Homelessness is Hell
Works of Mercy
Journey for Justice
Abundant Life
Action and Reflection
Holiest of Holies
Street Teachers
Beloved Community
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state of georgia incarcerates one out of every 177 people. This incarceration rate rivals only the former Soviet Union and China in its severity. 44% of all prisoners are incarcerated for nonviolent offenses; 64% are people of color, though people of color make up 35% of the population. An overwhelming majority of prisoners in Georgia come from impoverished backgrounds. In small rural towns, prisons are the primary employer and economic backbone. the homeless and the imprisoned are, in many ways, the same people: poor, marginalized, and,often people of color. Noting that Jesus was executed as a criminal, the Open Door Community responds with advocacy and ministry. |
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southern prison ministry
makes its home at the Open Door Community. Founded in 1976 by Murphy Davis as a partnership ministry with the Committee of Southern Churchfolk, SPM raises a vigorous, critical voice against the frenzy of incarceration in the United States. SPM members campaign against the death penalty and call for alternatives to prisons and jails.
between 1976 and July 2003. Through vigils, protests, marches, and lobbying at the state legislature, the community proclaims our opposition to this cycle of violence and vengeance. SPM organizes efforts to end the death penalty and exposes incompetence, racism, and political maneuvering in the criminal justice system. In addition, members of the community regularly visit and correspond with people on Georgia’s death row.
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the hardwick prison trip
brings people from Atlanta to visit their loved ones who are incarcerated in the prison complex near Milledgville, GA. Prison visits are a crucial link, keeping family ties intact and offering hope to imprisoned loved ones. Tragically, the cost of traveling to remote prisons is out of reach for many families. Every month, Hardwick Trip volunteers transport 60-100 people, mostly mothers, grandmothers, and children, to the prisons for an afternoon’s visit. In addition, the travelers stop at First Presbyterian Church of Milledgeville for a delicious lunch and warm welcome after their two-hour journey from Atlanta
as a hub for prison research,
Southern Prison Ministry conducts teaching trips for students and volunteers who want to learn more. Ongoing research examines the experience of incarceration, the rapid growth of the prison industrial complex, and the disturbing relationship between prison expansion and the decline of affordable housing.
REMEMBER THOSE IN PRISON AS THOUGH YOU WERE THERE WITH THEM