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Permalink Reply by Jim Wilson on 8th mo. 14, 2009 at 9:38am

I was a Prison Chaplain in the past, so based on that experience I suspect there are a number of obstacles for Quakers in terms of prison ministry (I wasn't a Quaker at the time I was a Chaplain). My experience is that the prison system requires credentials from a Chaplain, Minister, Priest, Rabbi, Imam, etc., such as official documents from the religious institution that a Chaplain is a part of. For some unprogrammed Quakers, and Quaker traditions in which there are no official ministers, this could be a problem. If someone felt a leading for prison ministry there would need to be a way to officially acknowledge that leading, to document it with some kind of paperwork, in order for the prison system to allow that ministry in the prison itself. I think this could be done, but an actual recognition of this on paper, sponsored by something like a Yearly Meeting, is, I think, what is necessary.

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Permalink Reply by David Carl on 8th mo. 14, 2009 at 11:20am

I would hope what's going on here is that Quaker process is often slow -- exacerbated by a mostly-volunteer organizational structure -- and that someone in the contacted meetings is indeed working on this. That however would not explain the lack of a reply to these Friends' inquiries. The courtesy of an acknowledgment that their letter has been received (at the very least) would seem to be in order.

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Permalink Reply by Faye M. Chapman on 8th mo. 14, 2009 at 11:30am

My thanks to David and Jim for timely help here. I hope to contact William Geary of NJ who has in the past helped with a Friends group in prison there. Ohio Yearly Meeting received epistles from some of the group at one time and we did correspond a bit. I don't see why a pastoral group would have trouble with credentials to help. Those of us who are non-pastoral can get authorized minutes from the various levels of our YM to authenticate leadings and gifts. I do not know how difficult the various political/social systems see these arrangements. I will offer a brief reply to WQF to send to this Friend and perhaps, way will open, for some more satisfactory work to be done.

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Permalink Reply by David Carl on 8th mo. 14, 2009 at 11:40am

Faye,

Hope you'll keep us posted. I'd be interested to know how this turns out.

Blessings,

David

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Permalink Reply by Weavre Cooper on 8th mo. 21, 2009 at 7:31am

It would help to know the type of prison facility in which the letter writer resides, and in what state (?) it's located. Regulatory requirements differ tremendously from location to location. Generally speaking, however, US prisoners retain their freedom of religion, and are allowed reasonable contact and spiritual support from outside organizations associated with their faith.

Our meeting (North Branch Friends, in Northeastern Pennsylvania) maintained an outreach ministry at a local prison for quite some time, until about a year ago when the Friend who led it felt the need to lay down this responsibility. We were challenged a few years ago by a prisoner's request for membership in our monthly meeting. Because he will be incarcerated for the rest of his life, we had many things to discuss in considering his request for membership. Could he actively participate in the life of our meeting? Could we really promise to support him adequately? We did finally accept him as a member of meeting, even while acknowledging that almost all contact with him would be through letter-writing, at least for most of our other members. I'm glad our meeting includes him, even though I've only met him through his gentle written words and drawings.

To respond more directly to your question ... I think that the most important thing is that messages you receive from the prison group receive some response as immediately as possible, even if that response can't contain actual answers yet. Invite the prisoners to help explore possible solutions with you; they're likely to perceive ways to overcome challenges that might not occur to people less intimately familiar with the realities of their daily lives and the rules that regulate them. Be honest and straightforward in saying, "We're concerned about ___ because we don't know how to _______," and let the people who wrote you share their insights. Engage in dialogue, seeking to speak with "the Christ within" each prisoner just as you would with any other Seeker. Remember that for these particular Seekers, sending out their letters must feel a bit like sending out messages in bottles from deserted islands, and hearing back any reply at all, even just, "We read your words, take them seriously, and are figuring out how to respond," may be a great comfort.

I wish you and them the best, and will hold you in the Light.

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Permalink Reply by Faye M. Chapman on 8th mo. 22, 2009 at 5:19am

Thanks so much for the kind and clear posting, Weavre. I have sent off an answer to this fellow's concern and have had a good "opportunity" with Bill Geary of NJ who has done Friendly prison ministy for years. He is going to touch bases with Friends in NC and in FL who might be able to raise up some more localized friendship for these fellows. The Quaker world is large and literate. We ought to be able to nurture the lonely and forgotten at least by correspondence. It seems important to me to encourage the sharing of the testimonies of these men that Christ is lifting them even in their isolation and seeming abandonment. If any out there in cyber space feels to get more personally involved, please let me know. Meanwhile, we might consider that there is no little "grace" involved in our being so free and their incarceration.

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Permalink Reply by Alice Bejnar on 9th mo. 5, 2009 at 6:14pm

My husband and I are member and attender at Tallahassee Friends Meeting. The Friends Meeting in the prison sounds very much like the group which we became aware of about 6-8 weeks ago. Since that time we have been very actively exchanging letters with the man who is the founder of the group as well as emails and phone calls with the very supportive chaplain. We brought the concern to TFM's worship, ministry and oversight committee at the end of July. We, and perhaps another Tallahassee Friend, are proceeding by planning to attend the prison volunteer training on 9/14, a week from today! We sent a package of books and pamphlets from the FGC bookstore for the religious library at the prison which they have received. We are looking forward with great joy to meeting and worshipping with the Friends and attenders in this prison.

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Permalink Reply by Faye M. Chapman on 9th mo. 6, 2009 at 7:04am

Alice and Friends there in FLA. I am very happy and feel truly blessed that you are responding to this concern. I have trusted that the Lord would be in this concern for His children and am delighted that we have been able to use so modern a medium to follow His work. I pray that all of us who follow this thread will be encouraged. There are many places in this world today where there seems to be no evidence that the living Christ is among us, it is wonderful to see that we might be limited in our vision at times.

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