March 2015
Advocacy

Hearts and Hands of Jesus

Brian Thom, interviews conducted by Lucinda Ashby

There is nothing better than good Episcopal liturgy. To be greeted at the door, have people shake hands, and hear the words, “Welcome. We are so glad you are here!” and then to settle into a well planned Prayer Book service, with good readers, carefully chosen music, and prayers. And then there’s the peace, where everyone present shares in the exchange. There are hugs and smiles and laughter. It feels like family, like home.

The offertory anthem begins, and the six-person choir sings in four-part harmony. The voices rise and fall and the 20-member congregation is treated to a Latin rendition of a Mozart favorite, carefully arranged by a choir member. The male voices are perfectly in tune. God is glorified in their music. And yes, there are only male voices in this choir, for this is the congregation at the Snake River Correctional Institution (SRCI), outside of Ontario, Oregon. The congregation of 20 men has been meeting in some form for many years, and more recently, it has become an outreach of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Payette [Idaho]. Every Saturday evening, the blue-denim congregation sets up for service in a cinder-block classroom, in a complex that sits atop a very windy hill, beneath a tower. Surrounded by several layers of barbed wire, all who enter undergo extensive security checks and are carefully screened.

But none of this deters Lee and Charlie Manning. Because of their determination and energy, the Episcopal ministry at SRCI has become revitalized, and it has become more than a simple Saturday evening chapel service. Lee and Charlie coordinate and train the worship team (the men of the prison) once a month, provide pastoral care for inmates who request it, and arrive early to take communion to a man, a lifelong Episcopalian, who is in solitary confinement. There is now an Education for Ministry class (EFM) at SRCI, with 11 students, including two from St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Emmett. This new class is in its sixth week, and participants represent three of the four years of EFM.

Charlie and Lee are also committed to making connections to other Episcopal parishes in Eastern Oregon, so that when the men are released, they will have a church to attend and a community to gather them in. Mike, an inmate close to release, says that he was surprised to learn that while on vacation, the Mannings took a detour in order to make contact with the Episcopal church that Mike plans to attend.

When asked, the men describe this ministry as “family.” Kevin, one of the inmates said, “This is the family I always wanted.” Other men around him nodded in agreement. They talked about their relationship with Charlie and Lee, and mentioned that their faithfulness to this ministry brings hope to the men. Mike smiled and said thoughtfully, that the faith of the Mannings is childlike, for they simply will do anything to make this ministry succeed, and to his surprise, Lee and Charlie really believe “the Lord will make a way for things that they are trying to do.”

Scott said that, although the men are “not in Kansas anymore,” around Lee and Charlie, it seems as though it is Kansas; it is home. The inmates talked about the fact that the Mannings care about each and every inmate—as individuals. John, who is Lee’s age, said that he and Lee share common conversations about the ailments of aging. Scott said, that for him, the best part of the ministry is the fact that the Mannings will make extra appointments to visit so that they can meet one on one with prisoners. “They listen,” he said, “and they give good advice, just what you need to hear.”

When the Mannings arrive, they bring with them the news and prayers of the people of St. James’. Mike remarked that the whole congregation at the prison feels connected to the whole congregation at Payette—and to the people in the diocese. Inmates hear news about the Food Bank and the Holiday Bazaar in Payette. Each member of the SRCI congregation receives the Idaho Episcopalian, and they know about the major events in the diocese.

Because of the commitment of the Mannings and St. James’, the men of SRCI have hope. They believe that God loves them, and cares for them, even while they are in exile. They are learning about each other, and about being a worshipping community, and they are grateful for everything that comes their way. The inmates asked that you know this: Lee and Charlie, as an extension of St. James’, Payette, are constant, humble, and honest people, faithfully serving God. They are so very grateful for the gift of Lee and Charlie Manning in their lives.

This article first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of the Idaho Episcopalian and is reprinted with permission. (Scroll to page 6)

Brian Thom is bishop of the Episcopal Church in Idaho and Lucinda Ashby is canon to the ordinary and diocesan transition minister.

Try This: Experience the impact an unexpected Advent service at SRCI had on inmate Steve Bulleit through this letter he wrote to Katharine Jefferts Schori, presiding bishop of The Episcopal Church. Do your remember a time when you experienced the extraordinary rising out of the ordinary? Was Jesus present in that moment?

This letter is shared with permission.

Resources:

  • “Hardwire,” a 38-minute documentary profiling the Religious Services unit of the Oregon Department of Corrections, designed to acquaint viewers with the value and scope of the Religious Services unit

Don't miss an issue of Vestry Papers! Sign up for your free subscription here.

SRCI Christmas Story by Steve Bulleit

This article is part of the March 2015 Vestry Papers issue on Advocacy
Save Issue