“God of righteousness, you have granted our leaders, our president, the governor, members of Congress, the courts and legislatures power and responsibility to protect us and to uphold our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” Curry said in his livestreamed prayer. “Strengthen their devotion and our devotion to our common life, to find clarity of purpose for all.”

The Episcopal Church has advocated at least since the 1970s for legislation seeking to reduce the risk of gun violence in the United States. “Decades later, we see gun violence continuing on a daily basis, in communities with high rates of violence, especially in communities of color, in domestic disputes and in violence against women, in suicides, and in mass shootings,” the church’s Washington, D.C.-based Office of Governmental Relations said in a statement posted in response to the shooting in Uvalde.

The office reiterated its call, rooted in General Convention resolutions, for passage of legislation that would restrict who can own firearms, require background checks, eliminate loopholes, tighten laws against gun trafficking, require gun safety training, fund gun violence prevention programs and address gun violence as a public health crisis.

The 80th General Convention is scheduled to consider at least one gun-related resolution in July, pertaining to the dissemination of untraceable firearms known as “ghost guns.”

A full list of the church’s positions on gun violence can be found online. Join the Episcopal Public Policy Network for regular updates and to get involved.