Many Women of the ELCA congregational units and individual women are not aware of Rachel’s Day or know of the new resource we produced in 2015.
And some are asking “What does Women of the ELCA have new this year for Rachel’s Day?”
Rachel’s Day is an annual observance by Women of the ELCA (the first Sunday in May, though it can be observed any time of the year) and the purpose of the day remains the same.
It is a time set aside to mourn the loss of our children and to renounce the forces of violence and fear.
[bctt tweet=”Every day, seven children and teens die from gun violence”]
What’s new about Rachel’s Day are the statistics about the numbers of children dying by gun violence. Gun sales are soaring. Yet many of us remain silent about the tragedy.
“Every day, 48 children and teens are shot in murders, assaults, suicides & suicide attempts, unintentional shootings and police intervention. Every day, seven children and teens die from gun violence,” according to the Brady campaign website.
When we ‘observe’ a day such as Rachel’s Day, we look for ways to change the culture and reflect on how we can make the situation better. Observances help us to remember that we are a community of women, and we can make a difference.
Look for gun violence statistics in your area and share them with your community and congregation. Raise your voices against the violence. And pray.
Download the free 2015 Rachel’s Day resource to guide your observance. And, please, tell us how you observed Rachel’s Day so that your voice can become a part of our collective story.
Valora K Starr is director for discipleship for Women of the ELCA.
Photo: Stop Gun Violence by Tony Webster (CC BY)
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