Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry

Beating Swords Into Plowshares: Ending the Violence of Guns and Child Poverty

19^th Annual Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry

July 15-19, 2013

CDF Haley Farm
Clinton, Tennessee

Join clergy, seminarians, Christian educators, young adult leaders and other faith-based advocates for children at CDF Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee, for five days of spiritual renewal, networking, movement building workshops, and continuing education about the urgent needs of children at the 19th annual Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry.

[God] shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. (Micah 4:1-5)

An Invitation from Marian Wright Edelman

Please join me for the 19^th annual Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry, “Beating Swords into Plowshares: Ending the Violence of Guns and Child Poverty.” Your faithful preaching, teaching, service, and hard, urgent, and persistent work for justice are needed now more than ever to create a world in which children are safe from the pervasive violence of guns and poverty. It is way past time for people of faith enjoined to protect the poor and children, who are the poorest group in America, to empower ourselves and others to build a powerful nonviolent direct action movement demanding physical and economic security for all our children and people. Our time together at the Proctor Institute will inspire, inform, equip, connect, and re-energize us to end the unconscionable violence of guns and child poverty.

The Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre where powerful assault weapons with deadly ammunition clips snuffed out the lives of 20 young children and six adults was, I hope, a tipping point for our violence infected nation. So many lives gone so young and so many bullets that shattered them so quickly shocked and horrified us. But will this horrific concentrated violence against 6- and 7-year-olds in an affluent town galvanize us to act and stop our nation’s destructive culture of violence that goes on and on with our complicity?

Sandy Hook was no fluke. A child or teen is killed by guns every three hours and fifteen minutes, more than 21 lost lives every three days from gun homicides, suicides, and accidents. A child or youth is injured by a gun every half hour. Between 1963 and 2010, 166,562 children and teens (aged 0-19) lost their lives to gun violence – the equivalent of 8,328 classrooms of 20 children, and an average of 3,470 deaths a year for 48 years or 174 classrooms of 20 children and teens every year. Of these deaths, 102,551, or 62 percent, were among White children and youths; 59,585, or 36 percent, were among Black children and youths; 87,416, or 52 percent, were homicides; 48,081, or 29 percent, were suicides; and 27,058, or 16 percent, were accidental deaths.

These under-reported and unreported young deaths reflect our citizens’ and leaders’ refusal to combat and end the massive relentless killer of Americans throughout our history. Over the past 48 years, gun violence within our nation has taken the lives of nearly 1.46 million men, women, and children of all ages – an average of more than 30,000 deaths a year. A little over 1 million (1,060,910), or 73 percent, of these deaths were among Whites, and 371,987, or 26 percent, were among Blacks; 759,116, or 52 percent, were suicides; 601,344, or 41 percent, were homicides; and 75,736, or 5 percent were accidental deaths.

This staggering civilian gun death toll in America is more than twice the loss of American life in all the major wars in our history: the Revolutionary War (4,435); the War of 1812 (2,260); the Mexican War (1,733); the Civil War (214,938); World War I (53,402); World War II (291,557); the Korean War (33,739); the Vietnam War (47,434); the Persian Gulf War (148); the Iraq War (3,518); and the war in Afghanistan (1,720). When is it going to stop? When are you going to act to stop it?

It’s time to say enough! The tragic relentless taking of life through (or by?) gun violence is as current as the eight children who will die today—whatever day it is that you read this—if you remain silent and do not act. The sacred texts, teachings, and traditions of our religious faiths call us not to harm others and point us to the way of non-violence and the power of love and to protect the poor and vulnerable.

I hope and pray that the Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry will give you the information and skills and renewed commitment to do what you can to keep children safe from the violence of guns and poverty and that you will return to your congregation and—among other action and organizing—that you will engage them in the 22^nd annual National Observance of Children’s Sabbaths weekend, October 18-20, to galvanize places of worship and people of faith across the religious spectrum and nation to unite in raising an irresistible moral and nonpartisan citizen voice demanding every one of our leaders to end the killing of children and citizens from morally obscene gun violence and poverty.

Many congregations will do this in their own place of worship during the customary time for prayers and worship, education, and gathering. Others will come together for multi-faith, community-wide Children’s Sabbath celebrations. The Children’s Sabbath resource manual available for download has all you need for planning.

Both the Proctor Institute and the Children’s Sabbath are not only about prayers and worship, drawing on sacred texts, teachings, and traditions of our religious faiths to guide and strengthen, but they also call us to action to build a world safe for children with urgency and persistence They are about educating ourselves about the toll of guns and poverty on children’s lives and what each of us can do to ensure every child a healthy, head, safe, fair, and moral start in life in our boastfully wealthy nation with a GNP of __ trillion.

In this 50^th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 45 years after Dr. King called for an end to hunger and poverty, it is time to cash America’s promissory note for all of God’s children. When Dr. King died in 1968 calling for a Poor People’s Campaign there were 25 million poor Americans, including 11.5 million children. Today, there are 46 million poor Americans, including 16.1 million children, over 7 million living in extreme poverty stalked by hunger and homelessness. It’s time for people of faith to say “No more!”

In his 1959 Sermon on Gandhi, Dr. King wrote, “The way of acquiescence leads to moral and spiritual suicide. The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But, the way of non-violence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.” Don’t miss this opportunity to participate in the 19^th annual Proctor Institute for Child Advocacy Ministry at CDF Haley Farm as we prepare to unite our congregations and communities to turn away from guns and mount a mighty movement against economic injustice, learning the ways of nonviolent protest to empower our families and children with the means to stand up together for economic and physical security and safety, we will move one step closer to becoming the beloved community.

In faith and hope,

Marian Wright Edelman

Welcome Home

What better place to renew our spirits, refocus our vision, and strengthen the movement for children than CDF’s Haley Farm? Once home to the late Roots author Alex Haley, CDF Haley Farm is the spiritual home of the children’s movement. You will feel the spirit of this special place as soon as you enter the gates and take in the gentle green fields dotted with rustic buildings and graced by the Langston Hughes Library and the Riggio-Lynch Interfaith Chapel designed by Maya Lin. On the porch of the Lodge, pull up a rocking chair bearing the name of one of the many heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, and get to know other participants who share your passion for justice.

Register Online for the Proctor Institute

Whether it is your first visit or one of many, you will be greeted with the words, "Welcome Home," and we trust that you will find in this place a sense of home and family among kindred spirits who, like you, won’t quit until we end the violence of guns and child poverty and realize God’s vision of bringing joy and justice to the lives of all of our children.

New Inspiration!

From the first evening until the last morning, you will find new inspiration to renew, guide and sustain you as you work with children and seek justice for them. Find your commitment deepened through optional Meditations for the Journey discussion and reflection sessions led by the Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Streets, Proctor Chaplain-in-Residence, each morning followed by Morning Devotions featuring the Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr., Proctor Co-Pastor-in-Residence.

Worship each night is energized by prophetic and powerful preaching. The 2013 Proctor Institute Great Preachers Series will feature:

the Rev. Dr. William Marcus Small, Pastor of New Calvary Baptist Church in Norfolk, Virginia (Tuesday);
Shane Claiborne, founder of The Simple Way; (Wednesday)
the Rev. Dr. Cleophas LaRue, Francis Landey Patton Associate Professor of Homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary; (Thursday)
The Rev. Janet Wolf, Director of Non-Violent Organizing and CDF Haley Farm (Friday morning).

Evening worship is free and open to the public as well as to registered Proctor participants.

Lift your voice along with the Resurrection Choir under the direction of Dr. Eli Wilson with Don Lewis. All are welcome to join in.

New Ideas!

Discover new insights, perspectives and crucial information that will equip you in your faithful work on behalf of children, guided by some of our nation’s greatest teachers and leaders. Hear a call to action and a closing charge from CDF President Marian Wright Edelman. Gain new theological insights into our work with and for children in the Bible Study sessions.

Learn more about the crises facing children in our nation and what we can do to make a positive difference for children in the Children’s Concerns plenary sessions:

“Protect Children, Not Guns” (Tuesday): Hear from Mr. Roy Martin, Youth Development Networker with the Boston Public Health Commission, and others about how congregations and communities can work together to end the gun violence that takes the lives of 8 children and teens every single day in our nation;
“Plowshares: Creating Communities of Shalom” (Wednesday): Find out how United Methodist Bishop C. Joseph Sprague (ret.) and others are creating Communities of Shalom , a faith-based movement promoting community development and justice that is transforming neighborhoods;
“Power Tools” (Thursday): Gain insight into the role of non-violent organizing strategies for the children’s movement from noted Civil Rights leader Rev. Jim Lawson.

A special pre-session for seminarians will be led by the Rev. Dr. Eileen W. Lindner, Proctor Theologian-in-Residence and the Rev. Will Gipson, Proctor Co-Chaplain-in-Residence on Monday, July 15. For information about seeking seminary course credits for participation in the Proctor Institute, contact the Rev. Shannon Daley-Harris, Proctor Institute Director, at SDaleyHarris@ChildrensDefense.org.

New Actions!

Dynamic, interactive workshops will provide skills and models to help you serve and advocate for children and families in your congregation and community. More information on workshops will be posted later in the spring so check back then.

Special Training in Non-Violent Organizing Strategies: This year, participants have the option of registering for a special afternoon workshop option: a three-afternoon extended workshop with the Rev. Jim Lawson. Don’t miss out!

Each day the Proctor Institute features a focused and strategic request for action on pending legislation or other policy concerns. The Proctor Institute Action Center, equipped with computers, phones, and staff, will help you join with other participants to make an immediate difference on pending legislation or other urgent matters.

CDF Freedom Schools® Program for Children

Make your time at the Proctor Institute a family experience. The CDF Freedom Schools Program is offered for children of Proctor participants. This literacy-rich educational and recreational enrichment program for children ages 5–15 will be held from 8:50 a.m. to 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. To guarantee a slot in the CDF Freedom Schools Program, children must be registered by June 15. When children are not in the Freedom Schools program, they join their parents for meals under the Dining Tent, evening worship in the Riggio Lynch Interfaith Chapel, and informal play on the sweeping grounds of CDF Haley Farm.

Come and discover what new thing God will do in your life and work as you seek to bring more joy and justice to the lives of children!

For more information about registering for the 2013 Proctor Institute or ordering audio and video tapes from previous Proctor Institutes, contact Ken Libby at (865) 457-6466 or CDFHaley@childrensdefense.org. You can also purchase CDs and DVDs of previous events from the CDF Web Store.

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