EXETER — For the Rev. Robert Hirschfeld, the newly appointed bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, a bumper sticker he spotted said a lot.

It read: “Guns don’t kill people. Religion kills people.”

Hirschfeld was joined by the Rev. Geoffrey Black, national president of the United Church of Christ, Monday evening for a panel discussion exploring a spiritual response to gun violence, held in the Congregational Church of Exeter.

The panel was moderated by Kathy Brownback, the Vira I. Heinz Distinguished Professor of Religion at Phillips Exeter Academy. It was part of a free lecture and film series by We the People exploring issues at the intersection of current events and religion.

Ironically, in preparing their opening remarks, both leaders chose a passage from Gospel of Matthew: Chapter 26, Verse 52, where Jesus, on the night he was betrayed by his apostle Judas, said, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword.”

“Long before guns existed, the sword was the gun of the day,” Black said.

As a member of the coalition Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence, Black joined four dozen other faith leaders to petition both the president and Congress for increased gun violence prevention measures.

“The issue of gun violence takes on many forms,” Black said. “(They are) suicide, domestic disputes, situations like Newtown and accidents with guns in the home. Firearms tend to have this impact in our society, and we haven’t come to grips with it.”

Hirschfeld said he sees gun ownership as an “agency of addiction.”

“There are people who love their guns, talk about shooting them and how it rewires their brain. The thrill one gets is like substance abuse or sexual addiction,” he said.

While he acknowledges all gun owners don’t fall into this category, Hirschfeld wondered if “one has to have a weapon to be fully human.”

One question from the audience of about 100 people asked how to separate the people from the weapons themselves so that people who owned guns weren’t demonized.

“This country went through a great turmoil over booze and we made it illegal and it didn’t work and people kept drinking,” Black said. “There was a willingness to accept regulation and taxation, and I think for a civil society, that may be the middle ground on firearms. Right now, we’re not even at a point where we’re able to regulate firearms.”

He added that while President Obama is doing all the right things, race is a factor on anything going on legislatively.

“There are some people who can’t work with this president on anything,” he said.

During Holy Week in March, Hirschfeld was part of a delegation of Episcopal bishops, clergy and laypeople who traveled to Washington, D.C., for a day of prayer and action to reduce gun violence, organized by the Episcopal Bishops of Connecticut.

“The constituents are clear; they want to vote for greater regulation, but nervous about the power of the National Rifle Association and lobbyists,” he said. “There are intractable disparities in the discussions in a dysfunctional Congress. As religious leaders, there seems to be a call now for the church. We have to relearn what it means to be there and be effective.”

Black said any movement to regulate gun laws has to be persistent.

“I think that these arguments around policy on this do need to be buttressed with good, hard science,” he said. “The NRA has been good at stifling research around this issue.”

Another question from the audience asked why no one was listening to the “90 percent of us in the country who are together on this issue.”

“Even though there are 90 percent concerned about this issue, the politicians who made the decision are less afraid of you than the NRA,” Black said. “We in the 90 percent are not as organized, as vocal and not playing political hardball enough. I again suggest persistence and make people pay at the polls.”

Hirschfeld said, “It does sound like a certain senator from New Hampshire is feeling more vulnerable because of her vote.”

They suggested flooding the local media with letters to the editor to get their message across.

One woman asked how she could accept the fact that she can’t have a civil conversation about gun control with four of her close friends.

“I can’t approach the subject with them,” she said.

Hirschfeld said it was a hallmark of the Christian faith to show love to the enemy. “It’s a sign of God’s grace when we can stand around the same altar and share communion and fellowships,” he said.

After an hour and a half of discussion, Black said it was a wonderful initiative of We the People to have events such as the one Monday evening.

“I could only wish that this kind of event would happen in communities all over the country,” he said. “Encourage people to feel all is not lost. There is always hope.”

We the People is co-sponsored by the Congregational, Episcopal and Unitarian Universalist churches of Exeter, in association with Phillips Exeter Academy and Water Street Bookstore.

Eastertide continues with meetings, Confirmation retreat and the Italian supper this Saturday and other scheduled activities.  This Sunday’s theme is restoration and reconciliation using the story of Paul’s journey.

I want to draw your attention to a time of celebration for Jen Daysa and our church. Her ordination exam was held yesterday when the Rockingham Association – NH Conference of the United Church of Christ Committee on Church and Ministry met.  She has now successfully completed another step toward ordination.

Now for the next step! Mark your calendars for May 19th when the Association will hold an Ecclesiatical Council at 3 pm TBA.  Let’s plan to support her as all the churches meet for that event.

Blessings to Jen as we continue ministry together as Easter people, singing a song of praise.

Rev. Christine Boardman

Intentional Interim Minister

We will celebrate Easter Sunday at 6:30 a.m. outside on Swazey Parkway along the Exeter River, and also hold sanctuary worship at 10 a.m. with special music.  If you decide to attend the early service, you are cordially invited to breakfast afterwards at the Bergeron’s.

There is much to ponder as the mysteries of life unfold out of the cold, thawing earth.  Easter morning calls us beyond death and darkness into the light of life. By God’s creative power, we have been born to to a living hope.  May God work a way out of no way that around our world, there may be justice, freedom, peace and the sharing of all that is good.

Rejoice, people of God.

Grace, Pastor Christine