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2007 National Faith-Based Prisoner Reentry Conference: Sponsored by CAPA and Prison Fellowship of Minnesota printer-friendly

By Joseph Williams, Christian Association for Prison Aftercare

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to attend the 6th Annual Prisoner Reentry Conference.  I hope that the name of the sponsoring organization has not confused you.  This is the same conference that was sponsored by Transition of Prisoners, Inc.  Currently, the sponsoring organization is the Christian Association for Prison Aftercare (CAPA).  Our local partner is Prison Fellowship of Minnesota.

The need for faith-based prisoner reentry services is great.  I believe it is the key to a successful national prisoner reentry movement.  The need to successfully incorporate faith-based programming into government initiatives is being discussed at great length all around the country.  Agencies such as the National Institute of Corrections (NIC), an arm of the Federal Bureau of Prisons are convening meetings and sponsoring conferences around the country to discuss the need for faith-based services for those returning from prison.  On March 22, 2007, the White House convened a meeting of 100 of the leading prisoner reentry experts to discuss this subject.  In September of this year the NIC will host a satellite/web broadcast to discuss the myths and barriers to faith-based organizations partnering with corrections agencies.

I believe that a great door of opportunity is now open for the people of God to step through and minister to prisoners and ex-prisoners in transition in ways that heretofore were not possible.  In order to take advantage of the opportunity, however, we need to possess the skills, tools and knowledge to provide professional level, faith-based services.  This conference and this association is your resource to obtain all that is needed for you to participate at the highest level.

I pray that you will accept my invitation to attend this, the 6th annual Transition of Prisoners/CAPA prisoner reentry conference, Healing the Heart, Healing the Community, which will be held in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, October 26-28, 2007 at the beautiful Hilton Hotel.  We all pledge to make this the best reentry conference ever held.  You won’t want to miss it.

Your servant because of Christ,
Joseph Williams
President of CAPA

Copyright © 2007 Christian Association for Prison Aftercare. All Rights Reserved.