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"JESUS WEPT"

How long O Lord?

Will you forget us forever?

How long will you hide your face from us?

How long must we bear pain in our soul and have sorrow in our hearts all day long?

Psalm 13:1-2

VOTE "NO" ON ISSUE 1

PROTECT

ONE PERSON. ONE VOTE.

Don't give up your freedom to make decisions that

affect your life. Stop 41% of voters from making

decisions for 59%.

VOTE AUGUST 8

This Ohio black voter mobilization effort is being designed and implemented by Ohio Unity Coalition, in alignment with the statewide "Ohio Person One Vote" campaign. For more information about the overall campaign, please visit the website at: https://votenoinaugust.org/ to sign up for updates. You can also follow the campaign on social media: Facebook:/VoteNoInAugust - Twitter@votenoinaugust. #noonissue1 #onpersononevote

As President Obama declared,

"Yes, we can,"

may we believe in and work with that positive an attitude

to attain reasonable gun legislation in 2023

and bring this epidemic to an end.

There have been 355 mass shootings

(4 or more shot or killed, not counting the shooter)

and a total of 21,928 deaths due to gun violence in America

as of July 5, 2023.

(In 2022, deaths due to gun violence totaled, 44,310.)

Ohio ranks10th in number of deaths.

Gun Violence Archive

gunviolencearchive.org

WHO IS THE NRA BANKROLLING? [2023}

Senators who have most benefited.

Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky---$1,283,515---770 average gun deaths per year in KY

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky---$104,456---770 average gun deaths per year in KY

Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin---$1,269,486---641 average gun deaths per year in WI

Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee---$1,306,130---1,273 average gun deaths per year in TN

Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee---$10,550--- 1,273 average gun deaths in TN

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri---$1,391,548---1,288 average gun deaths per year in MO

Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas---$34,718---434 average gun deaths per year in KS

Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania---$1,475,448---1,626 average gun deaths per year in PA

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas---$1,971,214---596 average gun deaths per year in AR

Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas---$82,352---596 average gun deaths per year in AR

Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana---$2,870,547---1,036 average gun deaths per year in LA

Sen. John Neely Kennedy of Louisiana---$215,788---1,036 average gun deaths per year in LA

Sen. Todd Young of Indiana---$2,897,582---1,021 average gun deaths per year in IN

Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana---$1,2249,967---1,021 average gun deaths per year in IN

Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa---$3,129,723---302 average gun deaths per year in IA

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa---$226,007---302 average gun deaths per year in IA

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida---$3,303,355---2,449 average gun deaths per year in FL

Sen. Tom Tillis of North Carolina---$4,429,333---1,470 average gun deaths per year in NC

Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina---$6,987,380---1,470 average gun deaths per year in NC

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina---$18,513---964 average gun deaths in SC

Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri---$4,555,722---1,288 average gun deaths per year in MO

Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah---$13,647,676; 400 average gun deaths per year in Utah

Sen. John Thune of South Dakota---$638,942---112 average gun deaths per year in SD

Sen. Mike Rounds of South Dakota---$100,549---112 average gun deaths per year in SD

Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota---$23,050---238 average gun deaths per year in ND

Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota---$13,255---238 average gun deaths in ND

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia---$346,688---330 average gun deaths per year in WV

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas---$$176,274---3,647 average gun deaths per year in TX

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas---$78,945---3,647 average gun deaths per year in TX

Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska---$146,262---173 average gun deaths per year in AK

Sen. Steve Daines of Montana---$133,611---214 average gun deaths per year in MT

Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia---$131,571---1,693 average gun deaths per year in GA

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi---$112,047---686 average gun deaths per year in MS

Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi---$106,680---686 average gun deaths per year in MS

Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska---$19,638---183 average gun deaths per year in NE

Sen. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma---$74,708---735 average gun deaths per year in OK

Sen. John Lankford of Oklahoma---$18,955---735 average gun deaths per year in OK

Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina---$66,420---964 average gun deaths per year in SC

Sen. Mike Crapo of Idaho---$55,039---278 average gun deaths per year in ID

Sen. Jim Rich of Idaho---$22,013---278 average gun deaths per year in ID

Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming---$26,989---125 average gun deaths per year in WY

Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming---$2,500---125 average gun deaths in WY

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine---$19,850---154 average gun deaths per year in ME

Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas---$5,950---434 average gun deaths in KS

Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama---$4,950---1,090 average gun deaths in AL

https://elections.bradyunited.org/take-action/nra-donations-116th-congress-senators

Ohio Senator J. D. Vance has received $4,950 from the NRA as of June, 2022, filing with the Federal Election Commission. "Vance has a 'Protect Second Amendment Rights' section on his campaign issues page in which he vows: 'I will fight the gun grabbers, whether they're federal bureaucrats enacting regulation or multinational companies punishing people for exercising their rights. ...'."

The American Independent, February, 2022

First Grace is an unusual and interesting progressive part of the Body of Christ. If you think that the church is a building, you will be surprised by First Grace as you will not find us in one.

If you are looking for a "quiet/sedate" congregation, you may not care for us. We take the teachings of Jesus seriously. We don't spend a lot of time debating what we should do next; we just get on with it.

We do not believe persons with HIV should be shunned by society or the Church We provide confidential testing, support, and prevention services through the Akron AIDS Collaborative.

We believe that God expects us to love each other, and we were among the first congregations in Akron to fully recognize and welcome LGBTQIA folks into the life and work of our community.

We consider the equal rights of women to continue to be unfulfilled by our male- dominated systems and culture, and we strive to recognize their equality and to support their full human and legal rights.

We believe that voting rights for all persons are sacred rights, and we strive to support and to protect those rights.

We do not hide from the uncertainties which our brothers and sisters in Third World Countries must face. Through our fair-trade store, The Market Path, which is located in Copley, we provide a market for their hand-crafted items to be sold enabling artisans to make a fair wage and support their families.

Most importantly, we do not think or pretend that we are perfect people. We know that we are struggling to continue the ministry of our Christ in this 21st Century. We invite you to join with us in the struggle.

First Grace is a safe place for all people to worship

regardless of race, creed, age, cultural background, or sexual orientation.