Greetings from Our Community Co-Organizers
Welcome to this newsletter for the DeKalb Reentry Faith Based Partnership ! I have worked for years with seminary students , laypeople , and religious leaders engaged in all parts of the Georgia criminal justice system . I have seen faithbased persons and organizations make real differences in the lives of justiceinvolved individuals , in ways ranging from providing goods and services to advocating for laws and policies removing barriers to reentry . As a partnership , we share the vision of Reentry Services ( DCS ) “ that every person released from incarceration will have the tools and support needed to succeed in the community .”
The purpose of the Partnership is to enable people of faith to strengthen their involvements , building deeper relationships among those involved . This newsletter offers information , examples , and opportunities to support those already engaged , and to encourage new participation and collaboration . We focus on DeKalb County but our hope is to connect to other circuits across Georgia .
Working together , we can make our communities more welcoming to everyone , especially returning citizens !
Elizabeth M . Bounds Associate Professor of Christian Ethics Candler School of Theology , Emory University
As the Sr . Pastor of Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church , Decatur , Georgia , I bid you special greetings . The Greater Friendship family and I are very proud to embark on the prospect of developing a partnership with the DCS Reentry Services Division . Through the collaboration with DCS Reentry Services Division , we have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals transitioning from incarceration back into Dekalb county ' s various communities .
Our congregation has made an impact by : - Providing space on-site for reentry meetings - Donating clothing vouchers for persons preparing for job interviews - Taking part in family nights by sponsoring food - Serving on the Dekalb Steering Committee
The list above is a few of the ways the Greater Friendship family has made a difference . As Co-Chair , I would like to invite other faith-based community leaders to get involved and help make a difference in the lives of individuals within the various Dekalb communities .
Rev . Dr . Louis L . Ferguson Senior Pastor Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church