Every day, 110 Americans are killed with guns and more than 200 are shot and wounded. Gun violence shades every aspect of life in America, from grocery shopping, to schools, to our places of worship. Horrifyingly, momentum on gun violence prevention legislation is continually obstructed by our underlying culture of gun adoration and near reverence for the Second Amendment. Currently, Congress is sitting on a myriad of bills that would stem the tide of gun violence in America, from background checks and bans on large-capacity magazines to reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.

One opportunity in the Build Back Better plan, which is currently stalled in the Senate, offers an important opening to invest in evidence-based, community violence intervention programs to end gun violence where it is most prevalent. Critically, these efforts are rooted in community-led and public health-supported models – with the experiences of those most impacted by gun violence informing the intervention programs. Many congregations help to support these community efforts and are already important parts of the effort.

We are not powerless. Gun violence does not have to be a part of everyday American life. Our faithful voice cries out, “how long, oh Lord,” will gun violence take its terrible toll on our communities and our nation. Out of the depth of our grief, let our prayers become actions. Tell your Senators to work to make sure that community-based violence intervention strategies remain included and fully funded in the Build Back Better plan and to support swift passage of the bill.