Project Return Commissions First Teams

 
 
    Photo at right
    Members of the All R 1 Team from left to right:
    Larry Fordham, Debbie King, Sarah Hartfield, Florence Johnson, Brian King and Norma Millard.
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Photo at left
Members of the Six-Pak Team from left to right:
Dave Dietrich, Phyllis Call, Kendra Volentine, Wanda Young, Ricky Kingdon and Lori Van Voorhis.
 
 
 
 

 
Project Return commissioned its first two Volunteer Partnership Teams on December 6, 2009 at a worship service held at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Peoria, Illinois, with Pastor Steven P. Tibbetts presiding. The two Partnership Team members include Phyllis Call, David Dietrich, Ricky Kingdon, Kendra Volentine, Lori Van Voorhis, Wanda Young, Larry Fordham, Sarah Hartfield, Florence Jones, Brian King, Debbie King, and Norma Millard.

Project Return's mission is to partner with incarcerated mothers to assist them in making a successful transition from prison to a new life in the community. The Partnership Teams will work with each mother for one year after her release to help her find food, clothing, housing, employment, transportation, healthcare and to set long-term goals regarding her family, finances and education. The teams are partners, allies and advocates in the journey back from prison. Each Partnership Team receives 30 hours of training in areas related to ministering with women who have been in prison and has ongoing support from Zion's Missionary to Prisons, Karen Wong, AIM.

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Missionary Minute

"Peter came to Jesus and asked, 'Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?' Jesus answered, 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven'" Mt. 18:21-22

What do people find when they have been released from prison—have served their time—paid their debt? Open doors or closed hearts? The Hands and Feet of Christ in the form of the Christian Community or a lonely, empty road back to prison?

"Forgiveness is POWER. It breaks the curse of sin, it frees us from our past, it over-comes every evil. It could change the world, if only we would allow it to flow through us unchecked... We hold the keys to forgiveness in our hands, and we must choose whether or not to use them every day." Seventy Times Seven pg. 156

Let us choose to use our power to forgive, and welcome, and help build new lives in the Name of Christ who has forgiven us all.

Peace and Joy in Christ, Karen Wong

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Isaiah 58:6-7 Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen: To loose the chains of injustice, and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry, and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked to clothe him and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
 

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"Be Like Jesus"

On February 28, 2009, 20 third through sixth graders from area ELCA Lutheran Churches spent the afternoon at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church hearing about Project Return and Storybook Project as part of the annual "Be Like Jesus" Northern Conference Youth Servant Event. They also made 10 fleece blankets which will be given to Project Return Participants and their children. This is the second year "Be Like Jesus" has included Project Return as part of their event. Last year the youth created "Welcome Home Bags" with personal items for returning mothers.

 

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