Community Corner
Conversation on Violence Focuses on Children
Rev Sharon Gracen and Trinity Church invite the public to their open discussion on raising children in a violent culture.
Update: The discussion, “Addressing Violence for our Children’s Sake: A thoughtful Response to Sandy Hook,” will be held on Monday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.
At the first meeting of the Community Coalition for Responsible Gun Control, helmed by Board of Education Chairman Frank Carrano, people had plenty to say. It was a standing room only event that lasted over two hours. The room was packed with 100-plus people, including state legislators and local officials.
At one point during the public comment a familiar face stood up to address the crowd and stated profoundly that, “We are scared of each other because we don’t know each other.”
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That familiar face was the Rev. Sharon Gracen, the energetic pastor from Trinity Church on the Green, the leading force behind the fast-growing Branford Cares campaign that launched this past summer.
Following her remarks Gracen invited everyone in the room to her church on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. for a discussion they are calling “Addressing Violence for our Children’s Sake: A thoughtful Response to Sandy Hook”.
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Gracen shares that, “Our whole culture has been violated by the things that cause violence.” She says that she has been thinking about this conversation for some time and she is doing it out of necessity because, “parents need support.”
The Monday night discussion will be a launching pad for a continuing dialogue surrounding how to raise children in our community to be “whole hearted and courageous”. Gracen says that the conversation will be broad and not just focused on guns. She says the gun conversation is now happening everywhere.
“The President has made his deceleration, our legislators are handling it at a state level, and the RTM will be hearing it at a town level. We are going a step further with our discussion.”
It will include bullying, video games, Internet safety, supporting Sandy Hook Promise, and creating a safety pledge.
All are invited to the conversation and no ongoing commitment is required. Coffee and light refreshments will be served. For more information you can reach the Rev. Sharon Gracen directly at rector47@trinitybranford.org or Sarah Lockery at jsjlock@hotmail.com.
