Jail, anyone?

It is not every day that your presbytery asks you to go to jail. Of course, we are not recommending that you go through the court system; what we want is to send you as an ambassador for Christ. Jesus sets a pretty strong precedent for visiting those in prison and we are asking you to think seriously about becoming a jail volunteer. Kiskiminetas Presbytery has a Prison Task Force which has been meeting for a couple of months to talk about developing a ministry to the new State Correctional Institution in Indiana called SCI/Pine Grove. But if you live in the northern part of the county, there are local prisons and other regional state facilities as well which are also in need of volunteers. Our goal is to help congregations develop jail ministries in all of our Kiski communities.

Admittedly, going to jail even as a volunteer is a scary proposition. You are asked to fill out forms and give them a name of someone if there is an emergency while you are at the jail. It means that you will have to pass a clearance which will indicate that you have no criminal history. Traffic tickets don't count. Then there is the sound of the steel gates clanging shut behind you.

But if you can get past the intimidating parts, a wealth of ministry opportunities awaits you. Ninety five per cent of incarcerated women are victims of some form of sexual assault. Many of the young men who will be at Pine Grove can't read at all. Most have never had a relationship with someone who cares about them as human beings. The good part of being a jail volunteer is that you are able to touch the life of someone whose life is broken and painful. A volunteer isn't someone who is paid to be there, and that in itself means a lot. There are basically three ways you can be a volunteer. You can be a part of the organized jail activities by serving as a tutor or an assistant to their activities. Secondly, you can organize a Bible Study or some program you would like to start on your own. Finally, a volunteer can participate in seasonal things, like a Christmas party or Easter service.

The Prison Task Force of Kiskiminetas Presbytery asks you to prayerfully consider becoming a part of our prison ministry. Please join us. On behalf of those who are just beginning in this ministry, I ask you to at least think about the possibilities. If you have any questions, you can contact Elizabeth Rogers by email or phone at 724-463-9197 or Tim Monroe  by email or at 724-397-8693.