Loving Your Neighbor 2020
Introduction
Join Us for an all-online Loving Your Neighbor Conference 2020 (LYN2020)
Calvin Seminary invites you to its third biennial Loving Your Neighbor Conference, which will be streamed online July 6-7, 2020.
This year's conference is titled "Forming Citizens Of God's Kingdom In Prison And Upon Reentry" and will provide information on the current state of the North American prison system, biblical insight regarding care for the incarcerated, a look into the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI), and practical ideas for ministering to the incarcerated, those reentering society, and their families.
This year’s conference theme has special significance. Five years ago, in response to God's command to love our neighbor, Calvin Seminary and Calvin University partnered to launch the Calvin Prison Initiative (CPI). In 2020, the CPI conferred its first Bachelor's degrees to 18 students at the Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia, Michigan. Join us for LYN2020 as we consider and celebrate the momentous achievement of those graduating students.
We believe each person is created in the image of God. And regardless of who they are or what they've done, each deserves dignity and respect.
Keynote Speaker
Reverend Dominique DuBois Gilliard
Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Evangelical Covenant Church
The keynote speaker for LYN2020 is Reverend Dominique DuBois Gilliard, who is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Evangelical Covenant Church. He is the author of Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice that Restores, which won a 2018 Book of the Year Award for InterVarsity Press and was named Outreach Magazine’s Social Issues Resource of the Year. Gilliard also serves as an adjunct professor at North Park Theological Seminary and is on the board of directors for the Christian Community Development Association. In 2015, the Huffington Post named him one of the “Black Christian Leaders Changing the World."
Additional Details
This conference will also include a presentation by Calvin University's Director of the CPI, Todd Cioffi, a panel discussion with CPI faculty moderated by Dr. Gary Burge, an interview with the Warden of the Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility, Dewayne Burton, and testimonials from CPI students.
We invite pastors, ministry leaders, lay church members, students, and others interested in prison reform and reentry to participate in this conference. We encourage you to browse additional details via links provided in the menu on the left side of this page.
Schedule
Conference Schedule
July 6th
All scheduled sessions are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
| 1-1:45pm | Welcome and Opening Worship Welcome: John Rottman |
2-3:15pm | Keynote Address: Mass Incarceration in the United States: The Past, Present, and Way Forward Rev. Dominique DuBois Gilliard Entering 2020, the United States had more people locked up in jails, prisons, and detention centers than any other country in the history of the world. Mass incarceration has become a lucrative industry, and our criminal justice system is plagued with bias and unjust practices. This session will unpack how we got here, the systemic realities that sustain mass incarceration, and how we bring about needed change. |
3:15-3:30pm | Break |
| 3:30-4:30pm | The Facilitation of Healing in a Multi-Faith Canadian Correctional (Incarceration) Context Rev. John deVries, Jr. As an ordained pastor in the Christian Reformed Church, John served as Chaplain in the Federal Correctional Service of Canada. Working with “the least of these” from a wide variety of faiths and cultural backgrounds, John saw his role as one who facilitated healing for inmates who were faced with brokenness in their lives. Assisted by community volunteers and systemic multi-faith resources, his relational ministry aimed to nurture new life and healing. In this presentation, John will share his passion for serving the incarcerated and will provide some background on the present prison system in Canada. |
| 4:30-7:30pm | Break |
7:30pm | Just Mercy Discussion Todd Cioffi, Rev. Dominique DuBois Gilliard, Melinda Braman Just Mercy Discussion Guide Note: Just Mercy is available to watch for free on multiple digital platforms for the month of June. Go here for more information. |
July 7th
All scheduled sessions are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
| 8:45-9:00am | Welcome and Worship From Prison Devotions: Bob Arbogast |
| 9-10:00am | Keynote Address: The Role and Response of the Church in the Age of Mass Incarceration Rev. Dominique DuBois Gilliard This workshop will explore how Christians can disciple those behind bars, walk alongside their family members, and advocate for criminal justice that offers opportunities for authentic rehabilitation, lasting transformation, and healthy reintegration. The church has the power to help transform our criminal justice system and learn how it can participate in advocating for justice that restores. |
| 10:15-11:15am | Church Engagement in Prison Ministries Moderator: Jul Medenblik Panelists: Rick Admiraal, Bob Arbogast, Rev. Dominique DuBois Gilliard and Mark Muller |
| 11:30am-12:15pm | Landscape of Higher Education in Prison Todd Cioffi |
12:15-1:00pm | Lunch Break |
1-1:45pm | Education in Prison Dewayne Burton and Todd Cioffi |
| 1:45-2:45pm | Faculty Perspectives and Experiences of Education in Prison Moderator: Dr. Gary Burge Panelists: Prof. Stacia Hoeksema, Prof. Ken Bergwerff, Dr. Ronald Feenstra, and Dr. David Rylaarsdam. In this session, Calvin Seminary and Calvin University faculty will offer insights on prison education at the Handlon Correctional Facility. The discussion will touch on their personal and professional experiences and perceptions and the impact of these experiences on their own teaching within and outside of prison. |
2:45-3:00pm | Break |
| 3-3:45pm | Reentry: Challenges Inside and Outside of Prison Moderator: Dale Cooper Students: Saulo Montalvo, Nick Nichols, and Michael Duthler This panel discussion will center around three primary questions: First, how did these men prepare for release? Specifically, what training and preparation did they receive from or through MDOC? Second, what challenges did they experience upon release? Third, what are some practical ways churches and individuals can support returning citizens during and after their time of transition? |
3:45-4:30pm | Q&A with Dewayne Burton and Todd Cioffi |
4:30-5:00pm | Presentation of Service Award and Closing Comments |
Register
Online Registration
Complete the form below to register for this online only conference at no cost to you.
Note: to participate in LYN 2020, you must have a cell phone, tablet, or computer that is connected to the internet. Calvin Seminary will not be able to provide or assist with technical details related to hardware, software, and/or internet connectivity.