Prison Fellowship Conference

On March 28-31, 2010, Prison Fellowship will host the Georgia Out4Life
Prisoner Reentry Conference at the Embassy Suites Atlanta Airport
Hotel. The conference will be conducted in partnership with the
Georgia Department of Corrections and the State Board of Pardons and
Parole. Leaders and volunteers will convene to address practical
barriers to reintegration, cultivate collaborative relationships, and
begin to develop fitting strategies to reduce recidivism and restore
prisoners to their families and communities.

A combination of plenary talks and concentrated workshops will delve
into such topics as employment for ex-offenders, addiction and
recovery, public safety, family issues, special needs of women
prisoners, and the importance of establishing networks to meet these
and many other needs. Your participation is highly valued.

Some of the featured speakers include Mark Earley (Prison Fellowship
President), Brian Owens (Commissioner, DOC), Garland Hunt (Parole
Board Member), Jay Cory (Atlanta Union Mission), Chaplain Susan Bishop
(Metro State Prison), and Vicki Lopez Lukis (Co-Chair, Florida
Secretary of DOC Reentry Advisory Council).

The Out4Life Conference is for pastors, volunteers, community leaders,
government officials, ministry organizations, employers and anyone
interested in helping inmates successfully transition into our
communities. Participants will be encouraged to extend services to
offenders and help build community reentry coalitions across the
state.

For more information, please visit the website at www.out4life.com

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministries … and another update

Men Stopping Violence

Men Stopping Violence is seeking faith based institutions that would like to participate in the Because We Have Daughters (BWHD) program. This fun and educational program will be conducted in partnership with researchers from GSU to study the effectiveness of BWHD as a violence prevention program promoting safety for girls and women. If funded, small stipends will be available for the site, as well as to participants. If interested, please contact http://www.menstoppingviolence.org/index.php

A proposal being submitted requires letters of interest no later than January 19, 2010

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministries … another update

Atlanta Fulton Family Connection Child Abuse and Neglect Council

Atlanta Fulton Family Connection Child Abuse and Neglect Council invites all who work with these issues in nonprofits, ministries, or agencies and other concerned citizens to the January meeting. 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.; Wednesday Jan. 20, 2010; Fulton County Juvenile Court; 395 Pryor Street Room 1132; Atlanta, GA 30312. Please R.s.v.p. by sending me a comment so I can forward your information.

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministries updates

Informational Gathering on Child Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

January 21 | Avondale Patillo UMC, Decatur

North Georgia Conference
Advocacy Team is hosting a time of discussion, discernment and
decisions for action with metro-area United Methodist churches,
conference leaders, other interested persons and the Interfaith
Children’s Movement. Please join us on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at
10:00 a.m. at Avondale-Pattillo UMC, 3260 Covington Highway, Decatur,
30032. If you plan to attend please R.S.V.P. by commenting here and I will send you additional information.

For more information about ICM check out their website at
www.interfaithchildrenmovement.org

A Blue Christmas

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” ~ Colossians 3:12-14

After taking a few days off from the ministry work of the Christmas season to simply enjoy the time with my family and this very special time of year, I find myself facing the post-holiday blahs like so many other people do. I am sure that some of these feelings are due to the fact that it’s cold outside and I have the remnants of a wonderful holiday strewn about my house – including the debris of wrapping paper yet to go to the trashman and a fridge full of leftovers! Some of the feelings I am experiencing can also be attributed to the normal “holiday blues” that we all feel after any holiday experience. Yet for some reason, this year feels different.

These past few months have been a definite growing season for me. My faith has been strengthened, tested, challenged and affirmed. I am moving into a deeper understanding of the role God has called me to live out through my service as a pastor. I am also learning to be more accepting of the role God has called me to fill and recognizing my limitations are exactly what He is using to minister in the place I am serving. I think I am also coming to terms with my deep grief over my brother’s murder and my son’s death. This is the part of my spiritual growth that I am most uncomfortable with.

As we let go of those old feelings of grief, despair, hurt, anger, unforgiveness and all the other negative emotions we carry around from our past, we limit our ability to fully live the life of God has in store for each of us. As I have spent more time in study of God’s Word, there has been a growing fullness in my soul and the grief has subsided. Now to be sure, I continue to mourn the absence in this life of Mark and Matthew and my soul aches in an indescribable manner. But, my grief is finding solace and comfort as I move into becoming more of who God wants me to be.

The problem isn’t with the notion of being one of God’s holy, chosen people, BUT in living like one of God’s holy, chosen people! This isn’t an easy issue to resolve -Mark’s death is still with me after more than 13 years – but I believe that I can see the flicker of a life lived fully as one His dearly loved children.

Giving - thanks

The following is a portion of the sermon I shared this past Sunday with the congregation present at my local church. If any of it sounds familiar, or you think you deserve credit for a portion of it, please contact me. It has been said that a sermon is made up of the study, life, and ideas of the preacher - and everyone s/he has ever heard or read! So, in that perspective - pause, think, be grateful.


“The day is coming when Jesus will come as King to reclaim the world and to judge all that is in it. That day is nearer now than it has ever been before. You can't argue with logic like that can you! When the Son of man comes as King, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. And the people of all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will divide the people into two groups, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put one group on his right and the other on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; For I was hungry,

because sometimes I just couldn't make ends meet. After my divorce from my husband and without a high school diploma, I just couldn’t get a job that would pay the rent and put food on the table for my children and save a little for the unexpected. I was usually able to keep us going, but sometimes the money just wouldn’t stretch. Kids grow so quickly! and with the cold weather that came – I just had to buy a coat for my little girl. And wouldn’t you know it, my car wouldn’t start the next morning – the battery was too weak. I managed to hitch a ride from a passing motorist, but I had to buy a new one so I could get to work again – I can’t afford to miss a day of work. By the time I'd paid for the battery, the rent, and for the coat, my whole paycheck was gone and I had nothing left for food. Well a good mother can't starve her children, can she? We had enough food in the house so I could feed the kids’ dinner each night, and I knew that they would be given breakfast and lunch at school, but I hadn't really eaten myself for a few days when you found out what was happening. And then you gave me food. You gave me some boxes and canned goods from your own pantry and some zucchinis you had put up from your own garden. And you didn't make me feel patronized or pitied, you treated me as a friend, as though you reckoned I'd do the same for you, and as though you really enjoyed my company. And you proved that that was true because the next week when I had some money again and I didn't need help, you asked me and the kids over for dinner and you sat and listened to my story. And you shared your story with me. You became my friend instead of just another do-gooder.

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; For I was a stranger,

I was lonely. Even though I was living in one of the most populated areas of North Georgia, I knew nobody who cared about me and I had nobody I could really call a friend. I thought my English was passable when I moved here but I found it very hard to understand what people are saying and to follow a conversation. I mean, I couldn't work out what someone meant when he said, "He's country as a bowl of grits." And, “Is he’in yore kin?” or “That dog don't hunt.” I guess there was still a lot I had to learn about the manners in this place. I didn't really know how to make friends here, I didn't understand the sense of humor and I didn't know what to say or how to behave, and that makes you feel pretty uncomfortable. No one wants to know you when you don't fit in and when nobody wants to know you, you never will. But you were different; you offered me your hand and you called me "friend". You were patient with me when I didn't understand things and you took the time to explain and to help me to feel comfortable. You introduced me to your circle of friends and together you gave me time and companionship. You took the time to ask about me and about my home. A few of you helped me with all the paperwork and the immigration department so my family and I could be reunited. You got personally involved instead of leaving it to the professionals. You made it clear that your homes were open to me and together you made me feel loved, accepted and valued; you gave me a people, a family, a home.

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; For I was cold

and homeless, because a property development company had bought the trailer park where I lived and several others in the area, and rather than maintain them they had let them fall into ruin until they were ordered to close them down. The developer wanted to demolish them anyway to make way for a new shopping center, and I, along with my girlfriend and our baby and many other people, were evicted. There was no where else for us to go because this was happening all over the area, not enough alternative low cost housing was being provided, people didn’t want “that” kind of development in their neighborhood. But you took a personal interest and found us a spare room until we could find a suitable place to go. Then you, and some of your friends got together and organized a network of people who had spare rooms and could do the same when necessary, and you helped us to deal with real estate agents and landlords so that we could get a small apartment to live in. You put your own reputation on the line when you lobbied the government and the county commission and the developers, calling for them to act quickly to ensure that the supply of low cost housing were maintained so that our story would not be repeated over and over again.

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; For I was sick.

I was scared and I was scarred, inside and out. I ran away from my family when I was 12 years old because my daddy had been forcing me to have sex with him since I was eight years old and I couldn't take it any more. But then having got away from that, the only way I could survive was to prostitute myself on the streets of Atlanta to the hundreds of men who are only too willing to part with 20 dollars for half an hour with a pubescent kid. I cringed and screamed inside every time they touched me, but you've got to eat somehow, and you've got to do something to numb the pain. Some people seem to be able to, but soon I couldn't let them touch me with their filthy grasping hands unless I was smacked off my brain, and shooting up ain't cheap so I just had to work more and more. You'd reached out to me before, but I'd turned away; you didn't belong in my world and I was sure I wasn't good enough for yours. But at 19, when I was lying in a bed in Northside Hospital dying of AIDS, you came again, and you sat with me, you talked to me, and you listened to my story, you brought me flowers and told me that you loved me. You could have just given a donation to the hospital or something but you chose to give yourself. No one had ever kissed me before without demanding sex but you kissed me on my cheek without asking anything of me, just to say you cared. And you held my hand and you cried with me and comforted me as I died.

“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; For I was in prison.

I was arrested and, fair enough, I was guilty but it's scary and lonely in there shut off from the world. But you came and visited me, you made the effort to personally come there to see me. And then you came back with some of your friends, and you all started visiting me and some other prisoners regularly. You helped me to know that there were still some on the outside who cared about me, who respected my human dignity and recognized the image of God in me. And you worked for prison reform and for prison accountability so that I wouldn't just be brutalized by the system and come out worse than I went in.

Then the righteous will answer him,

"Lord, we can remember a lot of hungry people but when did we see you hungry and feed you? When did we see you a stranger and invite you into our circle of friends? When were you evicted and we set you up in a new place? We can remember quite a few people we put up for a week or so but I'm sure we'd remember you if you'd been at our place; I mean, those scars in your hands are pretty distinctive, we wouldn't have forgotten them. And when were you sick and dying? I remember the hospital but I don't remember seeing you there. And when were you in prison and we came to visit you?"

The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these brothers and sisters of mine, You did it for me."

Then he will say to those on his left, “You who are cursed, depart from me; Away to the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry

when my simple paycheck didn't go the distance. And you heard about me and you said that people like me should be more responsible with our money and I'd have to wait until I got another check. And that anyway people shouldn't have kids if they can’t afford to care for them, so it was really my own fault and I'd have to live with the consequences of my own irresponsibility.

You who are cursed, depart from me; for I was a stranger

in an unfamiliar land, and you made no effort to understand. You thought that I was just ignorant and rude and that I should learn English if I want to come to this country. You said that people like me were taking jobs away from good, honest, hard working Americans. Besides, you had heard that people from my part of the world were lazy and dishonest, and were responsible for a lot of gang violence in some parts of town and so you were afraid that I'd be a bad influence on your kids so you kept your distance. Nothing I could do was ever likely to help win my way into your circle of friends.

You who are cursed, depart from me; for I was cold and homeless

when the developers evicted me so they could bulldoze the trailer park I lived in to make way for another shopping mall, then you wouldn’t have to drive as far. You said if there was a problem with homelessness, someone should form a committee and do something about it. You had seen people who'd lived in trailer parks before and you thought that they usually weren't very fine people so it was a job for a professional. And the guy who broke into your house last year and took the video and the stereo had been living in a trailer park not far away. You felt that this was not the kind of area to have trailer parks in it and so it was better for the community that they were closed down. Besides, you said, no-one can stand in the way of the market forces, and having trailer parks on prime real estate was such a waste! And you know, that shopping mall sounds like a pretty good investment.

You who are cursed, depart from me; for I was sick,

I was dying of aids. I was a shattered and broken kid who never really had a chance. And the closest you ever came to taking any notice of me was when you wrote to the county commissioners saying that you didn't feel safe to leave your car doors unlocked or walk down the streets any more and that they should do something about keeping prostitutes and drug addicts of the streets. And as for dying of AIDS I guess you figured that it wouldn't be safe to come near me and that anyway it was surely the judgment of God for my sinful lifestyle and I deserved to die alone.

You who are cursed, depart from me; for I was in prison

and did you care? No, you were pleased because you figured that society needed to be protected from people like me. You figured I had to be made to pay for my crimes, and that I needed to be taught a lesson and made an example of. You were a bit worried because the courts seemed to be getting so lenient these days and in no time at all maybe I would be back on the streets. "Doesn't deserve to be treated like a human being, throw away the key," you said, and you wrote to your local congressman to advocate the use of capital punishment.

They also will answer,

"Lord, when did we see you hungry and not feed you? We didn't know, you must have us mixed up with someone else. Well, can you get you something now perhaps? When did we see you lonely and lost in a strange culture? You were Jewish or something weren't you, we figured that the Jewish community was pretty good at looking after their own. When did we see you homeless? I can't remember ever seeing anyone who was homeless, except maybe on the news reports; You weren't one of those kids on the television with the torn jeans and tattoos or something were you? When did we see you sick or in prison and did not visit you? We'd have come for sure if we'd known you were in there. We gave some money to the hospital charity, doesn't that count for something?"

He will reply, "Get away from me, for I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least or the dirtiest or the weirdest or the sickest of these, my brothers and sisters, you did not do for me. You who are cursed, depart from me;. Away to the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels."

Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.
~ Matthew 25:31-46

We are given some clear guidelines on what we are called to do as followers of Christ as we seek justice, share mercy, and give generously to the work of God’s kingdom.

So as you sit down this week at your table for Thanksgiving dinner, say thank you for your family – for your children, for your brothers and sisters in Christ, even for your crazy Aunt Beth! Say thank you for the food you are about to eat – for the fried turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, and rolls - even for the creamed peas. Say thank you for your warm homes, your health, your safety, and then get a good night of sleep in your own bed, because there are the least and the lost amongst us and there is work for us to do!

Justice, Mercy & Opportunities!

Wonder how you can live out your faith? Explore these many opportunities!

Faith Communities Responding to Domestic Violence
November 17 | Doubletree Hotel (2061 N Druid Hills Rd, Atlanta)
Religious leaders are frequently the primary contact for support and aid following physical abuse by an intimate partner. On Tuesday, Nov. 17, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. participants in this one-day dialogue with nationally recognized speakers, will build on their own insight and experience as they explore the dynamics of domestic violence, effective responses to victims and abusers, and local resources available to faith communities. Registration is free. Continental breakfast and lunch are provided. Please RSVP by Tuesday, November 10 via email to taylort@gcadv.org or call 404-209-0280 for more information.

Here is another one:

Prison Ministry, Thresholds will provide a two-day training to certify volunteer mentors on consecutive Saturdays, November 14 and 21, 2009, from 8:30-3:00 each day, at Marist School. Thresholds is a structured program using mentors working one-on-one in training prisoners prior to their release in the art of thoughtful decision making. For more information and to apply, contact Jim Powers, Volunteer Coordinator, jfpowers@bellsouth.net or 404-312-2067

You can also check this out:

Visit RaiseMeUp.org to learn more about this national campaign. On the Georgia pages learn how to get involved to help children in our state. You don't have to raise a child to raise them up. You just have to raise your hand and say you'll help.

He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God? ~ Micah 6:8

Justice and Mercy Impact Ministry Expo

Quick update on prison ministry expo:

Learn About Justice and Mercy Ministries at Expo This Sunday
10/13/2009

Have you ever felt a burden on your heart to minister to the prisoners in our penal systems? Would you know how to begin if you wanted to explore that call? Would you be able to find some holy task that matches your ability, interest, and situation? The answers are yes to all of these questions IF you attend the Justice and Mercy Impact Ministry Expo this Sunday evening, October 18, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. St Andrew UMC in Marietta will host this expo in the fellowship hall.

Here you can review various ministries that serve victims of crime, help inmates reenter society, visit detention facilities for worship services, sponsor children for summer camp or mentor a child, pray for the victims, the families and offer care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and more. There will be many ministries present to highlight their ministries.

Come find out more about a particular ministry that interests you or come and see what ministry areas are available. Ministry representatives will be on hand to provide information and answer questions.

No More Ms. Nice

I’ve often wondered if Peter was really asking, “If someone sins against me, seriously, how many times must I forgive? Maybe Peter was thinking –“Okay, other rabbis have taught that three times is enough to forgive, but Jesus, well, he’s always pushing us to do more, to be more, maybe seven times will please him.” Maybe Peter thought this would be showing extreme forgiveness. I mean, after all, how many times could you forgive a person, the same person, for a sin against you, perhaps the same sin? And how great a sin must we forgive? I think that Peter wanted to put a legal limit on forgiveness. He wanted a number where he could finally say, "That’s it! I’ve had it! I’ve done everything I was supposed to do - No more Mr. Nice Guy for me!"

Haven’t we all felt that way at some point? We all carry old baggage where we keep our hurts hidden away. We all have grudges that we lug around, sacks full of hurt and piles of pain that we just can't let go of. We all have that burden which prevents us from fulfilling our God given destiny.

For many years I carried the burden of an unforgiving spirit after the murder of my brother. Those years were filled with pain, hate, rage and fear. God took all of that hurt and pain and gave it meaning. He helped me overcome my unforgiving spirit through prayer and His faithfulness until ten years later when I was able to forgive one of the young men imprisoned for my brother’s murder. God gave meaning to my ordeal by allowing me to bring His message of love to others who are crime victims and those who have been incarcerated for their acts of violence. Now, each day I try to remember the forgiveness I have been given as I think of forgiving others.

“Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.” ~ Matthew 18:21-22 (NRSV)

Justice, Mercy and Ministry

Found this while surfing the web tonight, I had actually almost forgotten about it!

General Board of Discipleship Publishes Prison Ministry Tool Box

GBOD’s Discipleship Resources imprint has published a new prison ministry tool box to help congregations address the alarming increase in the U. S. prison population.

The “Congregational Tool Box for Prison Ministry” was created in response to a 2004 General Conference action related to providing restorative justice materials for United Methodist churches.

“The tool box encourages people to look at the whole criminal justice system, while providing practical, hands-on suggestions for ministry in the reality of our current prison system,” says Betsey Heavner, the publication’s author and compiler.

The “Congregational Tool Box for Prison Ministry” ($8.00) is available for download at http://www.upperroom.org/bookstore/description.asp?item_id=456465.

“By engaging in and expanding our work in prison ministry, we are reclaiming that part of our Methodist heritage inspired by John Wesley’s passion for those in prison,” says GBOD top executive Karen Greenwaldt.

Churches that are serious about beginning restorative justice ministries or in re-tooling prison ministries will find helpful ways to care for those incarcerated and their families,
provide for children, visit in prisons and bring justice and reconciliation in their communities.

The publication, which updates the “Prison Ministry Guide” published in 1996, targets Christian communities and individuals who recognize God’s call to be involved in ministries of justice and mercy.

“The ‘1996 Prison Ministry Guide’ was out of date. Yet we were getting requests for the guide on a weekly basis,” says Heavner.

The “Congregational Toolbox for Prison Ministry” overviews criminal justice issues and presents some possible ways for churches to engage in prison ministry.

Justice Department statistics indicate that one in every 136 U. S. residents was behind bars in the summer of 2005.

Though more prisons are being built, they cannot keep up with the dramatic increase in the number of persons being incarcerated.

“Congregational Tool Box for Prison Ministry” content was compiled by Betsey Heavner and edited by George Donigian. Content reviewers and contributors included prison chaplains and restorative justice practitioners Pat Dunbar, Harmon Wray, Tom Porter, Cynthia Peters, Rich Stoglin, Mark Hicks, Ann Edgefield and Holly Hickson.

The 26-page resource includes the following chapters:

.Introduction to the Problem of a Growing Prison Population
.Raising Congregational Awareness for Ministering with Those in Prison
.Getting Started with Prison Ministry
.Seven Ways to Engage in Criminal Justice Work and Prison Ministry.

The General Board of Discipleship’s mission is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, The General Board of Discipleship (www.gbod.org) is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, TN. For more information, call the Media Relations Office toll free at (877) 899-2780, Ext. 7017.

It seems strange to see an article such as this with my name mentioned and credit given to me for something that was just a part of what I do in life. I remember the effort but didn't think anything of it because it seemed to be such a small thing. This effort was done on my part during the time of Matthew's illness and then his death and just over ten years after Mark's death. I was in the midst of grief and wasn't even aware of what the results would be, but I remember thinking that maybe if I opened myself up just a little, God would be glorified in some small way. That God use the circumstances for His glory was the prayer on my heart in the moment I first heard the news of Mark's murder.

Isn't that the prayer that should always be on our hearts? That God be glorified in all that we say and do? And then sometimes, in spite of our own human frailty something bigger than we could have thought possible happens. Bad things happen to each of us in life. Cars break down, jobs are lost, loved ones die, and the everyday worries remain on our minds. But when we just do what it is we are designed to do without thought of ourselves, bigger things happen. Maybe that's what God means for us to do when we are told to "pray continually" and "give thanks in all circumstances".

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Justice, Mercy and Calling

Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness,
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord, that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth,
I tell you of them.
- Isaiah 42:5-9

I had lunch today with a woman who I hope to count among the people I will call “friend”. As we talked about her thoughts for the future and my reflections on the past I was awed again by the hand of God on my life.

Years ago I dreamed of being in the criminal justice profession – just not the way I am doing it! Today God is using me for ministry to the incarcerated, their families and the victims of crime. The work that I am doing now seems so inadequate yet I can see God's mighty works being done through my feeble attempts. Through these years God has truly held my hand and guided me through the trials and joys of life! How can I do anything less than offer him my simple attempts and my open heart?