DCIA REGULAR ASSEMBLY MEETING MINUTES, APRIL 15, 2008

1. Welcome and Opening Prayer was offered by Rev Jimmy Hawkins. The church was founded in the 19th century and is now in its 3rd location on Weaver Street. The congregations has approximately 200 members who are active in the church and community.

2. The DCIA Affirmation was recited.

3. Introduction of Guests: Representatives of Urban Ministries of Durham and the Religious Coaltion for the Prevention of Violence and Democracy Now introduced themselves as did a new attender from Durham Friends meeting and Lincoln Baptist Church and the Durham Mental Health Association.

4. Program Presentation: “Reconciliation or Violence – The Future of Durham”.Marcia Owen described the Coalition's "Welcome Home" to those coming back to Durham after having been incarcerated. The ministry was shared by those who have experienced its benefits directly. A crucial partner, Gudrun Palmur, Director of the Criminal Justice Resource Center, was recognized for the Resource Center's work in supervising, networking and educating. Over the past four years, congregations have become involved in a demanding ministry that has helped individuals rejoin the Durham community as contributing and benefiting members. A faith team representative from Pilgrim United Church of Christ described the experience of working with re-entrants. Their first, an older man, was supported through through a divorce, and remarriage. After 18 months, the team sadly honored their partner's life at his funeral. Since then, the team has begun working with another partner, a younger man, who entered prison as a teenager and is now a young adult seeking to establish an independent life in Durham. One of the re-entrants, Mr. Peter Bell, who has worked with a faith team at Trinity Methodist Church shared his story. He expressed his appreciation for their counsel, love and support that has helped him get and hold a job as an assistant supervisor with a City of Durham dept. He looks forward to becoming a home-owner and to helping others who are experiencing what he has been through. Another re-entrant, Mr.Alvin Thompson, originally from New York, shared his story. He entered the prison system from foster care, lacking family before, during and after his incarceration. He spoke of the advantages of living in a supportive community, working with a faith team at Watts Baptist Church, as a means of staying focused on positive goals. A member of Watts Street Baptist Church reflected on the experience of working with two re-entry partners. He emphasized the challenges faced by even the most motivated partner facing mistrust, lack of financial resources, and few friends. He also urged us to have the same level of compassion for adults as we do for children in our community. Tony Wood, Orange Grove Baptist Church, which has had Reconciliation and Re-entry faith team, shared a related plan to hold biweekly street level prayer meetings. These meetings will provide people an opportunity to share the faith they purport. Details about places and times are available on the DCIA website. The final speaker. Travis, shared his process of transformation from incarcerated felon to righteous, connected. contributing community member. He attributed his success to Marcia Owen's strength as a caring, demanding, and honest coach and to his feeling that he has a team behind him. He how reinvests in others through his work with Urban Ministries.

5. DCIA Director Spencer Bradford concluded the presentation by stressing the importance of programs that stress alternatives to violence.

6. Treasurer's Report was offered by Bob Newlin, with a stress on YO:Durham's need for funds.

7. An Ending Poverty Network budget of $62,000 was adopted as integrated into the DCIA 2008 budget. This is a project for which DCIA is fiscal agent, but provides no direct funding.

8. Minutes for the March 18th meeting will be available on the DCIA website.

9. Announcements are available as handouts and on the DCIA website.

10. A survey was distributed assessing the preference for evening over lunch meetings. This would affect only the August and September meetings.

11. The meeting concluded with prayer for those in poor health and in need of spiritual and material support and a celebration of the powers of community, love, faith, healing and reconciliation that are embodied in DCIA.