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Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

What a wonderful and blessed time we had last Saturday at our first annual Onesimus Ministries benefit breakfast.  Excellent food, lively fellowship, inspiring updates from our chaplains, and 9 people took home a treasure from the silent auction.  We met several goals that were set as we shifted from our one big annual event to several, smaller events spread throughout the county.  One big goal was to get the word out to new people in our communities about what God is accomplishing through this ministry in Chester County prison. More than half the attendees (47) have not been previously connected with the ministry. Another goal was to engage more closely with our partner churches – the Pastors, Staff, and volunteers at Waterway church were so gracious and absolutely amazing!

The final goal was to maintain our budget with these smaller events, and God abundantly provided financial resources through the generosity of his people.  It’s amazing and kind-of fun to see God working inside the prison through our chaplains and volunteers, and outside the prison through all our supporters – He is so good!  Thanks be to God for all of you and your ongoing support through prayer and other means.  Your partnership is the lifeblood of our ministry continuing to do God’s will in and around the prison – hearts on all sides are being changed!

We pray for God’s guidance and blessing as we continue planning our next event – an evening of inspirational music at our first annual benefit concert at Grace Covenant Church in Exton on Friday, May 16.

Grace and Peace,

Rick

Prayer Requests from last Thursday (12:00 Chapel Service, plus Inmate 1-1 sessions):

• Kenneth– a guy I know in jail (Skee) is a Muslim gentlemen with stage 4 colon cancer and given 2 months to live.  Pray for his family and that he comes to know Jesus.  Also pray for my desire to read the Bible more.
• Mikhail– my daughter (Serena).
• Javier– my family.
• Manuel– for my family and everyone here.
• Bradley– my court case got moved back, pray it all goes well.

Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):

• Travis– been going through some spiritual harassment, need forgiveness for being persuaded to follow the wrong path. [we assured him all those in Christ are forgiven]
• Joel– my legal situation, my kid, everyone in here, and just for my life.
• John– that God would return us to our families soon.
• Jon– family, forgiveness, strength, all of us to go home, leniency in our cases, and for wisdom and understanding.
• Tim– family, recent loss of my father, my legal situation and to have patience with it, and give my family strength.  My case went south, pray that my appeal works out.
• Drake– freedom from sin, and protection from sinners. Thankful for wisdom from God, His guidance, and pray not to be influenced by worldly things and people.
• Phil T– to know God’s will on where I can serve Him best, and not lean on my own understanding.
• Dan T– for the right opportunity to witness to my Brother-in-law, and he would be receptive to the Gospel message.
• Jose– for the salvation of everyone in Chester County Prison.

Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)

• Rick C– for our brother Jim to recover quickly from heart surgery.
• Jeremiah– my sister (Tameka), and others in my family going through painful experiences.
• Elizer– for everyone in the jail, and for the volunteers who come out each week.
• Jeeter– pray for the process I’m going through.
• Matt R– my Dad (John) had a procedure today to remove blockage from his carotid artery, pray for speedy recovery.
• Jeff– all the immigrants going through some tough times.
• Havier– my family, son, wife, everybody here, and for the volunteers.
• Logan– heal the brokenness in my family.
• Donny– family, and for myself- getting really stressed out about some things.
• Mark– everyone here, myself, for all the volunteers to get home safe tonight, and for my court case in a couple days.
• Andy D– reconnecting with some old band-mates in a few days, they don’t know the Lord.  May I be salt and light to them.
• Ryan S– for my buddy Wayne- taking care of his wife who had a stroke 6 months ago, now in the hospital to get a pacemaker because his heart keeps stopping, and while in hospital his daughter died of a heart attack and he has to tell his wife.  So much pain in this situation.

Prayer Requests from Onesimus Ministries

• Very thankful for a blessed benefit breakfast event, pray everything comes together for our first benefit concert in May, and potentially a benefit motorcycle ride over the summer.
• Thankful for our wonderful prison Chaplains – Rhonda, Heinrich, Jack – pray God’s blessing on them and their families.
• Thankful for all the volunteers serving inside and outside the prison, and those waiting to serve.
• Blessings upon the prison staff, especially those in leadership, and all their families.
• Resolution to staffing issues (shortage, retention, etc) impacting opportunities for more volunteers to serve inside the prison.
• Bless all the incarcerated women and men, and their families who are also “doing time”.
• Thankful for all the Aftercare ministries and other support organizations across Chester County that minister to men and women released from prison.

If you’d like to find out more about mentoring and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison, drop us a note at outreach@onesimusministries.org.

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www.onesimusministries.org

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Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As I type this, I’m serenaded by the melodic chirping of birds outside my window – what a wonderful sound!  I, for one, am not sorry to see winter fade, and welcome any signs of spring.  Yesterday I walked the dog without a coat on, and even took a quick motorcycle ride.  Most importantly, while taking down the last of my Christmas lights, I got to chat with a few neighbors who made their way outside to enjoy the sunshine and warmer temps.  When asked how he was doing, one neighbor replied, “I’m just so tired of being in my house.”

Spring always brings new life – in nature all around us, and in social awakening when we all get outside to enjoy the day.  It’s a beautiful representation of how Jesus offers each of us new life.  How many people in our lives, or even within our own family, are lonely, empty, or tired of “being in their house all the time”?  Have we ever invited them to new life in the family of God?  To join all of us who are destined to be in the Father’s house?  May God bless and ordain our every interaction with those He puts in our path.

Thank you for blessing us and everyone at Chester County prison each week with your ongoing prayers.  Investing spiritually in people you may never meet is a wonderful demonstration of love and obedience to what Jesus would have us do.  Thanks for being a partner in this ministry – hope to see and speak with many of you at our benefit breakfast this Saturday, 9am at Waterway Church in Oxford, PA.

Grace and Peace,

Rick

Prayer Requests from last Thursday (12:00 Chapel Service, plus Inmate 1-1 sessions):

• Bradley– to get some good news in court on Tuesday (today).
• Kenneth– my girlfriend (Taja) is moving to Virginia on March 1, pray it all goes smoothly.  Also pray for all of our families.
• Javier– my family.
• Andy D– my friend (Rich) has a high PSA and is waiting on more test results regarding possible prostate cancer – may he find peace as he is trusting in the Lord.
• Manuel– for my family and everyone here.

• Kenny– for my friend (Sophie) who is out of the hospital, but has the flu, walking pneumonia, bronchitis, and RSV.  Thankful my family is feeling well (after several flu cases).  My Dad is excited I have only 3 months left to go.  Pray my time continues to go smooth and fast. [Note: it is such a treat to meet with Kenny each week.  He brings his Bible and we spend most of the time talking about what he’s reading and what may not be clear to him. His thirst to understand God’s Word makes it really easy.  I pray we could all have a “Kenny” in our lives!]

Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):

• John– God please bring us all home soon, return us to our families.
• Justin– for my fiance – her safety and wellbeing.
• Joshua– for my mother, my child who turns 9 next month, my little sister, my brother, and my grandma.  Also pray for the safety of everyone in here, and for wealth.
• Jon– all of us in here, all the upcoming court dates, for mercy and forgiveness, for all the kids and those who have turned away from the Lord.  For everyone to have faith, strength, and patience.
• Barnell– for health and strength.
• Phil T– it’s my son’s birthday today, plus he and his wife are expecting – ask a blessing on that, and pray for couples struggling with fertility (Andre and Nicole, Thomas and Josie).  Also pray for my cousin (Dotsy) who’s been on dialysis waiting for a kidney and now they found cancer in her kidneys.
• Jose G– for the salvation of everyone in Chester county prison – inmates and staff. Also lift up the persecuted Christians in India, especially Northern India.  Thankful for healthy first grandchild we got to visit for a few weeks in Colorado.
• Dan T– for the right timing and the right words to my brother-in-law struggling with guilt over his teenage son’s suicide, God please remove whatever is blocking him from accepting you.
• Phil T– for some ladies at church with employment struggles (Carline and Cheniza), may this trial not negatively affect their faith.

Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)

• Jeremiah– healing for my sister (Tameka), from cancer surgeries, and bringing her back to life.  Also my court case not going well at all.
• Timothy– my Dad passed away last month, pray for my Mom (it’s her birthday tomorrow), for my brothers and my sisters.  Also my sentencing is on Thursday.
• Demetrius– court date on the 28th, please protect my 3 kids, my girlfriend (Angela), and my family.
• Jeeter– for “the process” and that I can get released soon.
• Elizer– for everybody in jail to find God, and for my family.
• Mark– thankful the my church is coming out Saturday afternoon, pray for everyone to have good hearings and to get some good news.
• Ryan S– for my son’s friend (Andrew) still thrown out of his grandmother’s house and living with us.  Pray he can reconcile with his father (just released) that he never knew, and wisdom for all of us on how to handle this situation.
• Andy D– new volunteer Cameron’s daughter having serious reaction causing trip to hospital so he couldn’t be here.  Healing for daughter, and peace for Cam and his wife.
• Donny– for my family, my girlfriend, and for them to figure out what they’re going to do with me in this place.  Also for Aunt Janet with stage 4 cancer.

Prayer Requests from Onesimus Ministries

• Saturday’s first Prison Ministry Benefit Breakfast to be successful (details on website, link below).
• Our prison Chaplains – Rhonda, Heinrich, Jack, and their families.
• Our ministry volunteers serving inside and outside the prison, and those waiting to serve.
• The prison staff, especially those in leadership, and their families.
• Staffing issues (shortage, retention, etc) impacting opportunities for more volunteers to serve inside the prison.
• All the incarcerated women and men, and their families.
• Aftercare ministries and other support organizations across Chester County that minister to men and women released from prison.

If you’d like to find out more about mentoring and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison, drop us a note at outreach@onesimusministries.org.

If this email was forwarded to you and you’d like to subscribe, click HERE.

www.onesimusministries.org

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My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Ever had God drop a nugget of wisdom on you when you’re driving? It happened to me yesterday on my way home.  I was thinking about a bunch of things that haven’t been going as expected lately, and was wondering about God’s will.  How often does it feel like a guessing game trying to figure it out? We often pray, “Lord, if it’s your will, let [this thing or that thing] happen”. We try one thing that looks good, and if that doesn’t work out, I guess it wasn’t God’s will so let’s try the next thing. Trial and error, over and over.  How are we supposed to know God’s will?

Then a thought as if someone spoke it directly into my brain – “spend more time with me.”  That’s how we will know His will – by spending more time with Him, in His Word, in His presence, getting to know Him, becoming more like Him.  It’s not instant (although we’d like it to be), it’s a lifelong ongoing process, and it must be intentional.   We are made in His image, and His will is that we become like Him, and invite others to do the same.  So simple, yet so profound.

One way we can be more like Him is to do the things He taught us, like praying for one another.  Thank you for becoming our prayer warriors, lifting up our chaplains, volunteers, and all the men and women at Chester County Prison each week.  You’re looking more like Him every week!

Grace and Peace,

Rick

Prayer Requests from last Thursday (12:00 Chapel Service, plus Inmate 1-1 sessions):

• Eugene– continued healing from wrist surgery.
• Hypolite– my mother.
• Kenneth– for strength, and protect my mental health.

• Kenny– [didn’t get to meet this week due to system issues inside the prison.  Pray for resolution to any and all system issues preventing counseling sessions.  Pray for all the inmates desiring 1-on-1 sessions to be able to interact with those they seek.]

Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):

• John– that God will bring us all home soon.  Also for patience, and for our court dates.
• Demonta– for everyone’s decision making [wisdom].
• Jon– all our families, for protection, that our President would be a godly man, that we can all keep the faith, and for all the victims of tragedy (like wildfires, floods, and wars).  Also pray for strength, understanding, knowledge, and wisdom.
• Rick C– for the Ricci family at my church on the loss of Sandi Ricci, a sister in Christ.  And for our brother Jim recovering from heart surgery, may he heal up quick.
• Dan T– for my brother-in-law to be receptive to the Gospel message, and for Chester County Prison to keep allowing us to come in for years to come.
• Mackey– for the court system
• Andy L– for all the men here not told what’s going on with their case – it’s very frustrating to be kept in the dark.

Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)

• Daren– to be released on time.
• Zack– for a good outcome to my court case.
• Mike– I have court this week, pray that my loved ones are being watched over – Caroline, Wayne, and the whole house.
• Donny– for Aunt Janet with stage 4 cancer, for family, especially my grandkids.  Praise that my heart tests came back good, although I have slight diabetes and borderline high blood pressure.
• Jeremiah– for my sister Temeeka, and for fairness.
• Logan– for opportunity to practice faith out in the free world, and to see our families as soon as possible.
• Elijah– for family and a better life outside of here.
• Ryan– my son’s friend Andrew (17) was thrown out of his house and his father just got out of prison – he’s never met him.  Father suffering with addiction, pray for reconciliation and blessing upon the family, that all would work out, and to understand how do I help out – give me wisdom.
• Antonio– court date tomorrow, want to go home to my wife and kids, please take care of my family.
• Joe– my family.
• Andy D– meeting with a friend who has stage 4 cancer next week and doesn’t know the Lord- give me wisdom and lead me by your Spirit in this divine appointment.
• Matt R– strengthen my wife’s relationship with the Lord, and help me share the Gospel with her.

Prayer Requests from Onesimus Ministries

• Our upcoming Prison Ministry Benefit Breakfast on March 1 to be successful (details on website, link below).
• Our prison Chaplains – Rhonda, Heinrich, Jack, and their families.
• Our ministry volunteers serving inside and outside the prison, and those waiting to serve.
• The prison staff, especially those in leadership, and their families.
• Staffing issues (shortage, retention, etc) impacting opportunities for more volunteers to serve inside the prison.
• All the incarcerated women and men, and their families.
• Aftercare ministries and other support organizations across Chester County that minister to men and women released from prison.

If you’d like to find out more about mentoring and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison, drop us a note at outreach@onesimusministries.org.

If this email was forwarded to you and you’d like to subscribe, click HERE.

www.onesimusministries.org

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My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Dependency on God is so freeing.  He always brings the right things in His perfect timing.  Like when I sensed a week ago He wants me to preach about religion versus a personal relationship with Christ, and how understanding what it means to have a personal relationship with Christ was the defining moment in my faith journey.  Then last night several inmates had questions or testimonies about that very subject.  I believe God used me to deliver a message they needed to hear.  And that is simply amazing – how He can use such a broken vessel to accomplish His work on Earth.  As I’ve heard from pastors a number of times, the ability God seeks most in us is our availability.

And we appreciate how each of you consistently give your availability in support of what God is doing through this prison ministry.  I hope and pray you sense His joy and blessing as you lift up these men and women in prison, and their prayer requests each week.  Your partnership means more than you know.

Grace and Peace,

Rick

Prayer Requests from last Thursday (12:00 Chapel Service, plus Inmate 1-1 sessions):

• Kenneth– praise the Lord my lawyer issues are being resolved, and even the judge seems to care more about my situation.  I was about to unload on my lawyer about how he messed up so many things when he apologized and told me how he was going to proceed – it gave me peace.  I’m praying for the process and for God to prepare me for what’s coming next, and help me stay on the path.
• Hypolite– to get back to my wife and kids.  I have court on Tue (today), and pray for the judge’s heart.
• Eugene– healing from wrist surgery, and encouragement for men’s meeting in his church.

• Kenny– the other assistant maintenance guy (Tech) is going home Feb 18, pray that his replacement would be a good guy. My May 25 release date coming quick, pray my time would continue to go fast and smooth. Pray that my family all doing well, my friends doing good, especially Jimmie and Frances, and that we all get a 2nd chance.

Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):

• John– that God would return us to our families.
• Demonta– court on 24th, pray I can go home with time served.
• Aaron– that we can be reunited with our families.
• Jon– everyone’s family, for all the victims of tragedy, like from California wildfires, the plane crashes, and murders. For all of us to renew our minds in here.
• Rick C– for quick healing of our friend Jim who had heart surgery last week.
• Kevin– for spiritual strength and security.
• Dan T– for the hostages in Gaza still in captivity over a year later, and for my brother-in-law to be receptive to the message of Christ’s forgiveness.
• Ross– I’ve been in here 37 months, praying for what God wants me to do and where He wants me to go – I wanted to go back to Florida but I’m at the point where I’ll go wherever God sends me.

Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)

• Pascual– pray for me and my family.
• Jeeter– to get released soon.
• Joe– my daughter’s wellbeing while I’m in here.
• Elizer– a better life.
• Jeremiah– my sister Tameeka who had cancer surgeries was rushed back to hospital – not sure of severity.
• Shawn– my friend and her mom.
• Pat– my family, and for patience.
• Charles– for my anger issues to get better – need peace.
• Andy D– my friend Ralph unsuccessful trying to sell his business- weighing on him for some time.
• Rick C– my daughter and son-in-law looking for a house close to church, work, and friends.  They put in a bid on a place, pray it’s accepted if that’s the right house for them.
• Donny– praise God my heart issues are clear, all tests normal.
• Joe– need transformation.

Prayer Requests from Onesimus Ministries

• For a successful 1st annual Benefit Breakfast on March 1 (details on website, link below).
• For all our prison Chaplains – Rhonda, Heinrich, Jack, and their families.
• For ministry volunteers serving inside and outside the prison, and those waiting to serve.
• For prison staff, especially those in leadership, and their families.
• For staffing issues (shortage, retention, etc) and for more opportunities for volunteers to serve inside the prison.
• For all the incarcerated women and men, and their families.
• For Aftercare ministries and other support organizations ministering to men and women released from prison.

If you’d like to find out more about mentoring and discipling a man or woman coming out of prison, drop us a note at outreach@onesimusministries.org.

If this email was forwarded to you and you’d like to subscribe, click HERE.

www.onesimusministries.org