ON East Regional Newsletter
Transcription
ON East Regional Newsletter
ONTARIO EAST REGIONAL NEWSLETTER March 2016 Staff Appreciation barbeque for the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre (Nov 2015) Tony Kiar Regional Representative, ON East Prison Fellowship Canada Prison Fellowship Canada (Headoffice) 5945 Airport Road, Suite 144 Mississauga, ON L4V1R9 E: tony@prisonfellowship.ca T: 613-572-1011 www.prisonfellowship.ca E: info@prisonfellowship.ca T:1-844-618-5867 REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS 2015 Ottawa - Volunteer Orientation - May 9 Central Canada District Conference 2015 - July PFC Orientation - Kingston - Sept 22 Ottawa Civic Prayer Breakfast – Oct 30 Bells on Bank Street Ottawa – Nov 11 Ottawa Carleton Staff Appreciation BBQ – Nov 25 2016 Ottawa Prayer and Share Time - Jan 11 Kingston Luncheon for Chaplains - Jan 15 Brockville After Care Training - Jan 16 Bells on Bank Street - Ottawa On November 19, 2015, PFC’s Executive Director & CEO, Stacey Campbell spoke about prison ministry at the Bells on Bank Street Business Leader’s Breakfast in Ottawa. The purpose of the event was to showcase the work of Jesus through PFC and invite local CEO’s to join us in prison on volunteer week in April of 2016. Stacey also spoke of our Angel Tree Christmas program and encouraged business leaders to be mindful of the needs of incarcerated people and their families. pg 1 UPDATES OCDC Staff BBQ Prison Fellowship Canada was part of the cooking team at Chaplain Carl Wake’s Staff Appreciation barbeque for the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre. The Staff Appreciation BBQ was held on Wednesday November 25, 2015 and it was an outstanding success. Calendars were also distributed to staff at this time and were much appreciated. Prison Fellowship in the Brockville Jail Kevin Casselman is the interim PFC Chapter Director for Brockville. Services are held each week that consists of 2 groups, 2-3pm and 3-4pm with a maximum of 6 inmates per group. This number varies week to week. Services consist of music, Bible based talks and sharing. Since each group has its own leader, styles may vary in the structure of the service. We meet in a very small space and since Brockville houses mostly those facing remands and sentenced, security covers up to and including max, the different cell blocks and dorms can’t be mixed. Prison Fellowship in Kingston Prison Fellowship has given two orientation training sessions to people interested in prison ministry. One session was held on September 22, 2015 at the Salvation Army Kingston Citadel. The other was held on October 28, 2015 at the Roblin Wesleyan Church, just north of Napanee. The sessions covered: PFC history, mission and values, overview of PFC Program, local opportunities and expectations of volunteers. Momentum is building in Kingston. Chaplain’s Appreciation Luncheon On Friday Jan 15, 2016, a Chaplains’ luncheon was held at local restaurant for all the Kingston Area Chaplains. This event was hosted by Prison Fellowship Canada in appreciation and recognition of the tremendous work Chaplains are providing in the spiritual support and ministry outreach to many inmates. A great time of fellowship and good food was had by all. The luncheon will be held again in December later this year. Prison Fellowship Canada - ON East Regional Newsletter (March 2016) pg 2 Prison Fellowship at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre Dan Powell with his wife Janet are the PFC Chapter Directors for Ottawa. PFC has seven regular volunteers and five volunteers on a standby list. The group meets weekly on Saturday afternoons at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre (OCDC). We can only visit with six inmates in Maximum Security and we have been getting an average of 4 to 6 inmates each visit. Janet Powell has been helping Chaplain Carl Wake with the women’s Alpha program on Mondays. They showed the movie “Matthew” which is one of the gospel movies that Chaplain Carl Wake often shows at Christmas and Easter. It was very well received by the inmates. Thank you Dan and Janet Powell and the Ottawa PFC Chapter for your dedication. The Need for an Aftercare Program A large percentage of those returning to the community at the conclusion of their incarceration do not have the basic components to succeed as responsible citizens. This includes stable housing, stable employment and stable relationships. This puts ex-inmates at a significant disadvantage for reintegrating successfully into community. meeting the ex-offender upon their release and helping them in a more formalized program where teams of 3-4 PFC volunteers surround and support an ex-offender as they regain their place in their family and society. For others, it is providing the ex-offender with some basic resources or connecting him or her to a local church for relational and spiritual support. The mission of Prison Fellowship Canada includes engaging the community to identify and accept these individuals back into the community and to provide opportunities that will serve to reintegrate these individuals in the context of friendship and accountability. This includes connecting ex-offenders to local chapters of PFC volunteers, as well as to partner with churches and other local organizations for community and support. This can take many forms. For some, it is Communities have a key role to play in the successful reintegration of ex-offenders. We believe healing and restoration are able to flourish most among a strong body of believers that are committed to showing Christ’s love. If you’re interested in exploring outreach ministry opportunities please call Tony Kiar Phone: 613.572.1011 or email tony@prisonfellowship.ca TRAINING IN BROCKVILLE On January 16, 2016 , Prison Fellowship Canada and New Life Prison Ministries were pleased to partner together to provide aftercare training for individuals and church communities in the Ottawa/Kingston area. The training included practical tools for ministering to ex-offenders, as well as participation in the innovative ONElife experience which simulates some of the pressures and challenges ex-offenders face within the first 30 days of their release into the community. Prison Fellowship Canada - ON East Regional Newsletter (March 2016) pg 3 ACTIVE PFC CHAPTERS OTTAWA Chapter Director – Dan Powell We have seven (7) regular active PFC volunteers and five (5) volunteers on a standby list. We meet weekly on Saturday afternoons at the Ottawa Carleton Detention Centre (OCDC). Due to OCDC regulations, we can only visit with six (6) inmates in Maximum Security. Since our time with PFC at OCDC, we have had an average of 4 to 6 inmates each time that we visit. BROCKVILLE Chapter Director – Kevin Casselman We have services each week that consist of 2 groups, 2-3pm and 3-4pm with a max of 6 inmates per group. ACTIVE PROGRAMS ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS 111 Children were supported in the Region! • • • • • • 25 - Kingston 13 - Brockville 8 - Inkerman (South of Ottawa) 7 - Newington (South of Ottawa) 18 - Cornwall (South East of Ottawa) 40 - Ottawa Angel Tree Christmas served a over 2,000 children across Canada in 2015. Thank you to churches and individual sponsors! PEN PAL PROGAM 15 Active Ontario East Pen Pals GET INVOLVED! PRAY - Join our national prayer network by subscribing to our monthly prayer calendar. VOLUNTEER • Lead an In-Prison Bible Study • Be an Angel Tree sponsor • • Visit prisoners Become a Pen Pal DONATE You can make a gift online or contact our head office: 1-844-618-5867 PFC’s Canada Revenue Agency charitable registration number is 13105 6848 RR0001 www.prisonfellowship.ca Prison Fellowship Canada - ON East Regional Newsletter (March 2016) pg 4