James Blackstock
27-06-2007, 03:36 PM
I have been involved in Prison Ministry for some time and I would love to hear some feedback from some at this forum. I have, until recently, been involved with Kairos International. This is an Evangelical Ministry that is roughly modeled after Crusillo. We bring a short course on Christianity to the inmates and then support the "inside Kairos community" I have been very uncomfortable in prayer with the non-orthodox and the general approach of my teamates and pray about it constantly. I am the only Orthodox person involved in the ministry in all of N.E Florida. Sometimes, I feel like we Orthodox are missing in action! Many of my own teamates ask me if I am saved or if my church preaches Jesus? (very disheartening!)
Just recently, I discovered a priest from an Antiochian Orthodox Church about an hour and a half South of me who has been bringing communion into a local prison there. I was able to accompany him last week and I was amazed and delighted at the experience. There were 25 Orthodox prisoners there, 5 catechumens present. The priest (my new hero!) is even scheduling some upcoming Baptisims and Chrismations. This whole experience has really strengthened my Faith that this can happen in other institutions. This priest informed me that this is an official ministry of the Antiochian Church and that the Metropolitan layed down some guidelines in his initial approach to the prison system. As I understand them, they are as follows; No Orthodox ministry can take place in the prison unless an ordained clergyman is present. This presents some real problems...The prisoners cannot meet together for prayer at anytime and of course I cannot minister as I am not ordained.
I am a member of a Greek Orthodox Church whose practice is that if one is over 50 years old (I am 65) then ordination to the deaconate is out of the question. In addition to this, my church is not really open to this kind of ministry. I have asked for prayer support for some of our Kairos weelends and have been turned down because it is not an Orthodox ministry. I seem to be caught in a catch 22 and really don't know where to go from here. Of course I can continue to accompany the Antiochian Priest into the little prison in his community but my heart breaks for the men in the big maximum security prisons and death row inmates (there are 360 inmates on the death row)
I need some advice, prayer, encouragement and maybe some direction. I pray that if I have posted this in the wrong place, that the moderators will forgive me and place it in the correct area.
INXC,
James
Just recently, I discovered a priest from an Antiochian Orthodox Church about an hour and a half South of me who has been bringing communion into a local prison there. I was able to accompany him last week and I was amazed and delighted at the experience. There were 25 Orthodox prisoners there, 5 catechumens present. The priest (my new hero!) is even scheduling some upcoming Baptisims and Chrismations. This whole experience has really strengthened my Faith that this can happen in other institutions. This priest informed me that this is an official ministry of the Antiochian Church and that the Metropolitan layed down some guidelines in his initial approach to the prison system. As I understand them, they are as follows; No Orthodox ministry can take place in the prison unless an ordained clergyman is present. This presents some real problems...The prisoners cannot meet together for prayer at anytime and of course I cannot minister as I am not ordained.
I am a member of a Greek Orthodox Church whose practice is that if one is over 50 years old (I am 65) then ordination to the deaconate is out of the question. In addition to this, my church is not really open to this kind of ministry. I have asked for prayer support for some of our Kairos weelends and have been turned down because it is not an Orthodox ministry. I seem to be caught in a catch 22 and really don't know where to go from here. Of course I can continue to accompany the Antiochian Priest into the little prison in his community but my heart breaks for the men in the big maximum security prisons and death row inmates (there are 360 inmates on the death row)
I need some advice, prayer, encouragement and maybe some direction. I pray that if I have posted this in the wrong place, that the moderators will forgive me and place it in the correct area.
INXC,
James