The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana will sponsor a 3-Day Prison Ministry Conference, Proclaiming Hope in the Age of Mass Incarceration, beginning at noon on March 27, 2017, and ending at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, 2017.
The host site for the Conference will be St. James Episcopal Church, 205 N. 4th St. between Florida and Convention Streets in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70801
Registration can be made online at stjamesbr.org/2017conference or by phone to Rev. Peggy King Scott, 225-638-8433
Registration fee of $145 includes three meals, refreshments, materials, and chartered bus ride to Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, Louisiana on Wednesday, March 29, for a prison tour, conversation with prison inmates who have become ministry leaders within their prison walls, speaker panel discussion, and a closing service of worship.
Hotel accommodations can be found in downtown Baton Rouge within walking distance of St. James Church. The Hilton Capitol Center in Baton Rouge, 201 Lafayette Center in Baton Rouge, LA, 1-800-955-6962, will offer group rates using code STJ “St James Episc” until March 5, 2017. We urge early reservations, as hotel space remains in high demand as a result of the Flood of 2016 which affected this geographic area.
The Conference seeks to reflect theologically upon the issues of hope, justice and freedom; to engage a national audience in conversation concerning incarceration ministries, justice reform, and re-entry of former inmates into society; and to strengthen networks among faith-based, governmental and advocacy groups. The Conference is designed to encourage those already involved in such issues as well as to inform those seeking understanding about such work.
Program speakers include advocates, researchers, authors, clergy, attorneys, government officials, and service providers to inmates and their families. Confirmed speakers include Rev. Charles Allen Wynder, Jr., Missioner for Social Justice and Advocacy Engagement for The Episcopal Church; Dr. Jennifer M. McBride, Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics at McCormick Theological Seminary; Rev. Jackie Burns, Benedictine oblate and Coordinator of Women’s Ministry Kindway EMBARK in Southern Ohio; Craig Deroche, Senior Vice President, Policy and Advocacy of Prison Fellowship; Dr. Edward Shihadeh, LSU Sociology Professor; Ms. Linda Fjeldsjo, Catholic Charities Baton Rouge and Joseph Homes Coordinator; Rev. Canon Angela S. Ifill, Missioner for Black Ministries for The Episcopal Church; Rev. Charles DeGravelles, Episcopal deacon, prison minister and author; and others addressing issues of prison ministry, advocacy, and re-entry.
Schedule:
| 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Registration
|
St James Church Parlor Entrance |
| 12:00 noon | Welcome and Holy Eucharist
The Rev. Canon Shannon Manning, Canon to the Ordinary Diocese of Louisiana The Rev. Canon Allison DeFoor, Canon to the Ordinary Diocese of Florida |
St. James Church
|
| 1:30 – 2:15 | Overview of Correctional Institution Reforms
Charles C. deGravelles, Jr., Author, Teacher, Prison Chaplain and Deacon, Diocese of Louisiana
|
St. James Church Parlor |
| 2:15 – 3:00 | Analysis of Three Case Studies in Three Different States
Dr. Amy Levad, Associate Professor of Moral Theology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN
|
St. James Church Parlor |
| 3:00 – 3:30 | Break
|
St. James Church Parlor |
| 3:30 – 4:15 | Interrupting the School to Prison Pipeline
The Rev. Canon Angela S. Ifill, Missioner for Black Ministries, TEC
|
St. James Church Parlor |
| 4:15-5:00 | Monks Behind Bars
Sister Greta Ronningen, Benedictine author of Free on the Inside: Finding God Behind Bars Rev. Dennis Gibbs, Prison Chaplain and Director of Prism Restorative Justice, Los Angeles, CA
|
St. James Church Parlor |
| 5:00 – 5:15 | Stretch Break
|
|
| 5:15-5:45 | Workshops
Advocacy Matters – Jill Sullivan, Advocacy Volunteer Coordinator, Prison Fellowship 3rd Floor Conference Room Ministry Inside: The Basics 3rd Floor Bishop’s Reception Area
|
St. James Spirituality Center
(across the street from St. James Church) |
| 6:00 | Dinner
|
St. James Church Parlor |
| 6:45 | Theological Reflection on Prisons and Prison Education
Dr. Jennifer McBride, Associate Dean and Assistant Professor of Theology and Ethics, McCormick Theological Seminary |
St. James Church Parlor |
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
| Time | Event | Place |
| 7:30 a.m. | Holy Eucharist
|
St. James Chapel of the Twelve Apostles |
| 8:15 a.m. | Coffee and Refreshments | St. James Church Parlor |
| 8:30 – 10:30 | Risk Assessment Metrics for Criminal Justice Reform
Dr. Edward Shihadeh, Sociology Professor and Chair, Louisiana State University Dr. Samantha Kurtz, Clinical Psychologist, Founder of Right Time Keith Nordyke, Criminal Defense Attorney, Nordyke & Greenfield LLC Panel Moderator: Dr. Marianne Giorlando, Adjunct Instructor in Criminal Justice, Northwestern State University, Louisiana
|
St. James Church Parlor
|
| 10:30 – 11:00 | Break
|
|
| 11:00 – 1:00 | Political Advocacy & Legislative Reform
Craig DeRoche, Senior Vice President for Policy and Public Policy for Prison Fellowship Bruce Reilly, Deputy Director of Voice of the Ex-Offender (VOTE), New Orleans, LA Patricia Haynes Smith, Louisiana House of Representatives, District 67 Panel Moderator: Katherine M. Mattes, Senior Professor and Director of the Criminal Law Clinic, Tulane University Law School
|
St. James Church Parlor
|
| 1:00 – 1:30 | Lunch | St. James Parlor
|
| 1:30 – 3:00
|
Partnerships in Advocacy Engagement
Andrea James, National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls Eddie Ellis, Founder of One by 1, Reentry Activist Shawntelle L. Fisher, Founder and CEO of The Soulfisher Ministries Heidi Kim, Program Staff Officer for Racial Reconciliation, TEC Panel Moderator: Rev. Charles Allen Wynder, Jr. Office of Social Justice & Advocacy Engagement, TEC |
St. James Church Parlor
|
| 3:00 – 3:30
|
Break | |
| 3:30 – 5:00 | Best Practices for Faith-Based Ministries
Rev. Jackie Burns, Coordinator of Women’s Ministries, Kindway EMBARK Linda Fjeldsjo & Carl Taylor, Catholic Charities, Joseph Homes Rev. Canon Allison Defoor, Diocese of Florida
|
St. James Church Parlor
|
| 5:00 – 5:30 | Evening Prayer
|
St. James Chapel of the Twelve Apostles |
| 5:30 p.m. | Cocktails and Social Time | St. James Parlor |
Wednesday, March 29
| Time | Event | Place |
| 7:30 – 8:00 a.m. | Morning Prayer
|
St. James Chapel of the Twelve Apostles |
| 8:00 – 8:15 a.m. | Departure on Chartered Bus
Board Buses for trip to Louisiana State Prison at Angola |
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center
201 Lafayette St |
| 9:00 | Arrival at LSP Angola
Disembark at the gate and proceed through Security Protocols
|
LSP Angola Visiting Center |
| 9:50 – 10:20 | Bus Tour of LSP Angola
|
Bus |
| 10:20 – 10:30 | Transfer from Bus to Conference Site
Disembark at New Orleans Baptist Seminary Building for brief tour as group proceeds to Guadalupe Chapel
|
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary |
| 10:30 – 11:30 | Voices of Prison Administration
James LeBlanc, Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Corrections Voices of Inmates |
Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel |
| 11:30 – 12:20 | Holy Eucharist
|
Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel |
| 12:30 – 1:15 | Lunch
Members of The Church of the Transfiguration at Angola will join Conference Participants for lunch provided by LSP Culinary Program
|
Main Prison |
| 1:15 | Load bus for return trip to Baton Rouge with drop off at Baton Rouge Airport
|
Bus |