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Wheaton College to Host International Correctional Ministries Summit

The Correctional Ministries and Chaplains Association (CMCA), a ministry of the Institute for Prison Ministries (IPM) at the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College, will host Impact 2014, the second annual International Correctional Ministries Summit, from May 29-31.

The summit, which will take place on the campus of Wheaton College, is designed to bring together national and international correctional ministry professionals and volunteers for learning, networking, strategizing and inspiration.

IPM Director Karen Swanson says the summit will provide attendees with research-based training and tools to enhance their correctional ministry practices. "Both passion and training are needed for effective ministry," Swanson says. "Well-trained professionals and volunteers not only increase their impact with offenders, but gain respect from corrections professionals and open doors for ministry."

Impact 2014 will begin with a restorative justice forum hosted by Lisa Rea, President of Restorative Justice International, and Joseph Williams, President of CMCA. During the forum, victims of violent crime will tell their stories and discuss the value of restorative justice. Additional forum panelists include Jack Cowley, National Director of Alpha for Prisons; Ilinda Jackson, Coordinator of the Victim Services Unit for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections; and Harold Dean Trulear, Director of Healing Communities Prison Ministry and Prisoner Reentry Project of the Philadelphia Leadership Foundation. The forum is free and open to the public. It will take place Thursday, May 29 from 2:00-4:30 p.m. in Coray Alumni Gymnasium, located in the Todd M. Beamer Center at 421 Chase Street in Wheaton.

The summit also includes 48 workshops on topics including strategies for working with high-risk youth; a biblical-cognitive approach to understanding and addressing addiction and relapse prevention; how to assimilate recovering people into the church; strategic and operational ministry expansion and funding; effective mentoring to the incarcerated; and responding to religious pluralism in correctional ministry.

Conference speakers include Craig DeRoche, President of Justice Fellowship; Richard Ramos, founder of the Latino Coalition for Faith & Community Leadership; and Michael Reighard, President Emeritus of CMCA. The full workshop schedule and list of instructors is available at cmcainternational.org.

Impact 2014 will take place at Wheaton College, 500 College Ave., Wheaton, Illinois. The fee is $225. For more information, or to register, visit cmcainternational.org or call 630.752.7085.

The mission of the Correctional Ministries and Chaplains Association is to connect, encourage, equip, and strengthen Christians as they fulfill the Great Commission in corrections. Established in May 2011, CMCA provides certification, training, and support.

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