CFCU Members Honor Those Who Died at Sandy Hook and Stand Up to Gun Violence

We grieve with the families of those beloveds who died at Sandy Hook ten years ago. And we grieve with our country that the loss of their lives has not raised our collective voice or consciousness enough to stop gun violence from devastating our lives. 

The greatest commandment is to love God and love others. For us to BE LOVE in the world, we have to see ourselves and every person as Beloved. It is only in seeing and naming each and every person on this earth as beloved – that we will begin to deepen the humanity we need to make meaningful change in our world. 

—Rev. Anne J. Scalfaro, Senior Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church of Denver in her address during prayer service on December 14, 2022, at First Plymouth Church, beginning the street vigil against gun violence

Over 200 CFCU members honored lives stolen by gun violence with actions through a wide range of activities marking the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. On December 14, 2012, 20 children and 6 adults were killed in a 5 minute rampage.  

At 9:30 a.m., the time at which the shootings began at Sandy Hook, bells were tolled for the victims of gun violence at St. John’s Episcopal (Boulder), First United Church of Arvada, St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church (Boulder) and at the John Paul II Center of the Archdiocese of Denver. In many of these locations the names of those who died were called as the bells rang.

At First Baptist Church just south of the Capitol in Denver and attended by CFCU members, Colorado Ceasefire hosted a series of speakers to begin their candlelight vigil that  included Jane Dougherty, sister of one of the teachers killed at Sandy Hook, Kelly Murphy, mother of two children who survived the STEM shooting, Tom Mauser, father of Daniel Mauser, who was killed in the Columbine shooting, and Stephanie Vigil, Democratic representative-elect for Colorado’s House District 16 in Colorado Springs.  Rocky Mountain PBS produced a video article about this program which can be found here:  Colorado advocates commemorate those killed by gun violence

From Boulder to downtown and south Denver, members braved the cold at six vigils on Dec. 14 (plus one on Dec. 11 and one on Dec 18) to reach as many commuters as possible, with the plea to end gun violence. 

Working with Colorado Ceasefire, we helped display 700 lawn signs across the Metro area calling for the protection of children from gun violence. 

Whether you stood up to gun violence at a vigil; displayed a sign; donated towards printing them; tolled your bells or participated in a special congregational service to raise awareness, you helped send the message that gun violence has not gone away and neither are we.