Bishop Deon Johnson of Missouri has authored this collect and litany for use in the wake of gun violence:
We stand together in hope. We stand together in faith. We stand together in love. We stand individually as ambassadors of hope, vessels of faith, and sentinels of love. We stand as a community committed to making no peace with gun violence. We pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to inflame and enkindle our lives, our churches, our communities, our cities, and our nation with a passion for lasting peace; through Jesus Christ the Author of Peace. Amen.
[Reflection]
For Victims of Gun Violence
Leader We light this candle as we call to mind the many victims of gun violence, those who have lost their lives, those who have lost their livelihood, and those who have lost life’s passion. We pray especially for those who have been killed [here in City or State] and we hold their stories and their memories dear. May their loss not be in vain, and may we shape a new story of hope from the broken pieces of grief. And so we pray,
All God of sacred stories, heal us and make us whole.
For Friends & Family of Gun Violence Victims
Leader We light this candle to stand with those who have been left behind, the families, friends, and loves ones of those taken by gun violence. We pray that in this time of heartbreak, grief, and loss that they might find comfort and hope to face the days ahead, and that their tears may be turned into songs of joy. And so we pray,
All God of sacred stories, heal us and make us whole.
[Reflection]
For Communities Torn by Gun Violence
Leader We light this candle to tell the story of homes, communities, neighborhoods, cities and town shattered by gun violence. We call the time the sacred ground around our nation that has been watered with the blood of loss and the tears of grief. [We especially remember specific cities and towns may be named here.]Grant that we may work tirelessly towards a vision where all may sit under their own vine and fig tree in safety and security. And so we pray,
All God of sacred stories, heal us and make us whole.
“We Light this candle” can be replaced with “We pray in hope as we…”
For First Responders
Leader We light this candle to stand with first responders, those who live with the horror of gun violence in service to the common good. We stand with them and their families as they heal from bearing witness to the aftermath of lives ended in violence. Grant that we, with them, may create a world where all are protected, all are honored and all are seen, valued and beloved. And so we pray,
All God of sacred stories, heal us and make us whole.
[Reflection]
For Suicide & Accidents
Leader We light this candle to remember those who ended their lives at their own hands with a gun, those who lost their lives by accident, and those children whose promise of life was cut short. We pray that we may be strength to those in despair, hope in those in desolation, and comfort to those in misery. And so we pray,
All God of sacred stories, heal us and make us whole.
For those who feel helpless in the face of Gun Violence
Leader We light this candle in solidarity with those who feel helpless, dejected, or powerless in the face of the gun violence epidemic. We know that gun violence touches all cultures, classes, genders, races, tribes, and nations. We pray that we may not be overwhelmed by gun violence but that we may overwhelm the world with the violence of love. And so we pray,
All God of sacred stories, heal us and make us whole.
[Reflection]
For The Perpetrators of Gun Violence
Leader We light this candle for perpetrators of gun violence. We pray for their families, their friends, and those who love them. We pray for those who see no other way than violence. We pray for those who suffer from mental illness, social isolation, loneliness, and debilitating fear. Grant that we may reach out in love and transform ferocity into friendship and fear into faith. And so we pray,
All God of sacred stories, heal us and make us whole.