North Raleigh
United Methodist Church
April 11, 2010
Prison
Ministry
Celebration
History / Why
Scriptural -
Jesus gives clear Command
Matthew 25
I was hungry . . . Thirsty . . . A stranger . . . Sick
I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
Hebrews 3
Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and
those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering
Wesleyan Heritage
– The Roots of Prison Ministry and even Chaplaincy lie in
Methodism via requesting permission to visit the prison
Charles Wesley
in
Newgate Prison
Prison Ministry Arenas
• Prevention
– Before the “arrest”
– Focus = => Children / Youth
• Strengthening our Families
• Investment in Neighborhood
• Institutional
– During incarceration
• Visits / Bible Studies
• Support Family / Mothers & Children
• Pen Pals
• Reentry
– After incarceration
• Mentoring
• Housing
• Jobs
North Raleigh UMC
Ministry Areas
– Inmate Ministry ( Inside Institutions )
• Visits
• Pen Pal
– Family support ( Mothers & Children )
• Angel Tree ( Gifts & Visits )
– Reentry support
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Mentoring
Readiness Education
Jobs
Housing
NRUMC Prison Experience
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10 years in
– Angel Tree Ministry ( Annual )
• 2009 Touched 60+ inmate families with over 100 children
from over 80 NRUMC families 10 volunteers
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30 years In
– Yokefellow Prison Ministry of NC ( Weekly )
• Small group Christian Sharing
– Disciple Bible Outreach Ministry ( Weekly )
• Structured Bible Study
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15 years of
– Reentry Ministry
• Mentor / support ( Community Success Initiative )
• Mothers and Their Children M.A.T.C.H.
• Community Success Initiative
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Recent Prison Volunteers
Kelly Bailey
Thomas Beam
Don Bobo
Keith / Wanda Dixon
Dan Duffy
Pat Ford
Fern Grounds
Gerry Guthrie
Sheldon Howard
Betty Osborne
Bob Panton
Mack Parker
Peggy Poole
Susan Sorrells
Dave Westfall
Kairos
Yokefellow
Yokefellow
Reenry
Yokefellow
Disciple
Yokefellow
Yokefellow
Reentry
Yokefellow
Disciple
Yokefellow
Pen Pal
Angel Tree
Reentry
This Ministry Needs Your
• Prayers
• Service
– Consider donating your time
• Inside Prison Ministry
• Outside Reentry Service
• Support for Special Activities
– Gifts
– Food
• $ to support
Conference Support for Ministries
• Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries (Inside/+Youth )
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~ 2400 inmates / ~ 200 Volunteers / 65 Units
• MATCH (Inside + Children)
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~ 220 inmates / ~ 120 Volunteers
• Yokefellow Prison Ministry of NC (Inside)
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~ 3200 inmates / ~ 850 Volunteers
/ 63 Units
• Epiphany Ministries (Inside/+Youth )
~ 185 Youth / ~ 400 Volunteers / 5 Units
• Kairos / Kairos Outside (Inside/Outside)
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~ 400 inmates / ~ 1000 Volunteers / 4 Units
• Prison Fellowship / Angle Tree (Inside/Outside/Children)
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~ 3200 Families / ~ 1850 Volunteers
• Community Success Initiative (Inside/Outside-Reentry)
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~ 400 inmates / ~ 50 Volunteers (Raleigh only)
• Capital Restorative Justice Project (Victim Restoration)
1988 General Conference Mandate
Mission of Committee on Prison Ministry
• Raise Awareness & Encourage local
church involvement
• Identify & Promote Prison Ministries
• Serve as a resource and connectional link
with
– Local churches
– General church agencies
– Community & Government
1988 General Conference Mandate
Mission of Committee on Prison Ministry
Ministry Areas
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Inmate Ministry (Direct / Inside)
Reentry support
Family Ministry (inmate)
Juvenile Offence Prevention / Intervention
Victim Support
Chaplains/ Prison Staff Support & Encouragement
Legislative Reform / Alternatives
Volunteer Recruitment / Training
Existing Prison Ministry Support
New Ministry Discovery / Support
Innovative funding
Committee Activities
• Encourage Conference Level Focus
– Conference WEB pages
– Methodist Advocate news articles / publicity
– Annual Conference Resolutions
– CJAMM display at Annual Conference
– Updates and Activities for Bishop/Cabinet (Prison Visits / Issues)
• Engage/Support each of our Districts
– Providing Resources & Recognition (Ministry Directory)
– Work Shops & Speakers Bureau
• Recognize/Promote Prison Ministries (Over 30)
– Partnered / Helped Start 2 Major Ministries
• Provide financial support to ~ 10 New Startup Ministries
2009 - 2010 Criminal Justice & Mercy Ministry Committee
District
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Burlington
Durham
Elizabeth City
Fayetteville
Goldsboro
Greenville
New Bern
Raleigh
Rockingham
Rocky Mount
Sanford
Wilmington
to
Member
.
Lois Wright *Lay
Jim Modlin * Lay
Pat Ford
Lay
Carol Cummings-Woriax *
Ray Warren
Gary Murphee
Gary Murphee
Joan Purcell
Leslie Womack
Carol Taylor *
Leslie Womack
David Wade *
James Waggoner
Budget / Spending
$16.000
$14.000
$12.000
$10.000
$8.000
TOTAL
$6.000
$4.000
$2.000
$0.000
1992
1997
2003
2008
2011
Startup Funding Policy
(New Prison Ministries)
1st Yr
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
-10
2nd Year
3rd Yr
4th Yr
NC Dept of Corrections
• 1992
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• 2009
92 Prisons
20K Incarcerated
Cost/day $35 ($.5 Billion)
Race
– White 34%
– Black 63%
– Other 3%
• Recidivism 34% / 3 Yr
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80 Prisons
41K Incarcerated
Cost/day $75 ($1 Billion)
Race
– White 35%
– Black 57%
– Other 8%
• Recidivism 37% / 3 Yr
• Gender
– 80% Male
– 20% Female
John & Charles Wesley
• William Morgan & Castle Prison 1729
• There begun Prison outreach which preceded John’s
Aldersgate 1738
• There begun their understanding of prevenient grace
• John was led “without previous design” to declare to nine
prisoners the night before their execution “God willeth all
men to be saved” after which they fell to their knees and
wrestled in mighty prayer and joy was visible on their
faces
• Here they confirmed that God’s grace could transform
them as well as the most wretched of persons
NC Dept of Juvenile Justice
and
Delinquency Prevention
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C.A. Dillon YDC, Butner
Dobbs YDC, Kinston
Jackson YDC, Concord
Samarkand YDC, Eagle Springs
Swannanoa YDC, Swannanoa
• DOC MAP
Frequent Crimes
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Drug Possession
Assault
Larceny
DWI
Breaking & Entering
Traffic
Robbery
Sexual Offense
Fraud
Drug Trafficking
Habitual Felon
Murder/Manslaughter
Possession of Firearm/Weapon
20%
11%
11%
10%
9%
6%
5%
5%
4%
3%
3%
3%
3%
NC Dept of Correction
41,000
NC Dept of Correction
41,000
30,000
NC Dept of Correction
30,000
41,000
30,000
NC Dept of Correction
19,000
41,000
11,000
37% Recidivism
30,000
Committee on Prison Ministry
Ministry Areas
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Juvenile Offence Prevention / Intervention
Inmate Ministry (Direct / Inside)
Reentry support
Family Ministry (inmate)
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Victim Support
Chaplains/ Prison Staff Support & Encouragement
Legislative Reform / Alternatives
Volunteer Recruitment / Training
Existing Prison Ministry Support
New Ministry Discovery / Support
Innovative funding
Matthew 25
The Sheep and the Goats
31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in
heavenly glory.
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a
shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your
inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to
drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you
came to visit me.'
Hebrews 3
Concluding Exhortations
1 Keep on loving each other as brothers.
2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without
knowing it.
3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if
you yourselves were suffering.
REENTRY SUPPORT
“Here we come - Ready or Not”
Back to our neighborhoods
• Cost of incarceration / Weak Economy
• Legislature may opt for a Early Release Program
in order to lower cost
Prison Ministry Details
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Disciple Bible Outreach Ministries
MATCH (Inside + Children)
Yokefellow Prison Ministry of NC (Inside)
Epiphany Ministries (Inside/+Youth )
Community Success Initiative (Inside/Outside-Reentry)
Capital Restorative Justice Project (Victim Restoration)
Prison Fellowship
Kairos
• Leslie’s Doc
NCCUMC.ORG/CJAMM
Prison Chaplains in the NC Conference
• William Hoyle
• Neil Smith
• Berry Taylor
Federal Prison (Butner, NC)
• Joan Purcell
NCCIW (MATCH)
McCain CH
Pasquotank CI
Prisons, Prisoners & Ex-offenders
• Await the church’s commitment to
– engaging in ministries with the poor
– expressions of radical hospitality
• Prisons are concentration camps for the poor
• Prisons are outside the comfort zone for many church
members who worship in our churches on Sunday
2008 The Seven Pathways
1)
2)
3)
4)
Transforming existing congregations.
Developing new congregations
Strengthening clergy and lay leadership.
Teaching the Wesleyan model of forming
disciples of Jesus Christ
5) Reaching and transforming the lives of the
children.
6) Eliminating poverty in community with the poor.
7) Expanding racial / ethnic ministries.
2008 The Seven Pathways
1)
2)
3)
4)
Transforming existing congregations.
Developing new congregations
Strengthening clergy and lay leadership.
Teaching the Wesleyan model of forming
disciples of Jesus Christ
5) Reaching and transforming the lives of the
children.
6) Eliminating poverty in community with the poor.
7) Expanding racial / ethnic ministries.
Major Points
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History
Current Members
How many Prison Chaplains
How many programs
Mass Exodus facing NC Reentry
Funding $ curve / guidelines
Measurable results
Testimony
Our History
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( DBOM )
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Changes
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Mission Today
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Closing
- 1988 Mandate / Fulfillment of scripture / Wesleyan tradition
How CJAMM has fulfilled the mission since 1991
Ministries we have touched
Joint Conference efforts
Guidelines used for:
Congregational awareness / education / support / encouragement
Focus ministries guidelines PIE Chart
- Brief comparison of what is was and what it is NOW
Prison/jail population /Justice trends etc
- ReThink this Ministry and our Methods
ReThink our priorities
Fields of opportunity today
Methods WEB Tools http://nccumc.org/cjamm
- Revitalize our spirit Tie into Seven pathways
Promote and Utilize our resources
Council of Bishops initiatives
Our Council of Bishops initiatives
Resources such as
"I WAS IN PRISON" and how CJAMM is promoting book
a 3 minute testimony from an Inmate =====>video clip
Status Today / Goals for Tomorrow
• Status Today
– Recognizing our Weaknesses
– Rethinking our Methods
• Consider Measurable Results
• Greater use of Technology
• Continued presence in Districts
– Revitalizing our Spirit
• Map to Seven Pathways
– Seeking Council of Others
• Reading our Bishops messages
– Wesleyan tradition
• Goals for Tomorrow
– Teaming with connectional
resources
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Academy for Leadership
Missions & Justice
Bd of Laity & Ordained Ministry
Multicultural Ministry
UMW & UMM
– Preparing for Greater Opportunity
via Goal Setting & Intense Focus
• Study of current writings:
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“I Was In Prison”
“Changing Paradigms”
• Increase % congregational
involvement each year
• Create a Criminal Recovery
support plan to address
Recidivism / Reentry
Notes
• Opening prayer
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As we are gathered hear at your Church
Help us to focus on YOUR will . The CENTER of your will
Lord I am unworthy to stand before your people
Help me remove my pride and humble myself so that I may see the
vision of your true WILL for your people here assembled and this
ministry
Big / Little Things
• Life is full of Big things and Little things
– Ministry is the same
More often than not the little things we’re able to do make far
more impact on our world than the seemingly BIG things
Remember those in prison via prayers / cards / letters
Pray for those in prison . . . inmates, volunteers and staff
Pray for the victims of crime who are left to survive the memory
Pray for those who are rebuilding their lives after incarceration
• We all like our comfort zone
• It’s not about knowledge / It’s all about relationship
• Knowing about Jesus versus A relationship with Jesus
1991 North Carolina Annual
Conference
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Committee Formation with 12 Appointed
One person from each of the 12 Districts
Met once each quarter
Met in prisons all across the conference
Each member chose to champion a different
- In Prison
- Victim support
- Youthful Offenders
- Women / Mothers
- Legislative Reform / Alternatives
Rockingham Prisons/Church
Involvement
• List of Prisons in and near District
– Need Leslie’s input HERE some are in SC ?
– DOC MAP
• Jump to Conference Resource Guide to
show Church activities
– Need Leslie’s input HERE where she knows
Rockingham district is active but NOT listed in
the Conference Resource Guide
• Drug Possession
Drug Possession