Faith Communities

FAITH BASED PRISON MINISTRY INFORMATION

Faith communities play an important role in the social fabric of all communities, and represent a particularly powerful resource for supporting the needs of vulnerable children and families. They fill critical gaps in resources and services and often are available to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Because they are local institutions embedded in the history and fabric of communities, they often have a better understanding of neighborhood needs than public or private service providers. As a result, families -- particularly those most at-risk -- often place more trust in faith-based organizations than they do in virtually any other community institution.

ML King quote: “If today's church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century.” Board member Rev. Ronald Nix states: Churches must go beyond its four walls and boundaries.

This information is specific to churches and faith communities, designed to strengthen your outreach to those persons either incarcerated, or after care services to those returning to the community. There are many models already in place that can further your outreach, without reinventing the wheel. NWPP would be pleased to assist churches in finding the model best for your congregations, as well as place information on the website to further your knowledge. For information regarding bible study inside of correctional facilities - contact the Chaplain at the specific correctional facility.

Prison Fellowship VIP Training

The Prison Fellowship Curriculum can be brought to your church and taught for groups of 15 persons and up. Contact Rev. Keith Carter if interested @ kraycarter@verizon.net

Healing Communities Curriculum

“What Shall We Then Do?” An Annie Casey model to instruct the church on prison ministry. This guide, developed in partnership with the Progressive National Baptist Convention, illuminates the Healing Communities model. This model seeks to engage congregations in restoration and healing people in their own congregations who have been affected by crime and incarceration. It does this by transforming hearts and minds, creating a sense of welcome inclusion, reducing stigma and shame, and building networks of support that start in houses of worship and expand to the community at large. Freedom Kit available on line to download at: www.aecf.org under other Special Interest Areas - Faith Based Initiatives. NWPP provides training for this curriculum for Baltimore Based churches. Contact Frieda @ (410) 233-3385 or natwomensprisonprojectinc@yahoo.com for information on the next class.

Celebrate Recovery!

Celebrate Recovery® desires to be a network of like-minded, Bible based Christ centered recovery ministries. This growing network crosses denominational and cultural boundaries to help hurting people in our church and community. It is a biblical and balanced program to help people overcome their hurts, habits and hang-ups, based on the teachings of Jesus. More information can be found at www.celebraterecovery.org

Contact Pastor Handel O. Smith - Celebrate Recovery Inside, MD. State Representative Hsmith@wininlife.com or Pastor Robbie Davis, Lead Pastor - Celebration Church in Columbia, MD - 6080 Foreland Garth, Columbia, MD 21045 (410) 997-2088.

Just Faith Matters

The Just Faith Matters module, Prison Reform: Church of the Second Chance, consists of six sessions, although groups are encouraged to add an immersion experience as a seventh session. Each session is 2 ½ hours in length. The title comes from the book, The Church of the Second Chance, by the module developer, Jens Soering. Soering is an inmate who has written three other books while in prison, including the award winning The Convict Christ. For more information, contact David Horvath (david@justfaith.org) or Mary Wright (mary@justfaith.org)

2010 CAPA - Christian Association of Prison Aftercare

Welcome to Christian Association for Prison Aftercare (CAPA) Networking Prison Aftercare Providers. The vision of CAPA is to become recognized as a vital national resource for non-profit organizations and churches that serve prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families by 2009. We are very excited to be able to provide resources on our web site so that useful information is available to you 7 days a week, 24 hours a day! Go to www.capaassociation.org for additional information to include annual conference locations.