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As the only statewide ecumenical agency in South
Carolina, SC Christian Action Council respresents a
partnership of 17 denominations and 21 regional
judicatories, including 4,500 congregations.
The Council serves as a catalyst for:
- Social justice through public policy
advocacy;
- Christian Unity and inter-religious dialogue
through relationships, collaborations and events;
- Racial and cultural healing by building bridges
of trust and understanding.
Ginny Barr Kicks Off First Brown-Bag Lunch |
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"Balanced and Restorative Justice is not a program,
but rather a response to crime that allows for active
participation of victim, community, and offender in
the justice process. It is a values framwork which
recognizes that justice is best achieved by building,
or rebuilding, relationships between crime victimes,
community and offenders."
Ginny Barr, Restorative Justice Coordinator for the
Department of Juvenile Justice, offered a compelling
vision of Restorative Justice at the Council's first
Brown-Bag Lunch Series at Shandon Presbyterian
Church on September 19th. She explained what
Balanced and Restorative Justice is, told us how
South Carolina compares with other states on our
use (and benefits) of BARJ and described on-going
programs with which we might get involved.
South Carolina is one of 5 national demonstrations
sites for BARJ. These sites seek to measure whether
or not BARJ works. Even more impressive, South
Carolina is one of only two states that publishes a
report card--thus ensuring accountability. You can
find the 2004 and
2005 report cards here. The 2006 report card
will be published in January. Other fact sheets are
available at this same site.
Some examples of restorative practices that have
been supported by SC Department of Juvenile Justice
include: Restitution programs, Community service
projects, Victim impact classes and panels, Offender
apologies to victims, Offender re-entry initiatives,
Victim satisfaction surveys, Teen after school
centers, Mentoring projects and Victim notification
initiatives.
The longest standing and one of the most successful
restorative justice efforts DJJ has supported are
Community Juvenile Arbitration Programs. In these
programs, trained citizen volunteers sit down with an
offender and his/her parent(s), the victim, and the
arresting officer to develop common-sense solutions
to divert at-risk youths from the juvenile justice
system.
There are many ways to get involved with this
successful practice of Restorative Justice. Clic
k here to find ways to volunteer, including
mentoring, tutoring and being a spiritual advisor. You
can make a difference in the life of a child, and help
to put that child on a path of good citizenship.
For more information about how you and/or your
congregation can get involved, contact Ginny Barr at
803-896-9766 or via email: [email protected].
AND--Join us on October 17th for the next Brown
Bag Luncheon. The topic is Immigration. See
the calendar, below, for more information.
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2006 TEAM ornaments |
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SC Christian Action Council is pleased to offer the
2006 TEAM (The Ecumenical AIDS Ministry) Christmas
ornament.
This year’s stunning design features a brilliantly
glowing candle within a lantern, a light to dispel
darkness, adorned with red ribbon. The actual size is
2.25 x 3.2 inches, and is packaged in an attractive
commemorative box.
Please contact Doris at 803.786.7115 or
[email protected] to reserve and purchase
your ornaments. We have a limited number this
year, so order soon!
1-5 ornaments, $14.95 each.
6-10 ornaments, $12.95 each.
11+ ornaments, $10.95 each.
Contact Doris for shipping and handling charges.
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Community News and Events |
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October: AME conferences.
Piedmont and Central Conferences will host their
annual meetings during October. Click here
for more information.
October 4: An Inconvenient Truth.
6:30 showing at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship,
Columbia. Open to the public.
October 6-8: Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ)
Regional Conference. First Christian Church,
Agape
Christian Church. Click here for schedule
and registration information.
October 10: Presbytery of New Harmony,
Stated Meeting. Ocean Drive Presbyterian
Church, North Myrtle Beach.
October 17: Brown Bag Issues Forum.
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Shandon Presbyterian Church,
Columbia. Sponsored by the Advocacy Work Group
of SC Christian Action Council. Topic is Immigration,
facilitated by Mark Cerniglia, Lutheran Family
Services of the Carolinas. Bring a lunch and join in
the discussion!
October 19: Trinity Presbytery--Stated
Fall Meeting. Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church,
Lexington.
October 20-21: 84th Diocesan
Convention--Episcopal Diocese of Upper South
Carolina. Church of the Advent, Spartanburg.
Click here for registration and schedule.
October 20-22: 2006 National
Observance of Children's Sabbath. For
information and to order manual email:
ssnyder@children'sdefense.org or visit
www.childrensdefense.org.
October 20-22: 2006 National Weekend
of Faith and Action on the Death Penalty. NWFA
is an opportunity for faith communities, interfaith
groups, human rights activists, and others to
examine the death penalty from a faith-based or
values-based perspective. Register on-line or request more
information from [email protected].
November 21: Brown Bag Issues Forum.
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Shandon Presbyterian Church,
Columbia. Sponsored by the Advocacy Work Group
of SC Christian Action Council. Topic is Death
Penalty, facilitated by Catilla Everette, Equal Justice
USA. Bring a lunch and join in the discussion!
Have other South Carolina community news? Let
us know at [email protected].
We include information on community events as
space and time allow; and, only in accordance with
the mission and policies of SC Christian Action
Council. We do not accept unsolicited articles.
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Comings and Goings |
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Here's a sampling of October activities for the
staff of SC Christian Action Council.
October 2: Silent Witness on Domestic Violence,
Columbia. (Brenda)
October 6-7: Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Regional Conference, Columbia. (Brenda)
October 9: Death Penalty Meeting, Columbia. (Julia)
October 12: Payday Lending Town Hall Meeting, The
Citadel, Charleston. (Brenda)
October 17: Brown Bag Lunch Series, Shandon
Presbyterian Church, Columbia. (Brenda, Doris, Julia)
October 26: UMC Advance Specials Meeting,
Columbia. (Doris)
October 27: CBF Pastor's Conference presentation.
(Brenda)
October 29: Columbia Friends Meeting presentation.
(Brenda)
October 31: Restorative Justice Interfaith Network.
(Brenda)
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Across My Desk... |
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. . . Sometimes I hear the voices of prophets.
These bearers of God's message are often just a little
different from those of us who have no sharp,
revealing message to share. They are clergy and
laity, professional and skilled labor, life-educated and
academia-educated, high-churched and holy-
churched and other-churched. Men and women utter
their prophecies in vibrant tones of the song of life:
sometimes in false-setto, or baritone, or the high
soaring of a soprano's obligato.
Some prophets claim to be the REAL one, the RIGHT
one, even the ONLY one. I confess to being a bit
leery of the one who sets him- or herself apart as a
prophet. I'm more likely to trust the message of a
someone who got pushed into the role, who did not
seek the limelight, who is obviously gifted and
passionate and knowledgeable and would just as
soon be off somewhere sitting in the shade or fishing.
Such a prophet was Ezekiel (see the Old Testament).
I'm becoming more acquainted with Ezekiel because
he speaks plainly a word every bit as sharp and
revealing today as it was when he first uttered it
thousands of years ago. Open your ears, here comes
some good ol' prophecy:
"Suppose there is a righteous man who does what is
just and right....He does not oppress anyone, but
returns what he took in pledge for a loan.
He does not commit robbery but gives his food to the
hungry and provides clothing for the naked. He does
not lend at usury or take excessive interest. He
withholds his hand from doing wrong and judges fairly
between man and man."
Ezekiel 18: 5, 7-8 (New International Version)
In support of the efforts of SC Fair Share, SC AARP,
and others the South Carolina Christian Action
Council advocates for legislative and grassroots
support for regulation of the Payday Loan industry to
protect consumers. Payday lenders charge up to 15
cents for every dollar borrowed — amounting to an
annual interest rate of 391 % — and
loans are
due in less than two weeks. More than $150 million in
fees were collected on 4.3 million loans in South
Carolina last year. AARP South Carolina along with its
partners have hosted a series of town hall meetings
this fall (upcoming: Charleston and Rock Hill). “The
purpose of these meetings is to get legislative and
grassroots support for our position and hear from
consumers who have been victims of payday
lending,” said Teresa Arnold, AARP South Carolina
legislative director.
This broad coalition supports efforts that would:
allow no more than one loan at a time; create a 24-
hour cooling-off period between loans; and create a
real-time database to track loans being issued. To
learn more about the town hall meetings, visit www.aarp.org/sc
.
Ezekiel's righteous person's contentment rests in
doing what is right. For him or her it is more than
refraining from doing wrong. The SCCAC believes that
together we can build a society where neighbor
cares for neighbor. We can build a society where
hungry people are fed from their neighbor's pantry,
people are clothed by the shirts off their neighbors'
backs, cars that do not run are repaired by the
skilled hands of a neighbor, mortgages are paid from
the resources of a neighbor, medicines are bought,
oppression is opposed, and everyone has the
opportunity for meaningful work and personal dignity.
"Pie in the sky," you say.
I can't hear you. I'm listening to Ezekiel.
...and that's the view across my desk.
Brenda Lynn Kneece
Executive Minister
(Respond to Brenda here:
[email protected].)
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