Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free those who are oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
(Luke 4:18)

Solidarity with and support of prisoners is a Gospel imperative. It was central to Jesus' ministry and as his followers, we accompany Christ's work of "reconciling all things". There are many ways to enter into this work. Here are some ways your congregation can connect:

• Pen Pal Ministries. Writing letters to incarcerated people is one of the easiest and highest-impact ways to provide immediate support for prisoners, learn more about the system, and get involved. If you are interested in creating a pen pal ministry in your congregation, you can connec with Black and Pink and Letters for Liberation, which coordinate pen pal programs.
• Prison Re-Entry Programs. Faith-based prison re-entry programs exist in many states. Congregations can plug in with local organizations to help support of facilitating folks' re-entry post incarceration. For instance, Underground Ministries works with congregations in Washington and Illinois, and is expanding to new areas.

Looking for more? Reach out to Hannah Bowman from Christians for the Abolition of Prisons, or visit their website to learn more.