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Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As you can imagine, county government offices were shut down due to the snowstorm, including the prison. That meant Monday night services were cancelled. For the volunteers, our week just doesn’t feel right without going in for those services, and we hear from inmates how much they miss us on the rare occasion we can’t be there.
The longing for something that’s missing is proof that what’s missing is valuable, so we are pleased that groups of inmates and officers find value in what we’re doing out there. We do it because God calls us to, but it’s always nice to know you’re missed. And it’s evidence that we’ve formed relationships – both corporately and individually.
God really values relationship – that fact is evident throughout His Word – with many verses revealing His heart towards those not in relationship with him. I was reminded in my daily reading yesterday about leaving the 99 and going after the one lost sheep in Matthew 18. I really saw God’s heart in verse 14, ” In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.”
The Good Shepherd goes after the lost sheep, and He wants us to do the same. Like much of our world, the prison is full of lost sheep, and we do our best to seek them out. We rely on the 99 to help us, and it’s nice to know all 100 miss us.
You are also part of the 99, and we rely on you and your many ways of support to continue seeking the one, then the next one, and so on. Thank you for being in this with us, it will be so glorious when we finally get to be with our Good Shepherd and see all of us who once were lost but now are found. Stay safe and may God bless your week.
Grace and Peace,
Rick
PS. – Don’t forget about our annual Benefit Breakfast on Saturday, Feb 28, 9:00-11:00am at Waterway Church in Oxford. Breakfast is free, but reservations required. [click here] for registration and details.
Prayer Requests from last Thursday (12:00 Chapel Service):
- Frank– for my parents to stay safe in the storm coming this weekend.
- Joe– my need for housing.
- Rich– good health and safety for all of us.
- Adrian– my unborn daughter and my wife – their health.
- Carlos– my family, and me with my court date tomorrow.
- Manuel– my family, and to find out what is going on with my situation. My daughter Sofia and my wife Adriana.
- Jerron– my fiancé Paige, and for us both to get a court date, and be able to see our lawyers, for patience and obedience. [Almost immediately after making prayer request about speaking to lawyer, he was called out of the service to speak to his lawyer – proof that God knows what we want before we even ask!]
- James– my nephew, who was deployed for Venezuela, and for all our military brothers and sisters deployed around the world right now.
- Andy– for no power loss with the upcoming storm, and for all to stay safe travelling. And for the utility workers to stay safe while working through the storm.
Prayer Requests from Medium Security (7:00pm Monday service):
[Services cancelled due to snowstorm, below are a few of the more common 1st service requests]
- My family
- My kids
- Relationships
- Upcoming court dates
- Forgiveness
- My life after prison/to stay on the path
- Salvation for everyone in prison
- For the unborn, and recently born babies
Prayer Requests from Minimum Security (8:30pm Monday service)
[Services cancelled due to snowstorm, below are a few of the more common 2nd service requests]
- My mother, my father
- My family
- My court case
- My wife and kids
- My girlfriend
- To be released soon
- To be reunited with family
- Clarity and understanding
Prayer Requests from Onesimus Ministries
- Healing and health for Dan and Bill, volunteers walking with God on their journey with cancer.
- Thankful for Waterway Church in Oxford, hosting our 2nd Annual Benefit Breakfast on Feb 28th.
- Chaplain Rhonda, and the female inmates and staff within her mission field.
- Chaplain Heinrich, and the male inmates and staff within his mission field.
- Chaplain Jack Crans, leading chaplaincy program at Chester County Prison, and for inmates and prison leaders within his mission field. Also personal strength and healing from cancer.
- Onesimus Ministries board of directors, and provision of some new members.
- Volunteers ministering to the inmates at Chester County Prison.
- Families supporting each inmate, staff member, chaplain, and volunteer.
- Aftercare ministries and post-prison support organizations throughout Chester County.
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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