Restorative Justice Week

Each year churches and communities are urged to become aware of restorative justice as an alternative to the current criminal justice process, to engage where possible offenders, victims and communities in bringing about deep and lasting solutions by focusing on restitution, restoration, healing and the future. In addition, restorative principles can be used to bring about healthy churches, schools and communities.

Values and principles like safety, healing, restoring, inclusion, attentiveness, love and respect all guide us to respond to human needs within our community. Restorative justice can’t work if the community does not build bridges between its valuable citizens. Our goal should be to create healthy relationships between individuals, organizations, institutions and among all our relationships.

This year’s theme Communities Responding to Human Needs, invites individuals and the church to use resources for worship services to facilitate a deeper and broader understanding of restorative justice.

Participation in restorative justice efforts has been encouraged by Synod when In 2005 our churches were called to “preach and teach restorative justice” and urged “active participation…in restorative justice efforts.”

Together in Christ’s Service,

Rev. John Lamsma, USA jlamsma@crcna.org
Rev. John de Vries, Jr., Canada johndevries@crcna.org

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