We, the Charlottesville Clergy Collective, as first-hand witnesses to the violence of white supremacy and white nationalism during the summer of 2017, where white men with semi-automatic weapons marched through the streets of Charlottesville in an act of domestic terrorism, denounce the horrific murders of the 17 students and teachers of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. As a community of faith leaders who are committed to standing as witnesses for love, justice, and unity - we continue to pray for the victims, their friends and families, and an end to this senseless violence.

While we firmly believe in the power of prayer, we recognize that our varied faith traditions also compel us to act upon our beliefs and we acknowledge that we too have a part to play in making those prayers a reality.  Therefore, we do hereby commit ourselves to the following actions.We will advocate at the local and national level for laws that prevent or reduce gun violence.
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This includes promoting universal background checks on all gun purchases, ensuring all guns are sold through licensed gun retailers, working to repeal the Dickey Amendment, and advocating against laws that seek to increase the presence of guns in society, especially in public places such as schools and churches.

• We will advocate at the local and national level for laws that prevent or reduce gun violence.
  • This includes promoting universal background checks on all gun purchases, ensuring all guns are sold through licensed gun retailers, working to repeal the Dickey Amendment, and advocating against laws that seek to increase the presence of guns in society, especially in public places such as schools and churches.
• We will work to connect with, and support, those who are directly impacted by gun violence.
  • This includes using our time, talents, finances, and physical presence to create a community in which all people feel welcome, safe, nurtured, and fully included in our common life. It also includes supporting local and national efforts to draw attention to the issue of gun violence.
• We will continue to make the prevention of gun violence a regular part of our conversations and prayer times.
  • This includes an educational aspect for ourselves and our respective congregations that conveys an understanding that gun violence must be worshipfully and theologically reflected upon.

As an example of our commitment to these actions, we in the Charlottesville Clergy Collective officially support the “March for Our Lives” in Washington, D.C. to show our solidarity for the students of Parkland as they call for school safety and gun control.  We affirm their witness and look forward to marching with them. More information can be found at www.marchforourlives.com.

Signed:
Rev. Dr. Alvin Edwards, Mt. Zion First African Baptist
Rev. Rabia Povich, Charlottesville Inayati Order
Rev. Dr. Michael Cheuk, Peakland Baptist, Lynchburg
Rev. Dr. Susan A. Minasian, Sojourners United Church of Christ
Apostle Sarah A. Kelley, Faith, Hope and Love International Healing and Deliverance Center, Inc.
Rev. Phil Woodson, First United Methodist Church
Rev. Joshua T. Andrzejewski, Chaplain, VCU Health
Pastor Brenda Brown-Grooms, New Beginnings Christian Community
Rev. Sandy Wisco, Retired Lutheran Pastor in ELCA
Rev. Dr. David K. Garth, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Rev. Robert Lewis, Hinton Avenue United Methodist Church
Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Emrey, New Beginnings Christian Community
Jeanita Richardson, Congregate Charlottesville
Dr. Jan Rivero, Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church
Adam Slate, President, Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church - Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Lynne T. Clements, Associate Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Pastor Cass Bailey, Trinity Episcopal Church
Susan Beers, Presiding Clerk, Charlottesville Friends Meeting
Rev. Carol Carruthers Sims, Grace Episcopal Church
Rev. Byung Y. Ju, Korean Community Church in Charlottesville
Rev. Colleen Swingle-Titus, Pastor, Park Street Christian Church
Rabbi Rachel Schmelkin, Congregation Beth Israel
Rev. Dr. Eugene T. Locke, Parish Associate, Westminster Presbyterian Church
Rabbi Tom Gutherz, Congregation Beth Israel
Rev. Dr. Jim Bundy. Retired - United Church of Christ
Rev. Karen Lewis Foley, Retired - Unitarian Universalist
Rev. Seth Wispelwey, Restoration Village Arts
Pastor Daniel Xisto, Charlotteville Seventh-day Adventist Church
Rev. Winn Collier, All Souls Charlottesville
Cynthia Power, Charlottesville Friends Meeting
Rev. Maren Hange, Charlottesville Mennonite Church
Sharon Beckman-Brindley, Senior Teacher, Insight Meditation Community of Charlottesville
Rev. Robert Lewis, ​Hinton Avenue United Methodist Church

The Charlottesville Clergy Collective sponsored a presentation and Q&A by Christian Picciolini, held at Mt. Zion First African Baptist.

Christian is a former white supremacist/neo-Nazi leader who renounced that life and is now wamzn.to/2E2MowQorking toward helping people disengage from hate and violent extremism. He is the author of White American Youth: My Descent into America’s Most Violent Hate Movement–and How I Got Out.
 
Here's are some links to find out more about Christian:

• Wikipedia
• NPR interview: A Reformed White Nationalist Speaks Our on Charlottesville
• Christian' TEDxMileHigh talk on how he got radicalized to become the leader of America's first neo-Nazi skinhead gang, and how he got out
• His 60 Minutes interview and accompanying article

Below is an interview with Christian before his main presentation ...