Open Doors and Open Hearts is an upcoming conference, put together
by a dedicated group of socially active people of diverse faiths and
backgrounds. Former prison inmates, people in recovery, government
and community service professionals, and representatives from Twin
Cities-based spiritual communities will cooperatively share viewpoints
and ideas. The conference will be a time of reflection, meditation
and growth. The conference is 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, October
11 at the Recovery Church, West Campus, Wesley United Methodist Church,
101 East Grant Street, Minneapolis, next to the Minneapolis Convention
Center.
When people who are released from prison or those in recovery are
made to feel invisible, one must ask, what more can be done to be
a more inclusive and welcoming society and community? That is a question
asked by Reverend John Hunter, an ordained minister who formed a
ministry for ex-offenders in North Minneapolis. Hunter believes the
conference is important for any community. “Why we need a conference like
this is because it brings us all together, all of the resources, and
it brings communities together to better serve inmates so inmates can
be better servants to the home, community and church,” said
Hunter, pastor at First Community Recovery Church.
“Should communities be concerned about felons coming out of
prison?” said Lyle Wildes, a member of Men as Peacemakers and
a former prison inmate. “We should be concerned about anyone
moving into or living in our community who feels invisible and disconnected
to it, felon or non-felon. I’ve heard drug dealers talk about
those special people they wouldn’t sell drugs to. Why? They felt
connected to them in some positive way.”
Through a process called “Open Space,” all conference
participants will have an equal opportunity to be heard and to identify
the issues and opportunities about which they are most passionate.
These meaningful conversations, held in concurrent sessions during
the day, will provide the basis for recommendations and next steps.
While the specific results aren’t known, the process will generate
interactive learning, inspirational visions, surprising partnerships,
heart-felt community, and transformative outcomes.
“We do transformational workshops inside prisons and jails,
and during re-entry,” said Alternatives to Violence Project Coordinator,
Erika Thorne. Many felons have indicated that while housing, jobs and
food are the most urgent concerns for recently-released inmates, the
programs that provide them aren’t fully utilized by an individual
without consistent spiritual support in some form.”
“We hear about prison and mental health reform,” said
conference project director Vern Bloom. “I’m certainly
in favor of that. We also need ’community reform.’ We
need to be much more inclusive than we have been with these folks.
And all of us need to be part of this effort!”
To show compassion to each other is one way to make our cities, streets
and community safer places to live for all people. To force people
into invisibility with guns or restrictive acts or disconnection
or silence who’ve been released from prison and who are in
recovery from treatment for mental illness only reinforces the negativity
of punishment.
Everyone is invited to join
us in this groundbreaking, highly interactive event for all those
who care about more open and inclusive spiritual communities. The
conference is free but you need to preregister. Space is limited,
so please register early. Please use email if possible, oct11conference@aim.com or
call: 651-644-5851. Be sure to include name, address, phone number,
email, and organization (if any). For further information or questions:
call or e-mail Cal Appleby at 612-929-0901, or lafscal@aol.com ![]()
Open Doors and Open Hearts conference
This conference is underwritten by the Trust for the Meditation
Process, a charitable foundation supporting contemplative
practice among Christians and encouraging dialogue and cooperation
among all contemplative traditions.
Co-sponsoring organizations
include:
Minnesota Department of Corrections
Minnesota
Department of Human Services
Governor’s
Council on Faith and Community Services Initiatives
Minnesota
Council of Churches
St. Paul Area Council of Churches
Justice
Commission of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet and
Consociates
NAMI-Minnesota
Beverly White
Prison Meditation Project
Clouds in Water Zen Center
Rivers
Way Meditation Center
Common Ground Meditation Center
Minnesota
Zen Meditation Center
Compassionate Ocean Dharma Center
The
Meditation Center
Gyuot Wheel of Dharma Monastery
Dharma
Field Meditation and Learning Center
Mindroads Center
for Meditation
Shadhilliyya Sufi Center
Resources
for Ecumenical Spirituality
First Community Recovery Church
Center
for Restoration Justice and Peacemaking
Minneapolis Yoga
Workshop
Yoga Center of Minneapolis
Correctional
Transition Services, Inc.
Friends for a NonViolent World
Alternatives
to Violence Project
Amicus
City House
RS Eden
Kenwood Therapy Center
Pax Christi
Twin Cities
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