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Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) would like to formally thank the thousands of Orthodox Christians that recognized Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday (PMAS) on July 30, 2023. Priests and lay leadership across the United States took this special opportunity to share stories of prison ministry and why it is so important to serve our brothers and sisters behind bars.
“I was excited to share our parish’s long-term goal to create a local Orthodox ministry focused on rehousing and re-humanizing those exiting the prison system,” says Jim Marks from Christ the Savior (OCA) in Chicago. “Our priest, Fr. John Kennerk, is prepared to put the authority of his vocation behind the call to this work, and our church expects to play a central role in organizing greater cooperation and support between all the prison ministries in the greater Chicagoland area. In the weeks leading up to Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday and on the day itself, we have made sure everyone in our parish knows how crucial this work is to us.”
Luke Taylor Gilstrap presenting at St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas.
“The isolation of prison life can be immense and unending,” says OCPM Annual Giving Manager, Luke Taylor Gilstrap, who presented on the importance of prison ministry at St. George Orthodox Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas. “Never underestimate the hope you bring to someone behind bars simply by sharing about their needs in your parish.”
