Happy 40th birthday to Prison Fellowship!

It’s said that life begins at 40. Yet, thanks to God’s faithfulness, PF has already achieved so much in the transformation of prisoners’ lives since they were founded by Sylvia Mary Alison in 1979.

Join them and their special guests on the afternoon of Saturday 30th March at Westminster Chapel, London to celebrate the past 40 years, and look forward with anticipation to the future of our ministry to prisoners in England and Wales.

Register your attendance through our Eventbrite page. This is a free un-ticketed event, but registering will help them to plan how much cake to buy!

Find out more about the event and the contributors who will be part of it here.

Revd Bob Wilson SECRETARY FOR PRISON CHAPLAINCY AND FREE CHURCHES FAITH ADVISER will be there along with many other friends of PF and fellow workers.

“Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison.”— Hebrews 13:3

Photo by Jason Leung @ Unsplash

Freedom on the inside to flourish on the outside

Freedom to learn and study while in prison can have a significant impact to the lives of prisoners while serving their sentence and to productive lives after release…

Good news?! There was a rare positive piece of prison news last week, as government research into prison education showed that prisoners who spend their time studying through distance learning are significantly more successful in securing work after release. The cost of funding prison education courses is tiny when compared with the cost of re-offending.

During my pastoral ministry training, with a Free Church denomination (CF) I had the privilege of serving alongside a prison chaplain in Gloucestershire. The work I did there and the amazing people I met, had a profound influence on my life, Christian witness and attitudes to life, learning and love. As the Education Assistant with the FCG, I have seen first hand the power of learning in later life, to transform all sorts of people. As church-folk, we have a unique and awesome responsibility to find ways of contributing to this.

What could you do? Please feel free to get in touch with me or Revd Bob Wilson at FCG to find out more about how you can get involved. 

The Free Churches Group support prisons and Free Church chaplaincies across the nation. You can read more about this work HERE. In a compelling article, Rod Clarke, the chief executive of the Prisoners’ Education Trust, champions the power of learning inside, to help men and women who are serving time to grow and develop and flourish on release. You can read the full article as featured in the Times Educational Supplement HERE.

Good news indeed! 

Revd Sara Iles, Education Assistant, Free Churches Group 

(Photo courtesy of Sunyu on Unsplash)

Restoring hope through restorative justice

Have you come across the Sycamore Tree project which is run as part of the Prison Fellowship’s work?

Sycamore Tree is a volunteer-led victim awareness programme that teaches the principles of restorative justice. It is taught in prisons in groups of up to 20 learners, over a 6-week period. Learners on the programme explore the effects of crime on victims, offenders, and the wider community, and discuss what it would mean to take responsibility for their personal actions.

Perhaps you could pray at your church for the work of volunteers who support the Sycamore Tree?

Perhaps there are events and activities you and your church could get involved with?

The Free Churches Group support chaplains working across prisons in England and Wales - you can read more about this important work HERE

From the Prison Fellowship website: Not everyone is able to volunteer and visit prisoners. But everyone can pray. Sylvia Mary Alison wrote in her memoir:

“In our prayer imagination, we can enter any prison in the world, and visit Christ in prisoners there… It is Christ who beckons us into the darkest of the world’s jails. Will you cooperate with our Lord in building his house, from the ground floor up, by marching into every prison of the world in prayer?” – Sylvia Mary Alison

Photo credit Erik Holm, from Unsplash

A week of prayer for prisons

For over forty years now, Prisons Week has prepared prayer literature to enable the Christian community, through individuals and churches, to pray for the needs of all those affected by prisons: prisoners and their families, victims of crime and their communities, those working in the criminal justice system and the many people who are involved in caring for those affected by crime on the inside and outside of our prisons. This year, Prisons Week will be between 13-20 October.

FCG are committed to supporting and encouraging Free Church chaplains across prisons in England and Wales. You can read more about the work of the FCG in this important area HERE.

You can sign up for the receive email prayers HERE

Make a note in your church diary now for the Prisons Week prayers and activities… 13th - 20th October…

And why not encourage your worship leaders and house groups to share this prayer throughout the year?

Lord, you offer freedom to all people.
We pray for those in prison.
Break the bonds of fear and isolation that exist.
Support with your love prisoners and their families and friends,
prison staff and all who care.
Heal those who have been wounded by the activities
of others, especially the victims of crime.
Help us to forgive one another.
To act justly, love mercy and walk humbly together with Christ
in His strength and in His Spirit, now and every day. Amen.

(Prayer from Prisons Week website)

Forty years faithful

The Prison Fellowship of England and Wales was set up in 1979. Since then they have been working with prisoners, showing the love of Christ to those in prison and their families.

PF’s mission is to show Christ’s love to prisoners by coming alongside them and supporting them. We seek through prayer and practical care to help, support and develop a Christian ministry to prisoners and their families.

They do this through their network of volunteers, and have over 2,500 volunteers. They are currently involved with almost all of the 120 prisons in England and Wales.

Your church can get involved HERE.

To celebrate this anniversary there will be a special event at Westminster Abbey on 30th March (2-4pm) - Rev Bob Wilson of the FCG will be there and many others - you can reserve your place HERE.

The FCG support chaplaincy across prisons and you can read more about our vital work in this field HERE.