NEW YORK (UMNS) – The chief executive of the National Council of Churches
has reiterated the organization’s support for proposals to reduce access to
guns, along with efforts to ban the sale of handguns and assault weapons.
“Because we are so committed to ending this scourge of violence, the
National Council of Churches has made the issue of gun violence one of its
top priorities and will focus significant educational and advocacy resources
on this matter in the years to come,” said the Rev. Robert Edgar, who also
is a United Methodist pastor.

Edgar spoke during an Aug. 1 press conference organized by the Department of
Housing and Urban Development. He joined other faith community leaders as
they called for America’s religious communities, the gun industry and the
nation’s leaders to take responsible action to reduce gun violence.
Together, they signed a statement urging American citizens to take action
toward creating a safer nation. “This is a new day,” Edgar proclaimed. “It
is not too late for us to stand up and say, ‘No more guns, no more
violence.’” {358}

Original at: http://umns.umc.org/dailynews.html