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Dear Friends,
I’m writing this from a hotel room in Newport, Arkansas. This afternoon, twenty-seven volunteers gathered at the Cobblestone Hotel and traveled to the McPherson Women’s Correctional Facility to meet thirty female inmates who will experience Kairos this week. Tonight, we met our “ladies in white” for the first time. We shared basic information – our names and our hometowns. The volunteers shared where we worship which is very diverse. While United Methodists are in the majority, we also have women who our Southern Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Catholic, Anglican, and Church of Christ.
The participants (inmates) shared something about their families. Most are mothers and some are grandmothers. They told us about their responsibilities at McPherson and why they wanted to participate. For the next three days, we will spend ten hours a day listening to presentations (mini sermons about the Trinity, grace, and forgiveness). I’m the only ordained clergy here so I must tell you how much I appreciate you allowing me to be here. Watching the Holy Spirit at work is amazing.
Thank you to all those who signed up to pray for this weekend. Those colored sheets you signed are cut into strips and made into a prayer chain. Tomorrow, I will be giving a clergy talk about how we are never alone. Not only has God promised to be with us but we are there, praying for each other. Now imagine how it must feel to be separated from your children and family. Everything you do is controlled and monitored. You may think no one cares, then you find out people that you do not know are praying for you.
One of the things our Lunch and Learn wanted to emphasize is visitation to our homebound and nursing homes. We added a volunteer sign-up in the Commons Room on the second floor. Please sign-up. We can all do something to serve God next year!
Grace and peace,
Beth
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