Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) policies instituted in September in response to the drug crisis in prisons have violated prisoners’ rights, restricted access to educational materials, and delayed people’s correspondence with loved ones on the outside.
  On October 19, partly in response to public feedback, the DOC announced changes to some of the offensive policies listed in this on-line petition to Governor Wolf and described in news reports (below). A summary of recent DOC policy changes is posted here, and there is additional information linked to the DOC homepage: www.cor.pa.gov. … read more »

• Migrants, Refugees, and Displaced People – advocacydays.org/2018-a-world-uprooted/speakers/
  These video recordings of keynote presentations at the 2018 Ecumenical Advocacy Days (April 20-22) can be a resource for groups working on public policy advocacy.
  • Tammy Alexander (MCC-Washington office), policy presentation on U.S. domestic issues and slides (PDF).
  • Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr., Panel discussion : Where do we go from here?
  • Presentations, sermons, stories: by Congressman Rev. Emmanuel Cleaver II, Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, Bishop Ricardo Ramierz, and others.
• Reclaiming Jesus – www.reclaimingjesus.org
  • A Confession of Faith in a Time of Crisis
    (signed by Tony Campolo, Ron Sider, Richard Rohr, Jim Wallis, Walter Brueggemann, and many others)
    “We are living through perilous and polarizing times as a nation, with a dangerous crisis of moral and political leadership at the highest levels of our government and in our churches. We believe the soul of the nation and the integrity of faith are now at stake. …”
  • The website includes the full Confession of Faith
    as well as a 5-week curriculum on Civil Discourse, and a 9-week Bible Study / Discussion Guide.
• A.C.T. to End Racism – www.rally2endracism.org/the-launch/
  The April 4th rally on the Washington, D.C. mall, organized by the National Council of Churches on the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination included speeches by prominent religious leaders, some of which are posted here.
• “Sanctuary Everywhere” resources – www.afsc.org/sanctuaryeverywhere
  From American Friends Service Committee: It’s about the community coming together to protect targeted communities from state violence—including immigrants, people of color, Muslims and other targeted religious groups, or LGBTQ people.
• The Race Issue – National Geographic (April 2018) – www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/04/
  The entire April 2018 issue is focused on Racism in America, with many stories posted on the National Geographic website, including the story of Hazelton, PA, here.

“Undocumented and Awkward” is the title of a series of you-tube video clips that explore the reality of daily life for undocumented youth and young adults, produced by a creative arts project known as Dreamers Adrift. Any of these video clips will make a good discussion starter for people who want to become allies with undocumented immigrants.

• Undocumented & Awkward, Episode 1
• Undocumented & Awkward, Episode 2
• Undocumented & Awkward, Episode 3
• Undocumented & Awkward, Episode 4 … read more »

• The UCC (United Church of Christ) has a 5-part Bible study, “Faith vs. Fear” and other gun violence resources here.
• MCC (Mennonite Central Committee) has a Gun Violence Prevention guide and several other resources on gun violence.
• Sojourner’s Magazine has many articles on gun violence at here.
• Ceasefire NJ has recent commentary on the Parkland massacre and related topics here.

Twenty years ago, Congress banned the CDC (US Center for Disease Control) from doing gun violence studies, so it’s not easy to get good research data that gives a clear picture about gun violence in this country.

Drone warfare is a moral and spiritual issue. The Pennsylvania Council of Churches is seeking congregations to Learn More About Drone Warfare. Several videos and study guides are available to guide you as you begin to understand how the use of drones hurts both those who are the targets and those who control them. Here’s a little incentive:
Learn More about Drones and Receive $100 for Your Congregation.

Christian Peacemaker Teams training coordinator Sarah Sommers will lead a Nonviolence Training Workshop on Saturday, February 17, 2018 (9:30am–3:00pm). The workshop will cover basic nonviolence and protest skills. CPT’s style of training is completely interactive .and designed to get people up, moving and participating, and drawing on their own wisdom and experience. Location: Salford Mennonite Church, 480 Groff’s Mill Rd., Harleysville, PA. $10.00 registration fee includes lunch. This event is sponsored by the Justice and Peace Committee of Salford Mennonite Church. For further information, contact Mary Jane Hershey, 610-287-8888. Register on-line here.

The Pennsylvania Council of Churches is partnering with the Interfaith Network on Drone Warfare in an effort to help congregations learn about and understand the dangers, the moral bankruptcy, and the religious/moral challenges with regard to the US use of drones. This printable flyer describes five videos that are available with study guides, for Sunday School classes or study groups. … read more »

Carmela Apolonio Hernandez and her four children in Sanctuary at Church of the Advocate in Philadelphia
• Carmela Libre: Grant Asylum to Mother & Children in Sanctuary at Church of the Advocate (New Sanctuary Movement)
• Church of the Advocate – welcome to Hernandez family (PDF)
• Fearing drug traffickers in Mexico, family takes sanctuary from deportation in N. Philly church (WHYY, Dec. 13, 2017) … read more »

There are at least two major barriers to fair elections in Pennsylvania:
1) Legislative and Congressional Districts are meticulously gerrymandered to limit voter choices in elections.
2) The electronic voting machines used across Pennsylvania are vulnerable to undetectable hacking and tampering.
For more details about these issues and what citizens can do, see Fair Districts PA on gerrymandering; and Verified Voting on electronic voting. … read more »

Immigrant support organizations in Philadelphia continue to work with families of the 107 men who were detained in the September ICE raids euphemistically called “Operation Safe City.” New Sanctuary Movement is accepting donations to help immigrant families pay bail for their loved ones. JUNTOS and Pennsylvania Immigration and Citizenship Coalition are also providing support for immigrant families and organizing to protect the rights of immigrants.