Conference Committee
Prison Reform/Death Penalty
Ministries of Faith in Action
DSC Prison Reform Sub-Committee
At the 28th Session of Annual Conference, resolution 21.10 Mass Incarceration and Restorative Justice was passed. It was resolved that the Bishop appoint a committee of 5 to 7 people to join in the efforts with other United Methodists and the General Board of Church and Society to end mass incarceration by becoming actively involved throughout our Annual Conference by educating members and becoming involved in ministries and opportunities for:
- Sentencing Reform
- Ending Prison Privatization
- Developing Just Re-Entry Programs
- Increasing Participation and Opportunities for In-Prison Ministry
Questioning the Death Penalty
The United Methodist Church’s General Board on Church & Society has made the statement that “We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore, and transform all human beings.” They go on to say, “When governments implement the death penalty (capital punishment), then the life of the convicted person is devalued and all possibility of change in that person’s life ends.” The death of anyone, especially the victim of a crime, is tragic; but a second tragedy does nothing to remedy the first.
In this season of repentance, the Desert Southwest Conference Prison Reform task force is hosting a post-Easter video series (via Zoom) on “Questioning the Death Penalty”, featuring Sister Helen Prejean – author of “Dead Man Walking”, “The Death of Innocents”, and “Where Justice and Mercy Meet.”
This series occurs at 6:30 PM on Thursdays, April 28-May26. Click HERE to Download the Fact Sheet.

News & Events
Contact

Paul Bullis
Chair

Billie Fidlin
Director of Outreach & Justice
Team Members
Jim Ek
Patty Ek
Steve Harvey
Bethany Lambrecht
Rae Lathrop
Sabrina Ayers Fisher
“Questioning the Death Penalty” Series
Episode 1
Click the link to view the first session of “Questioning the Death Penalty”.
Episode 2
Click the link to view the second session of “Questioning the Death Penalty”.
Episode 3
Click the link to view the third session of “Questioning the Death Penalty”.

Episode 4
Click here to view the fourth session of “Questioning the Death Penalty”.
Episode 5
Click here to view the fifth session of “Questioning the Death Penalty”.
Watch Previous Prison Reform Talks
Problems with Private Prisons
Click here to view the whole video.
Prison Reform Talk #1
Click here to view the whole video.
Prison Reform Talk #2
Click here to view the whole video.

Prison Reform Talk #3
Click here to view the whole video.
An Evening with Khalil
Click here to view the whole video.
Prison Reform Presentation - Discussion #1
Content here.
Death Penalty Fact Sheet
Content here.