Celebrating 12 Years of Faith-Fueled ACTION to End Gun Violence!
August 2026 Digest
Some of the attendees at Smoky Hill United Methodist Church's showing and discussion of "All the Empty Rooms" on July 17.
In this edition of the Digest:
What's in a Number? A reflection by Daryl Foelske
From the Advocacy Team: Major Rollback of Federal Arms Regulations: What are its effects? What can you do?
2025 Data Show Continued Decline in Colorado’s Firearm Homicides
Denver Sees an Increase in Homicides Including Youth Homicides in First Half of 2026
New Gun Industry Accountability Lawsuit Tracker
CFCU in the News
Preventing Firearm Suicides 101 --schedule a presentation at your congregation.
Volunteer for HIP as it begins a new cohort in August
Atwood Institute is September 15-18
Guns to Gardens on Sunday, August 30
Our Featured Congregation: The First Baptist Church of Denver
June Financial Report
CFCU August Calendar
What's In a Number?
14…. Years since the Aurora theatre shooting 12…. The number who had their life cut short on that day by that shooting 70…. The number of people who were injured on that day by that same shooting 6…. Shootings recently in one weekend in this metro area
However, there are numbers that we don’t know or ever hear.
For example….
What is the number of lives that were changed forever in that one day, that one moment, with one gun, by one person at that theatre?
What is the number of fathers, mothers, grandparents, brothers, sisters, other family members and friends whose lives were also changed that day?
We do not know, and probably never will.
And so, we grieve for that number which represents all those lives that were cut short through the improper use of a gun in all the shootings that occur in one day, week, month, year, and so on.
We grieve for that number that we don’t know,
that represents all those that had their lives changed forever by injuries, losses of friends, family members, through the improper use of guns.
What’s in a number? More than we can see.
There-in lies our challenge…
to strive to see that number more clearly
and do the work to lower ALL the numbers related to gun violence in all areas.
If we just lower one number, we may lower more numbers than we will ever know. If it happens, it must be possible.
Daryl Foelske, Lakewood United Church of Christ
From the Advocacy Team
Major Rollback of Federal Firearm Regulations
In April 2026, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed 34 changes to federal firearms regulations that weaken regulations on gun dealers, increase access to firearms, and make it easier for people who shouldn’t have guns to purchase them. However, the rollback of firearms regulations began almost as soon as the current Trump administration began, and there has been little letup since then.
It’s important to note that these changes don’t derive from bills that passed Congress and were signed into law. At least not yet. They are the result of executive orders and changes in agency regulations, and a new administration could rescind them. In addition to federal rule changes, the administration has diverted ATF special agents from gun crime investigations to immigration enforcement, contributing to a documented decline in gun trafficking investigations and dealer inspections.
The Trump administration recently began pursuing lawsuits against states that have stronger restrictions on firearms, including Colorado. These are in addition to the many lawsuits that gun rights groups have filed against Colorado and other states.
May 5, 2026, DOJ sued Denver over its assault weapons ban.
May 6, 2026, DOJ announced that it is suing Colorado, alleging that the state unconstitutionally bans larger-capacity magazines for rifles.
For more information about the federal lawsuits against Colorado, other states, and cities see the articles linked below.
National gun violence prevention organizations fight back
On July 8, 2026,Brady,Everytown for Gun Safety, and Giffordsjointly submitted their first set of public comments opposing proposed federal rules that would significantly weaken firearms regulations. Their comments respond to several of the nearly three dozen federal proposals toroll backexisting ATF safeguards, including allowing online gun sales to be delivered by mail without in-person verification, weakening background check requirements, loosening restrictions on certain highly lethal firearms, and enabling the destruction of gun sales records that law enforcement relies on to solve crimes.
What can we do?
Contact Brady, Everytown, and Giffords to express your support for their joint actions.
Contact your Colorado Senators (Bennet and Hickenlooper) and House Member to let them know about your concern regarding the rollback of federal firearm regulations.
The Gun Industry Accountability Lawsuit Tracker, created by Giffords Law Center and Everytown Law, follows lawsuits across the country that seek to hold bad actors in the firearms industry accountable for their role in endangering public safety. It is designed as a resource for litigators, policy makers, researchers, journalists, academics, gun violence prevention organizations, survivors, and the general public, providing details of over 100 industry accountability cases dating back to 1999. To access the tracker:Gun Industry Accountability Lawsuits Tracker
CFCU Advocacy Action Team Convener Invited to Give Comments about SB25-003, which went into effect August 1.
Annual firearm-related suicides have increased steadily in Colorado from 370 in 2006 to 731 in 2025 and now represent over 70% of all firearm deaths in the state. During that time period, Colorado has instituted a number of laws designed to reduce firearm deaths, but the suicide rate remains stubbornly high.
For this reason, the Suicide Prevention/ERPO Public Education Work Group of CFCU’s Public Health Strategies Action Team has produced a video about what caring people can do to help prevent firearm suicides. Preventing Firearm Suicides 101 features suicide prevention professionals talking about:
How to recognize when someone is struggling with suicidal thoughts and what you can do to help
Secure storage strategies to safeguard individuals and homes
And, as a last resort, how to seek additional help through an ERPO (Extreme Risk Protection Order)
Recently, we hosted two previews of the video, an in-person preview on May 20 and an online preview on June 25. While covering key prevention strategies, the video was designed to be less than one hour so it can be shown in congregations at convenient times, like after services. We are now ready to share this educational resource more widely and hope many of you will want to bring this to your congregations or other community organizations. We recommend in-person showings of the 50-minute video, facilitated by two members of the CFCU work group. This will allow time for Q&A after the video.
For more information and/or to schedule a showing of this informative and lifesaving video, please contact Susie Pappas, susiepappas@hotmail.com
16th HIP Cohort Start Date will be August 17
There is still time to sign up to volunteer!
CFCU volunteers have been involved with HIP since its founding. Learn more about this volunteer opportunity to help youth avoid gun violence in the future by clicking below.
The First Baptist Church of Denver is welcoming and affirming, inclusive Christian community that embraces diversity, engages personal faith, and serves with compassion. Serving in Denver for over 160 years, we celebrate our ongoing commitment to care deeply, love everyone, and serve together. Rev. Kurt Kaufman has just been called as our Senior Pastor, and will be installed on Sunday, August 30 at 10:30AM (all are welcome!)
First Baptist has several areas of emphasis for its ministry. Uniquely located at the corner of 14thand Grant, First Baptist serves our houseless community extensively through its community fridge, Capitol Hill United Ministries lunches, and through its Safe Parking Program, one of few remaining safe spaces where individuals living in their vehicles can safely park and be provided wraparound services. First Baptist also serves alongside many non-profits through their office spaces located at First Baptist or through event space during the legislative session and beyond, provided at a significantly reduced cost.
First Baptist has been without a settled pastor for two and a half years, and looks forward to this new season of renewed energy. First Baptist has about 35 attendees on a weekly basis and several other faith-based organizations meet and find a home at First Baptist.
Gun violence has been an important part of First Baptist’s advocacy since March of 1986 when one of our beloved members was killed at the hand of gun violence. In reflecting about the murder, then Senior Pastor Mel Taylor wrote: “I have long been a silent supporter of those who have fought for gun control. It has taken the tragic death of one I love, to spur me to act.” Although Rev. Taylor wrote his letters for advocacy on plain letterhead, Rev. Kurt Kaufman is grateful that First Baptist is now an active member in CFCU and looks forward to continuing the work of gun violence prevention for all those that have been tragically lost to gun violence, including and especially one of our own.
Article submitted by Rev. Kurt Kaufman, member of CFCU Communications Team and soon to be installed as Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church
Misidentified in last month's CFCU Digest: CFCU members and friends attend the Columbine Wear Orange Event on June 5: From left to right: Larry Anderson, Carol Farnsworth, Daryl Foelske, Cheryl Fleetwood, Sue Tourjee, Celeste Habiger and in the back Rob Habiger
CFCU is a project of Colorado Nonprofit Development Center. Donations, grants and dues payments are tax deductible.
Thursday, August 13 9 - 10 AM Communications Meeting on Zoom. For more information, please contact Daryl Foelske (dfoelske@gmail.com)
Monday, August 17: Handgun Intervention Program (HIP) begins it's 16th Cohort
Tuesday, August 18 1 - 3 PM: Steering Committee Meeting on Zoom. Please contact Alana Smart (publichealthstrategies@cfcu-co.org) for more information
Sunday, August 30 10 AM- 12 PM: Guns to Gardens at 450 S. Kearney Street.
Wednesday, September 30: 10 - 11:30 AM: Public Health StrategiesMeeting on Zoom. Please contact Alana Smart (publichealthstrategies@cfcu-co.org) for more information
