Violence, They Seek Solace From Other Survivors
By Neelam Bohra, New York Times.
Read Here Gunfire in America has left a growing number of people with long-term disabilities. In one city, a support group that includes people who spent time in the same trauma ward offers a way to cope.

Stop by the Justice table in West Passage on Sunday mornings for information about our Justice Ministry.

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Our Goals

To bring awareness to current statistics and data about gun violence in order to promote gun violence prevention.

To provide educational efforts through speakers, workshops, book studies, articles, movies, and gun safety programs.

To partner with other local and national organizations focused on changing the gun culture in our society (CURV – Congregations United to Reduce Violence - CURV, Moms Demand Action, Hoosiers Concerned about Gun Violence – HCGV, Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords, Sandy Hook Promise, Brady United, Center for Gun Violence Solutions, and others).

To participate in partner projects such as the “Protect Kids Not Guns” local effort.

To advocate for legislative reforms for common sense gun laws, a ban on assault rifles, criminal prosecution of gun manufacturers, and an end to street violence.

Write A Letter

To support the peacemakers who are working on the front lines to reduce street violence.

To offer compassion and care to individuals and families who have lost loved ones to gun violence.

To memorialize those who lives were lost as the result of gun violence.

To advocate for improved funding for mental health programs and suicide prevention efforts.

To invite others to participate in Force for Good.

And above all, to help save lives lost to senseless acts of gun violence.

A “force for good," is action inspired by a genuine concern for others. When we act with compassion, the seeds we plant today can change the course of our shared tomorrow. - The Dalai Lama

Join Us in Being a Force For Good

Bringing awareness to our communities is the first step in making change. You can register to be a part of our cause, join our Facebook Group, and pick up a yard sign too! Your hoa doesn't allow yard signs? We have window decals too!

Newsletter Signup  Facebook Group  Purchase a Sign/Window Decal  Join the Force for Good Group

St. Luke's is a justice seeking, all-inclusive Methodist Church in Indianapolis.

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Upcoming Social Justice Events