FALL FORUM, OCTOBER 4, 2008

COALITION of CHURCHES for REENTRY & RESTORATION PART 1 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2008 Carmel Presbyterian Church (Ocean and Junipero) Carmel, CA 9am to 12:30 INCARCERATION: EFFECTS ON THE INDIVIDUAL, and THE FAMILIES SPEAKERS: The Rev. Connie White Director, Victim Offender Reconciliation Program, Monterey. (“Is it all about crime and punishment”) Pastor Fred Anderson 7th Day Adventist Church, Seaside (“Rescuing souls before and after sin”) Charles Russell Director, Prison Ministry, (“The one answer to making it through the system”) Janice Little Field Director, Prison Fellowship, Fresno (“What about the families and children left behind?) ___________________________________________________________ PART 2 RE-ENTRY WITH FAITH-BASED ALTERNATIVES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008 SPEAKERS: Josef Corbin Corbin Building, Inc., From con to industrial giant Pam Hogan, MA From Prison to Paycheck: What No One Ever Tells You about Getting a Job Sheriff Kanalakis Director,Monterey’s state contract Prison Re-entry Facility “The new model” Pastor Joe Avila Executive Director for Prison Fellowship, for Northern California and Nevada (“In the prisons with Jesus”)

NEWSLETTER August 6, 2008

JULY 2008 =================================================================

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ. Thanks to so many of you in so many churches for joining God in this work of his in our local communities. I continue to be amazed at how much has been accomplished in so short a time. Your prayers and work have already produced a harvest. I stand and watch, joyful and in tears of thankfulness.

Below is a report to you on activities over recent weeks. It concludes with requests for continued prayer and acts of service. Contact me or others in this ministry with your offers of stewardship and prayer via email or phone or letter.


In our Savior's name,

Bill Ziering
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Activities during the last 30 days:

 -To conduct in-prison evangelism and discipleship.

Charles Russell, Chairman of Prison Ministry at the 7th Day Adventist Church in Seaside is now approved and is disciplining youth at Juvenile Hall in Salinas. Sue Creel has provided him Bibles in Spanish and English. Chaplain Robert and Pastor Phyllis Auhll have been solicited by Prison Fellowship Ministries to disciple each Monday at the Soledad Prison.

To identify, actively nurture, and support those families left behind who reside in a prison of their own.

Gail Howard with the Zubick family continue to do food preparation each Wednesday and are teaching Jack how to prepare food. Pam Ziering assists Laura Wells each two weeks with her ladies support group, "Hope Together".

To link with other post –prison and aftercare organizations towards total reintegration of the individual back into the family, community, church, and workplace with full rights under the law and equal status among man.


Charles Russell, Robert Auhll, and Bill Ziering accepted the invitation from CDCR (California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation) to speak in favor of the proposed Secure Prison Reentry Facility at the July 22, 2009 Board of Supervisors Ila Mettee and David Potter both commented how their 3 minute presentations were more impressive than the hour long one from those representing CDCR. Subsequently the Board voted to continue exploring the State project aimed at reducing recidivism.

Come aside the family in love on a continuous basis.

Some of the components include: Prayer, Christian counseling, small group fellowship, Church outreach, visitations, food, clothing, child care and activities, assistance with community services, home repair, healthcare, business counseling, job training, physical and nutritional mentoring, Pen-Pal, and Angel Tree.

We have begun distributing the gifting of the $500 in vouchers from the Yellow Brick Road to needy families in our ministry.

Each Friday at our weekly coalition meetings (Coalition of Churches for Reentry and Restoration") after the opening prayer followed by bible study (relevant to the agenda items) we go to corporate prayer before deliberating on the week's agenda.

Bill Ziering visits Pastor Mike's (Casey) Monday evening "Bridge" fellowship. Pastor Mike's "board" purchased a house in PG which currently is home for 6 parolees who lack family and a place to live. Later in August, we will participate at Jesse Alvarez' PACT meeting; there, parolees learn of the variety of programs/services provided in our community directly from representatives of those organizations.

We are active in pen-pal with Jeff Wells and Jay Zubick.

Laura Wells delivered a testimonial this Sunday to the 6pm group.

Answered prayer during the last 30 days:



We pray that more of our church members who have had family incarcerated would be attending one or more of our several groups. We too are surprised how resistant (humiliation? anger? depression?) are these families who know not yet how releasing it is to share their hurt though testimonials, and support of others in the same boat. I am learning that although these 21 (known) families have finally opened up to their being personally affected by incarceration, they are highly resistant to sharing their bottled up feelings.


Planned activities during the coming two months:

We are readying another forum at CPC, the "Second Annual" set for Saturday October 4th from 9am to 12:30. Guest speakers tentatively include (pending their availability):

• The Rev Connie White (Restorative Justice, Victim - Offender Reconciliation)
  
• Charles Russell (Spent 20 years in prison over 4 arrests, now gainfully employed as a meat-cutter while heading up a prison ministry at his church)
  
• Pastor Frederick Anderson (7th Day Adventist Church, Seaside. (Topic: Prevention through family unity and Bible obedience)
  
• Janice Little, Field Director for Prison Fellowship Ministries (Topic: Coming aside the family left behind)
  

Help needed requests:


Pray that other churches on the Monterey Peninsula led by their pastors join with us in unity through developing a prison outreach ministry. We are prepared to assist then as they want our counsel. We ask you to pray for their boldness to join God in this work of His. Pray for a Christian imperative that more churches come to the understanding that God refers to prison and captives more than 250 times. While government is invested to maintain law and order, the church is to reach in compassion and support, a position many seem to have forgotten.



In Christ's name,


Bill Ziering