Christian Churches Together

 

September 10, 2014


Breaking out of prison thinking: Melanie Snyder at TEDxLancaster
Breaking out of prison thinking: Melanie Snyder at TEDxLancaster

 

The Growth of Incarceration in the United States - Exploring Causes and Consequences

 

 

After decades of stability, the United States saw its incarceration rate more than quadruple in the past 40 years. Currently, nearly 1 out of 100 American adults is in prison or jail. What drove this increase, and how has it affected crime rates, individuals, families, communities, and society at large?

 

The Growth of Incarceration in the United States finds that the dramatic increase in incarceration has failed to clearly yield large crime-reduction benefits for the nation. In addition, the growth in incarceration may have had a wide range of unwanted consequences for individuals, families, communities, and society. The report recommends that policymakers take steps to reduce the nation's reliance on incarceration.

 

Click HERE 



Love, Forgiveness and Reconciliation: A Call to Full Humanity

 

Free webinar with Joan Chittister

 

Date: Saturday, September 20

Time: 10:00-11:45 a.m. EST (Includes Q&A)

 

How do we form compassionate hearts: Hearts that are god-like? In this live-streamed webinar, open to all Monasteries of the Heart members, Joan Chittister will explore the difficult, but fundamental, summons to forgiveness that can both soften our own hearts and transform the world community. She will guide us - step-by-step - to genuine forgiveness rather than have us settle for a premature or shallow forgiveness.

 

Sign up to receive webinar link  HERE 

 

 Positions Available  

  

Senior Domestic Policy Analyst - Bread for the World  

  

The Administration department at Bread for the World, Inc. is seeking a Senior Domestic Policy Analyst. We are eager to identify a diverse pool of qualified candidates. If you are interested in applying, please send a cover letter and resume to Asma Lateef at [email protected]bySeptember 19, 2014.   

 

Positions at National Council of Churches   

 

The National Council of Churches is seeking applicants for two positions: Associate General Secretary (AGS) for Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace, and Director of Communications and Development.

  • Click here to access the Associate General Secretary for Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace job announcement.
  • Click here to access the Director of Communications and Development job announcement.

Applicants for both positions should submit a cover letter and resume by September 30th, 2014

Fellowship for Undergraduate Students on Immigration Issues from Biblical Perspectives 

 

This fall, G92 is once again offering a competitive Fellowship for undergraduate students who want to educate their campus communities on immigration issues from a biblical perspective.  

 

Fellows accepted to the program will receive an all-expense-paid weekend training in Washington, DC on October 4-5, 2014. After the training, where they'll hear from national experts on immigration, they will educate their campus communities on immigration from a biblical perspective, get their campuses to engage in service to immigrant communities, and mobilize for immigration reform.

 

Do you fit this description, or do you know any students who might be interested? Do you know anyone at a campus near you who could reach these students? If so, would you take a few seconds to quickly forward this? The application deadline of September 15th  is rapidly approaching, so interested students should apply quickly.

 

You can find more information and the online application:HERE  

 

 

 

 

A Litany For Children Slain By Violence

and Traumatized By Those Called to  

"Serve and Protect"


 

Litany shared from Bishop Ingram, Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference Board Member, re the Killing of Our Children.  It is suggested for inclusion in the worship liturgies.  

 

 

Leader:     A sound is heard in Ramah, the sound of bitter weeping.  Rachel is weeping for her children.  She refuses to be comforted, for they are dead.

 

Assembly:   We pray for the families of children who have been slain by gun violence, left to die on streets with less dignity than is given to animals.

 

Leader:    A sound is heard in every city.  Communities are weeping generationally for their children.   Our sons, like Emmett Till, Treyvon Martin, Ezell Ford, Michael Brown and John Crawford.  Our daughters, like Ayanna Jones, Miriam Carey, Malisa Williams and Tarika Wilson. (Add names of sons and daughters from you local community)

 

Assembly:     As people of God, we weep for the lives of all children who instead of enjoying the sweetness of innocence become victims of hate, victims of war, and victims of violence.  

 

Leader:     Now, let us rise up and interrupt these rushing waters of violence that leave children and communities wounded and paralyzed, traumatized by internal  disintegration and state terror.  Let us rise up and demand this nation abandon its affair with beliefs, practices and laws that are rooted in militarism, justified by racism and propped up by systemic  inequities. 

 

Assembly:    We will rise up against laws rooted in evil that have no concern for life, nor any concern for God's love. We will rise up until justice rolls on like a river and righteousness like a never failing stream.

 

Leader:    Oh Lord, we commit ourselves to seeing all children the way that you see them.  No matter their age or race, they are precious gifts made in your image, created with transformative purpose and unlimited promise.

 

Assembly:    And for that cause, we pledge to be hedges of protection for their lives, we pledge to stand against anything that threatens their potential or promise. 

 

All:       We embody the universal spirit of Ubuntu, "I am because we are and because we are, I am."   We are all Rachel crying for the children!  Therefore, we pledge to lock arms in solidarity with the families of the slain.  We pledge to let our voices be heard all over this nation and the world, for we know we are called to do what is just and right. 

 

�2014 by Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference, Inc.

 

 


International Day of Peace

September 21 - 2014 

 

 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. (John 14:27)



You can find resources: HERE

 

 

CCT 2015 Annual Convocation
February 10-13 Houston, TX

Immigrant Faith Communities and the Future of the Church in the USA 
  
Support the work of Christian Churches Together 
 

 

  
For more information on Christian Churches Together in the USA
contact our Executive Director, Rev. Carlos L. Malav� at
email 
or call 502.509.5168
 
 
Visit our website: www.cctusa.net