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Discussion and Listening Session Resources

The following links are additional resources for your review. The Discussion and Listening Sessions are a series of events arranged by Salem’s Striving to Better Love Our Neighbors Task Force. 

How to Read the Bible:

• The denominational resource paper titled, The Evangelical Covenant Church and the Bible
• PowerPoint presentation with video
• How to Read the Bible audio from the presentation on February 1, 2020

Rethinking Incarceration:

• Sermon: Choosing Love in a Climate of Fear
  Exodus 1:6—2:10
  Rev. Dominique Gilliard
• Book Discussion at Salem Covenant
  Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice That Restore
  In response to Dominique Gilliard’s presentation on Sunday, February 16, you are invited to dig deeper into the information presented in his book, explore a variety of perspectives surrounding the issue, and think about how the Holy Spirit is leading you and the Church forward. This book discussion and follow-up conversation was held in February and March. 

• Ministry Opportunities (See Shelli Streeper)

  • Crossroads Prison Ministries 
    This mentorship program connects prisoners with mentors to review completed Bible studies and answer their questions. They share stories from their own lives and help their students see how God is speaking to them through His Word. In the process, both lives are transformed through studying God’s Word together.
    It’s as easy as:
    STEP 1: Crossroads sends a Bible study lesson to a student.
    STEP 2: The student completes the lesson and mails it back to Crossroads.
    STEP 3: Crossroads sends the next lesson to the student and forwards the student’s completed lesson to a volunteer mentor.
    STEP 4: As the student works on their next lesson, the mentor reviews the completed lesson and mails it back to the student along with an encouraging letter.
    Find out more at https://cpministries.org/mentorship-program.

  • Shakopee Women’s Prison 
    Salem member, Luanne Wysmann, volunteers through Prison Fellowship Academy at the Women’s Shakopee Prison. Here is the volunteer link and information.
    https://www.prisonfellowship.org/action/
    Prison Fellowship has spearheaded the nationwide effort to raise awareness about the barriers faced by returning citizens and unlock second chances for people with a criminal record.

• Devotional Resources

  • Covenant Church Week of Prayer: https://covchurch.org/resources/week-of-prayer/
    In this 2020 Week of Prayer guide, incarcerated students from North Park Theological Seminary’s School of Restorative Arts program inspires us to freshly encounter and receive God’s grace. Under the over-arching theme of “Reconciling Grace,” we will pray together through the many dimensions of God’s grace including comforting grace, chastening grace, anointing grace, restorative grace, and beyond. Through these daily prayers, let us be reminded that we can never fully plumb the depths of the riches of God’s amazing grace!

  • I Surrender: A Collection of Devotionals Written by Prisoners
    Share these encouraging devotionals with prisoners you mentor. These short devotionals written by prisoners paint a picture of how each writer grew in Christ by studying God’s Word and surrendering to Him.
    https://www.prisonfellowship.org/resources/training-resources/mentoring-ministry/ministry-tools/i-surrender-collection-devotionals-written-by-prisoners/

• Topic resources

  • Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice That Restores: https://dominiquegilliard.com/book/

  • Dominique interview’s Bryan Stephenson, author of the book behind Just Mercy
    https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2020/january-web-only/just-mercy-film-bryan-stevenson.html

  • One of the priorities of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC) is to empower the church to engage the issue of criminal justice. Alongside the Christian Action Commission and other partners throughout the denomination, we are working together to educate, equip, connect, and empower congregations to be the hands and feet of Christ in the midst of the complexities of the criminal justice system. We hope that through this partnership you will encounter stories, resources, and entry points to join these efforts.
    https://covchurch.org/justice/criminal-justice/

Human Sexuality:

• Sexuality, Scripture, and the Soul of Christianity with Justin Lee and Preston Sprinkle (this video was shown at the Discussion and Listening Session on March 7, 2020)
• Notes page with discussion questions based on the video
• Resources for Understanding Differing Perspectives on Same-Sex Marriage