Prison Ministry

www.pcusa.org/peacemaking/network/hudson.htm  this is how one judicatory is helping its congregations connect to ongoing ministry at Sing-Sing in NY.  I know congregation members who have participated in the Rehabilitation through the Arts program and they have that “eyes lighting up” thing happen when they talk about how their lives have been changed and how the men in Sing-sing have responded to this ministry.
www.etcny.org/  this organization was founded by clergy and former inmates.  A really good model and one that multiplies.  When I was in Yonkers, they approached our congregation to support a spin-off group because a large number of men had been relocated to our neighborhood over the years.  There wasn’t enough energy for us to take that on, but I know they have had a great deal of success.
The Yokefellow Prison ministry is another way to start by having a relationship with people who are in prison. Here the people in the county prison tend to be people from our area, and crimes are less serious. I think that is a good place to start.


From our forums

I'm a bit later getting in on this having been offline this week.  I'm
currently in a prison chaplaincy placement from college.  We have various
groups come in to lead worship etc on the Sunday but not all seem to grasp
a deeper understanding of prison life day to day and what that does to and
with you, (some groups don't even receive communion with the prisons just
sitting back so much for incarnational ministry but that's another gripe
and off the point!)

I think it is so easy to assume stuff without really understanding adn I
know I had a heap of misunderstandings and fears about being sent to the
prison.  I believe that to help people on the out the starting place
should be to look inside - to see what has shaped their lives and days for
the past however long.  It would also enable relationships to be built up
with the resettlement and probation type services to work in conjunction -
which as well as making connections with the (ex-)inmates enables
connections with the workers too.

I assume you have a Chaplaincy service in the prisons over there arranging
for people to meet with them and spend some time working with prisoners on
the inside will equip people to help them on the out (not to mention being
able to interpret the officialdom shorthand!)

All the best with the setting up of a project - wait to hear how it
progresses...