As we prepare for the birth of the Christ child, we cannot escape the tragedy of parents in Newtown being forced to bury their beloved children as a result of yet another instance of gun violence.

In 2013, our nation’s leaders will begin discussing solutions. As this conversion gets underway, you will hear from the Episcopal Church’s Office of Government Relations and other leaders on how to leverage your commitment for the greatest good.

You will be asked to write to Congress and the President. You will be asked to encourage your friends to participate. You’ll be asked to help make a difference. Right now, we ask you to sign the following pledge:

As an Episcopalian committed in baptism to seeking justice and peace and promoting the dignity of every human being, I commit to being part of the solution to the violence in our culture that claimed the lives of 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School and that claims the lives of 2000 innocent children through gun crimes each year. I commit to the pursuit of laws that keep guns out of the hands of criminals, prioritize the needs of at-risk children, provide care for mental illness, and address the many ways in which our culture both celebrates and trivializes violence. I commit to holding my lawmakers, my community, and my own household accountable. I commit to accomplishing these things in 2013. I commit to being the change we need.

Sign the Pledge to Break the Cycle of Violence now.

See how Christian faith communities across the country standing up against gun violence in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.