COALITION of CHURCHES for REENTRY & RESTORATION
SPEAKERS: Pastor Fred Anderson
___________________________________________________________
RE-ENTRY WITH FAITH-BASED ALTERNATIVES SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2008 SPEAKERS: | |||
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
FALL FORUM, OCTOBER 4, 2008
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
===================================================================
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.
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)
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
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Lowering Recidivism
Challenging Churches and Restoring Families
RE-ENTRY FACILITYMonterey County has been awarded $80 million in state funds to renovate the present jail building in Salinas, followed by constructing a 491 bed prison re-entry facility for inmates 18 months before release. (The state grants were made available under AB 900 which provides $750 million to approved applicants). With the ever-increasing incarceration rate resulting in perpetual over-crowded and illegal conditions, the State is looking for innovative approaches to reducing crime and need for imprisonment.
A prison re-entry facility is being touted as one such remedy. With recidivism (return to prison) now approaching 80%, these transition facilities can prepare the inmate for a more successful adaptation back into the community.
A practical curriculum incorporating life skill preparation, job training and procurement, counseling (mental health, spiritual, anger management) recovery programs, provision of social services, mentorship, opportunities for fellowship and support, and financial aide for basic needs, are to be incorporated within the facility as a one-stop resource. Programs to reduce recidivism benefit not only the inmates and families, but the greater community and improve public safety.
DEMONSTRATED NEED
United States has the highest incarceration rate in the world with a five-fold increase in the last 30 years. The following statistics, while frightening, explain why the current system of incarceration and release is not working and instead only compounding the problem. 1, ,2
2,271,000 inmates currently serving time.
One in 34 Americans has been in prison.
One in 3 African-Americans will spend time in prison.
One in 6 Latinos will spend time in prison.
700,000 prisoners are released nationwide each year.
Most will return to prison, most unable to make a living or successfully rejoin family life.
Most marriages of prisoners end in divorce.
The children of inmates are 10 times more likely to become inmates themselves.
Recidivism is an on-going issue that harms all parties, the inmate, his family, and the community
Three of four former inmates will return to prison within three years.
Imprisonment has proved little more than a temporary "warehousing" of criminals.
Prisons are commonly viewed as "post-graduate schools for crime".
This "revolving door" issue has several causes. Considering these issues is critical to determining the structure of any re-entry facility program as well as measuring success of such programs. Typically a former inmate is in a substantially downgraded position socially and economically than when the inmate entered prison.
Recidivism contributors include:
Released prisoners return to a new era; their old skills often are antiquated and employment opportunities are not readily available.
Service programs (skill training, job procurement, support, etc.) are hard to find.
Abandonment by their families, friends, co-workers and community is prevalent.
Mental health issues (depression, anxiety, etc) commonly develop in prison.
Marginalized, ex-inmates readily pick up substance addictions.
Mentoring ex-inmates has not been a community priority.
Basic services for shelter, clothing, recovery and discipleship are lacking.
Financial aide is limited in availability.
Details of Proposed Re-entry Facility : The state corrections department has plans for 280,000 to 300,000 square-foot secure buildings designed to blend in with surrounding communities. Possible architectural plans - Contemporary, Mission, and Tuscan models.
Possible location: Fort Ord, Seaside
Management: CDCR
Facilities: It is suggested that the rehabilitative/habilitative services be located on grounds, coordinated and supervised by an experienced administrative professional staff in collaboration with CDCR and with continuous and regular team meetings occurring at weekly/monthly intervals
Possible Program Offerings:
Employment: basic job skills training, specific trade skills training, literacy education, life skills education (financial, academic, vocational navigation), internship program, financial assistance, transportation support (bus voucher program),
Mental / Social / Physical: mental health assessment and treatment, substance dependency recovery programs (residential and outpatient), women's abuse/shelter services, small group fellowships, counseling services,
Community: youth outreach, facilitation with other community organizations (e.g.; Kairos, Koinonia, Prison Fellowship), local volunteer opportunities, facilitation of community education and participation
Emergency and Temporary: on-site meals, shelter, clothing, transitional housing
Voluntary mediated dialogue with victim and offender if appropriate; victim impact classes where victims are brought in to tell their story to inmates as a group.
Prison Statistics. US Department of Justice. Retrieved on 2008-04-18.1
Nell Bernstein, All Alone in the World: Children of the Incarcerated (New York: The New Press, 2005) 2
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
ONE LINERS ON PRISON MIINISTRY
FOR THE LEAST OF USChallenging Churches and Restoring Families
...be doers of the Word, and not hearers only..." James 1:22
- One of our volunteers put it this way: “Jesus said if you visit a prisoner you visit Me. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure out He really meant what He said!” How about you? (Mark Earley, CEO Prison Fellowship).
- Mayor Dennis Donahue, Salinas, CA, plans for cleaning up crime is three-fold: Strengthening families, increasing literacy, and providing for after school programs.
- Hostility and prejudice toward the incarcerated are impediments to ministry. The criminal justice system is dominated by notions of retribution, vengeance, punishment and isolation. The core values of the Christian gospel--forgiveness, compassion, redemption, reconciliation, restorative justice--run counter to prevailing sentiments in the justice system. (Pastor Kenneth Carder, Duke University)
- In Matthew 22:34-40, we see the Sadducees trying to trap Jesus with the question of what the most important commandment was in the law of Moses, which of course is to love the Lord your God. But then Jesus goes on to say that “…..the second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself.”
“Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant... for even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10)
- "There is crisis in the spiritual well being of the inmates," he continued. "If you can reach them with the word so they can see where they're at within the bounds of God, then prison becomes a more peaceful place. There's an awful lot of anger and denial brought into this place. Usually the anger is at others and at themselves. You try to point out in scripture the dangers of anger and try to get them to seek sharing their anger with the Lord because He can handle it. But if they don't know the Lord they don't know about that resource." (D. Winters, New Covenant Church, Ala)
- After all, 80% or more of the 2 million prisoners now "doing time" will be leaving their prison cell within the next few years. After-care and job development loom as an area of prison ministry calling for the creative commitment of the Church. Model programs have developed in the Oklahoma Conference, Central Pennsylvania Conference, and some ecumenical and community center programs. Perhaps the most critical aspect of transition back into society as constructive citizens is the involvement of ex-offenders and their families in the full life of a local congregation. This is a challenge to each of our local congregations. (Marian Styles – McClintock)
- Prison is a lonely life, both for the inmate and the loved ones who have to get along without him or her. It's a vicious cycle: Absent fathers and mothers create broken homes, and broken homes often lead to even more crime. So how can churches help? Former inmate Manny Mill encourages Christians to reach out to prisoners' families and offers practical suggestions for ministering to this forgotten segment of society. "I say to prisoners ... 'You have the power in Jesus Christ now to break the cycle of crime.'" - Manny Mill (President of Koinonia, a prison ministry)
- Dr. Richard Kern, executive director of the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Committee, described how Virginia has done away with its parole system. Their prisons had been loaded with non-violent offenders. These people are not simply turned loose after they have been found guilty. But instead of being sentenced to prison, many are sentenced to various types of work-release programs. Recidivism has been reduced to 49%
- Most churches today live in fear of lack of resources, the "what ifs," and have forgotten that our primary call is to "give ourselves away." We're not here for ourselves. We're here to bring good news to the poor. So instead of having a servant "lose my life" mindset, we have a fortress mentality. "Build these walls, protect these walls, and don’t let anybody in." (Pastor Jimmy Dorrell, Mission Waco)
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth," (I John 3:18).
In His Service Bill and Pam Ziering 26033 Mesa Drive, Carmel, CA93923 831-250-7921
Friday, February 15, 2008
A COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER – A faith-based ministry in human development
Clearly, if you want to build somebody's self-esteem, it's not giving them money and helping them out through the next crisis. It is giving them value, it is in helping them identify the gifts they have and giving them the confidence the world has beaten out of them. (Pastor Jimmy Dorrell, Mission Waco). People possess the power, the capacity and the desire to solve their own problems, if they are given the resources they need and the opportunity they crave. People don't need help nearly as much as they need a chance. (Larry James)
PATRONSThe homeless
The poor
The agedThe addicted
The felons
The disabled
The pregnant
PROVISIONS
Shelter, Food, Clothing, Transportation, Health care, Child care, Respite care, Recovery/support, Social services, Financial aid, Mentorship, Community center, Activities (Interactive lectures, parties, dancing, singing, bible study)
TRAINING
Literacy, Employment skills, Family matters (marriage, child rearing)Social adaptation, Ethics
WORK PROJECTS
Creation of jobs (construction, landscaping, cooks, food servers, meat cutting, auto servicing, health aides, secretarial, cashiers, delivery, clerks, On-the-job counseling
ELECTIVES
Worship services, Bible
study, Adult ministries, Teen center, Children activities
Senior luncheons, Town Hall
The poor are the Church. Whenever the Church is understood as separate from the poor, it is no longer the Church… Only by understanding that those In the Fourth World are our moral equals and by embracing them as full members of society – neighbors, friends- can we possibly begin to deal with the problem of extreme poverty. It suggests that giving charity, paying higher taxes, voting correctly, and political advocacy are not nearly enough. It is only by fundamentally changing our relationship to the poor that true change will be possible.”
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” - Matthew 25:40
“But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." - Luke 14:13-14
Therefore because you impose heavy rent on the poor And exact a tribute of grain from them, Though you have built houses of well-hewn stone, Yet you will not live in them; You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will not drink their wine.
Amos 5:12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, You who distress the righteous and accept bribes And turn aside the poor in the gate.
MISSION BASIS
“Crisis care” in our outreach ministry is to be provided for by trained and professionals within the proposed neighborhood center, in collaboration with the multiple outside public and private service organizations. Clearly, these endeavors and provisions will be immediate and life sustaining. The need for such services is constant. Man will forever find himself victim of untimely events whether preventable or unanticipated.
To minimize the cycle of poverty, however, simultaneous to emergency intervention, is long term habilitation/rehabilitation. While short term immediate assistance mainly for food, shelter, health care and transport is an imperative, until there are job skills and available jobs, stop gap assistance is just that, a postponing of personal and family disintegration. For families to take their rightful place alongside their more productive and affluent neighbors, there is need for them to be adopted into the general community as brothers and sisters with equal acceptance and status. This will take intention and effort on the part of the rest of the community.
The poor and “others” can be empowered to take control and manage their predicament. Neighborhood health and resource centers located in areas of poverty and need, can work effectively with government and other civic institutions on a holistic (physical, mental, spiritual) basis.
I got my energy for this work from other people, so the self must stay in connection with others, new others, others that have more talent and more vision and more power than you have others that have more talent and more vision and more power than you have. That energizes you and keeps you going. You've got to be in relationship with real people.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
PRISON MINISTRY FORUM (CPC Jan 12, 2008) BREAKOUT POINTS
A letter to my church brotherhood:
Whereas the recidivism rate on re-entry is the same for Christians as for non-Christians (now approaching 85%) and whereas the releasee must return to his/her old neighborhood and the “friends” who prompted the original criminal behavior, it is critical that the church body come aside the family as a counterforce.
Neither the criminal justice system nor the home environments have proven helpful. The large majority of those released were sentenced for non-violent crimes and have completed their time, yet within two years most will be returned to prison on a technical “violation”, related to the lack of mentorship, family support, and inability to obtain or keep a job.
Consequently, as part of the Great Commission, it is likely a Christian imperative that each of us pledges to share our unique God given gifts with some family at this church or in this Monterey county who God loves and desperately needs our help. (In the 4 months of this ministry, the number speaking transparently of incarceration in their family swelled for “1” to “22”).
I believe each of you will identify one (or more) roles (as a team member) that you we might call upon when the need arises? Won’t you return this form to me with your pledge within the next day?
Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth," (I John 3:18).
For the prisoner:
o In-Prison Ministry. Unleashing Christ’s power in prisoners’ lives through “transformational discipleship.”
o An adopting church (policy, staff, membership)
o Prayer teams
o PenPal
o Visitations from church body
o Bibles and other Christian books
o AngelTree
o Training for re-entry. Koinonia, Kairos, etc
o Mentorship on re-entry (spiritual, physical, emotional”
o Rehab on re-entry (alcohol, drugs, pornography, sexual)
o Job training and opportunities
o Counseling (Mental health, marriage, parenting, employment, social, etc)
o Mediation: Victim repayment
o Transitional housing
For the family left behind.
o A welcoming church (staff, deacons, membership)
o Emergency food
o Financial aid
o Housing
o Healthy relationships as Covenant Small Groups
o Child care
o Secondhand clothing
o Transportation
o Job training
o Schools (tutoring)
o Social services, legal services, medical and dental Rx
o Business counseling
o Household help
o Respite care
o Fellowship (small groups, membership)
o Prayer warrior team
o Loving mentors (professionals, membership)
“Take tender care of those who are weak; and be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else. Always keep on praying. For this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thes 5:14-19)
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