February 25-28, 2024
100 Maryland Avenue, N.E., Washington DC

Join colleagues and friends for a fun, educational trip to Washington DC and the United Methodist Building. This seminar will focus on gun violence in the United States.

The United States has a gun violence problem. According to Amnesty International, in 2022 alone, the US experienced 45,222 gun deaths. One hundred and twenty-four people a day were killed-on average-by guns in 2022. Gun violence is the second leading cause of death among children. Communities of color are impacted even more significantly. Gun violence is the leading cause of death among black men between the ages of 15 and 34. African Americans are ten times more likely to be victims than white Americans. Fear of gun violence pervades every facet of our lives: our homes, our workplaces, our schools, and even our worship spaces.

During the seminar, we will learn-as a people of faith-how do we respond to our country’s problem gun violence. Our seminar organizer from GBCS will bring a variety of resources and speakers to help us wrestle with the challenges related to gun violence and responding as Christians. We will learn how to advocate for a most justice and work for a better future. As part of the seminar, we will visit our senators’ offices to advocate for solutions that work towards peace with justice.

Cost is $375. This includes motor-coach transportation, lodging and breakfast at the Capitol Hill Hotel in Washington D.C. (single rooms might be available-depending on availability-at a higher cost), and meals/materials at GBCS.

Participants should bring money for dinners and snacks, a tip for the bus driver, and other personal expenses.

The bus will depart from 2 locations in the Susquehanna Conference. We will promptly depart from Faith United Methodist Church in Montoursville (700 Fairview Dr, Montoursville, PA 17754) at 3 pm and Paxton UMC (3350 N. Progress Ave., Harrisburg) around 5pm on Sunday, February 25. We will return to Paxton UMC around 5 pm on Wednesday, February 28, with the bus continuing to Montoursville.

Download Flyer/Registration Form

This seminar is sponsored by the Building the Beloved Community Commission, the Susquehanna Conference Peace with Justice coordinator, and the Conference Board of Global Ministries