February 2011

Volume 3, Issue 2

Missional Justice

A Newsletter of the Social Justice & Mission Ministry

Iowa Annual Conference of

The United Methodist Church

¶ 164. V. THE POLITICAL COMMUNITY While our allegiance to God takes precedence over our allegiance to any state, we acknowl‐edge the vital function of government as a principal vehicle for the ordering of society. Because we know ourselves to be responsible to God for social and political life, we declare the follow‐ing relative to governments… H) Criminal and Restorative Justice—To protect all persons from encroachment upon their personal and property rights, governments have established mecha‐nisms of law enforcement and courts. A wide array of sentencing options serves to express community outrage, incapacitate dangerous offenders, deter crime, and offer opportunities for rehabilitation. We support governmental measures designed to reduce and eliminate crime that are consistent with respect for the basic freedom of persons. see also: ¶ 163. IV. The Economic Community (E); ¶ 164. V. The Political Community (A), (B), (G), and (H); ¶165. VI. The World Community (A) and (D); Resolution 5031. Equal Justice; and Resolution 5034. Mission Plan for Restorative Justice Ministries

WHAT THE CHURCH SAYS ABOUT RESTORATIVE JUSTICE The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2008

Kristin Clark Nolan

Administrative Support

Social Justice & Mission

P: 515.974.8911

F: 515.974.8961

kristin.clarknolan@iaumc.org

Naomi Sea Young Wittstruck

Leadership Development Minister

Social Justice & Mission

P: 515.974.8908

C: 515.783.4381

F: 515.974.8958

nsy.wittstruck@iaumc.org

Iowa Annual Conference of

The United Methodist Church

2301 Rittenhouse Street

Des Moines, Iowa 50321

Restorative Justice? Who Cares? We do! I am writing this from prison – one of the many places that Jesus, in Matthew 25, reminds us he resides. For nearly five years now, the United Methodists of Iowa have supported a congregation here, as a constant presence, not just a visitation. And amazing things are happening as we United Methodists visit Jesus in prison. Melinda has just left the Correctional work release center – an interim step in her release from prison – and is reuniting with her 7‐ and 9‐year‐old daughters in their own apartment. She has a job, is paying her restitution to the state and to her victims, and is doing well, but asks for prayers for herself and her girls as they go through this major new adjustment. We care about restorative justice because we care about her and her children! Kristine left the prison after many years, terrified that she had no support system on the out‐

Restorative Justice

continued on page 4

WEIGHING THE ISSUE rev. arnette pint pastor, women at the well umc

Page 2 Missional Justice

on the world

wide web

IAUMC — Advocacy http://www.iaumc.org/

pages/detail/972

Prison Congregations

of America http://

www.prisoncongregations.org/congergation_info.html

Iowa CURE (Citizens for

the Rehabilitation of Errants)/Justice Reform

Consortium http://www.iowacure.org

General Board of Church & Society:

Criminal and Restorative Justice

http://www.umc‐gbcs.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?

c=frLJK2PKLqF&b=2837503&ct=3955947&notoc=1;

Death Penalty http://www.umc‐gbcs.org/

site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?

c=frLJK2PKLqF&b=2837503&ct=3955949&notoc=1

Children’s Defense Fund:

Juvenile Justice http://

www.childrensdefense.org/policy‐priorities/juvenile‐

justice/ Cradle to Prison Pipeline

http://www.childrensdefense.org/

child‐research‐data‐publications/data/cradle‐

prison‐pipeline‐report‐2007‐full‐highres.html

Southern Poverty

Law Center http://www.splcenter.org/

American Civil Liberties Union

http://www.aclu.org/

Amnesty International

http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/usa

National Institute

of Justice Restorative Justice

http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/topics/courts/restorative‐

justice/welcome.htm

My name is Rich Martel. I’m a retired social worker, having put in 28 years in the V.A. Hospital system primarily as the Director of Social Work and an additional nine years at Des Moines’ Broadlawns Medical Center as staff social worker. Currently I volunteer at the Iowa United Methodist Conference Center in the Social Justice and Mission Ministry; I’ve had a passion for mission as well as social and legislative justice for many years. Pictured with me is a good friend, Republican legislator in the Iowa House of Representatives, Kevin Koester. Kevin, his wife, Linda, and their family have been friends of ours for many years and all of us strive to bring about justice in our own way in our respective lives and careers. My wife, Jill, and I are members of Maple Grove United Methodist Church near Waukee and West Des Moines, and we are blessed many times over working and worshiping with a loving and resourceful congre‐gation of which I am the Lay Leader and adult Sunday School teacher. The United Methodist Church has been very good for us over the years and has provided us with many opportunities, as Micah said, “…to do what is just, to show constant love and kindness, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.”

Megan Culbertson, a senior at Simpson College, is serving as an intern with Naomi Sea Young Wittstruck for the spring semester. She is a religion and sociol‐ogy double major (with an emphasis on social work) and an outstanding leader on campus and in the broader communities of Indianola and Des Moines with out‐reach, mission, and justice work. Megan’s hometown is Sioux City, Iowa.

FROM THE FIELD new volunteer and intern with sj&m ministry rich martel and megan culbertson

THANKS to all who attended UM Advocacy Day 2011!

While the weather was uncooperative, there were 50+ souls who braved the snowstorm to spend the day learning about immigration as it relates to our other priority issue areas. Please check out our photo gallery from the event as well as the keynote speech by Kristin Kumpf (in two parts: one and two) and Bishop Trimble's reflections on the day.

Page 3 Volume 3, Issue 2

PUTTING FAITH INTO ACTION IN YOUR LOCAL CHURCH Become educated.

What is restorative justice? “Restorative justice is a theory of justice that emphasizes re‐pairing the harm caused by criminal be‐havior. It is best accomplished when the parties themselves meet cooperatively to decide how to do this. This can lead to transformation of people, relationships, and communities” and stuffasdflk (www.restorativejustic.org). “In the love of Christ, who came to save those who are lost and vulnerable, we urge the crea‐tion of an entirely new system for the care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials, and the commu‐nity as a whole. Restorative justice grows out of biblical authority, which empha‐sizes a right relationship with God, self and community. When such relationships are violated or broken through crime, opportunities are created to make things right” (Social Principles, ¶164H).

What are the issues associated with restorative justice? Mental health, substance abuse, prison re‐entry… these are just a few of the issues surrounding restorative justice.

Where is restorative justice used? Criminal cases are the more common answer, but did you know restorative justice is also used in schools and workplaces, too? Read here for more information: http://www.restorativejustice.org/press‐room/06outside.

Become involved. Create support and problem solving groups in your church or community for persons who

are reentering society after serving a prison sentence. Sign up to participate in educational classes, training, or mentoring with inmates – help

someone learn to read, teach parenting classes, or offer vocational training/employability skills.

Contact your legislators and let your voice be heard regarding any current legislation per‐taining to criminal justice issues. You can search for bills on the Iowa General Assem‐bly website here: http://www.legis.iowa.gov/index.aspx. Organizations working on criminal and restorative justice issues are also happy to help you find the information you need to speak to your elected officials (see page four of this newsletter).

Information obtained from www.prisoncongregations.org

and www.restorativejustice.org.

reading resources Ambassadors of Reconcilia‐tion: New Testament Reflections on Restorative Justice and Peacemaking by Ched Meyers and Elaine Enn The Little Book of Restorative Justice by Howard Zehr Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice by Howard Zehr Race, Religion, and the Continuing American Dilemma by C. Eric Lincoln No More Prisons by William Upski Wimsatt “‘Cruel & Unequal’: How Our Penal System Mass Produces Second Class Citizens,” (Sojourners Magazine, February 2011) http://www.sojo.net/index.cfm?action=magazine.home “New Prison and Jail Figures Show Record Incarcerations, Bureau of Justice Statistics Reports” (COLORLINES Report, April 2009) http://colorlines.com/archives/2009/04/new_prison_and_jail_figures_sh.html# National Coalition for Juvenile Justice, 2008‐2009 Biennial Report http://www.juvjustice.org/media/resources/public/resource_529.pdf

If you’re not sure which elected officials

represent your legislative district, please

visit www.legis.state.ia.us/FindLeg/.

WEIGHING THE ISSUE continued from page 1

side and would lose the gains she had made in prison treatment and in her faith life. But she left to join a faith community with a trained team waiting to support her and encourage her in both areas. We care about restorative justice because we care about Kristine and her new life! Tamara came to prison angry at God, angry at the state, angry at the man who had hurt her chil‐dren. She refused to come to worship services, couldn’t pray, and couldn’t believe in a God she thought was punishing her. Today, she participates in every worship services and is considering serving on the church council. She helps set up for worship services and sings solos in praise of the God who gives her hope. We care about restorative justice because we care about Tamara and her healing from her past. Roger and Janice stop to talk to me after I have preached at their small United Methodist church. They share that their son is in prison, and knowing that there is a real church inside that particu‐lar institution gives them hope that he will reconnect with the faith of his childhood. They are so grateful to the United Meth‐odist and other mainline churches that offer a family of faith to their loved ones. We care about restorative justice because we care about the peo‐ple in our pews and the families who suffer the loss of a loved one. The names of all these peo‐ple have been changed, but the stories are specific and true. There are hundreds of stories at the Well. Some do not have happy endings, but they still speak of women and families who found a way back to hope, a way back to life. We care about Restorative Justice because it is God’s justice – a justice of new life, new hope, new futures.

Page 4 Missional Justice

iowa organizations

Friends of Iowa

Women Prisoners Vi Darci

vddarsee@q.com

Restorative Justice Standing Committee

(Iowa Conference Board of Church & Society )

Rev. Jim Pemble (mjp150@msn.com)

Women at the Well UMC (Mitchellville)

womenatthewell@iaumc.org Rev. Arnette Pint

515.967.4236 ext 265

Iowa Coalition 4 Juvenile Justice

Sister JoAnne Talarico cackyt@earthlink.net (or send a request for information to CHM,

Iowa Coalition 4 Juvenile Justice, P.O. Box 41005,

Des Moines, 50311)

Iowa CURE (Citizens for the

Rehabilitation of Errants) http://www.iowacure.org

Jean Basinger jabwab@msn.com

The current issue of Missional Justice is available on

the Social Justice & Mission Ministry web page:

http://www.iaumc.org/pages/detail/972

(about 3/4 of the way

down the page)

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