When Violence Abounds - The Church's Unfinished Agenda

(In 2000, a group of United Methodist church leaders in the Baltimore-Washington area began to organize to work on the ongoing problem of violence in our communities and to develop appropriate ways for churches to act. Below is the foundational document which guided the Nonviolence Coalition's work.)

Premise:
· The proliferation of violence in our society affects all of God’s people, and warrants a prayerful, prophetic and proactive response from the church

· The United Methodist Bishops’ Initiative on Drugs and Violence (1988) is heretofore an unfinished agenda, and warrants further action and commitment of resources from the whole faith community

Purpose:
· Gather persons around the common concern for the violence that is a reality in all of our communities,

· Provide analysis of the problem of violence,

· Begin to discern and look at what should be the United Methodist Church’s (and faith community’s) response to violence in our society,

· Begin to consider best practices and develop action steps and church, and

· Develop and strengthen coalitions of persons in churches and community organizations to effectively deal with violence in the society.