Page 10
January 2006
The AC Phoenix
UNTILJUSTIQE
Rains Down
THE AC PHOENIX
PRISON MINISTRIES
By: Rodney Sumler
Every year thousands of Americans are wrongfully convicted and
thousands of the guilty are punished with dragonian sentences of many
years locked up In prison. “What do we live for if it is not to make life
less difficult for each other.” As a recovering former inmate, I want to
make the rest of my life count for something. I’m inviting churches large
and small to join the A C Phoenix in implementing several much
needed prison ministries that will provide relief from disruptive
influences serious and pervasive problems, and the painful experience
of prison life.
There are 2 million Americans in our states and federal prisons.
Three times that number are on probation and are under the
supervision of probation officers and various courts. In most
communities, when dealing with our prisons, you are a member of one
of four groups: People who have been to prison; people who have
members of their families in prison; people who know someone in
prison and a very small group of people who know nothing about the
people in the first three groups. What group are you a member of?
Family Weekend Visitation Trips.
“Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick and ye visited me: I was in
prison and ye came unto me.” Matthew 25:26. One of the happiest
times of a prison experience is when family members or friends visit
people in prison. The A C Phoenix and participating churches will reach
out with planned and coordinated family visits to state and federal
prisons using church vans, buses or chartered buses.
Every Member Write One.
Mail call is the sadist time of the day when most inmates never
receive letters from home. Every member of a church prison ministry
and/or congregation can implement Matthew 25:26 and visit inmates
through the mail by adopting an inmate and writing to them.
Rapping With Senior Citizens.
Eagles rest through the night until the updrafts of morning air enables
them to launch out and fly. The A C Phoenix will invite senior citizens
to participate in quarterly rap sessions to encourage and share their
strongest memories and experiences through oral history.
Senior citizens from a cross-section of various communities will
teach inmates that there is a time to fly and a time to rest. From the
eagle’s example, inmates can learn to use their hours of darkness
(prison) as a waiting, resting place - a time of preparation for a new
soaring when freed from prison. The stories of senior citizens
experiences - extraordinaire will be a source of power and strength.
For The Children’s Sake.
With tens of thousands of non-violent first time offenders in
prisons, hundreds of thousands of children of inmates are being bred
into the next generation of criminals. Every one of these children have
problems, suffering from extreme feelings of abandonment. For the
sake of the children, a ministry is needed to offer guidance and support
for children of inmates. Are they destined by fate to become criminals
or will it depend on the support and guidance they get from parents
(one incarcerated) their neighbors, church, school, community and the
penal institution that is housing one of their parents.
Our communities are suffering from two perceived solutions. The
conventional conservative solution, while praising “family values” has
focused on tough law enforcement and incarceration, disregarding the
impact of disintegration of families. The liberal solution focused on
dealing with social ills through government programs. Both solutions
are unrealistic. We need to bring God back into the family and follow
God’s family plan. This plan meets the needs of children for support
and guidance.
“Out In Front” Dramatic Presentation
Ignorance is the snare that causes most inmates problems. Almost
90% of young inmates are not using their abilities positively. Many
would confess that fear often stops them before they can ever get
started. One bible proverb describes fear as a snare. A snare captures
an animal and holds it until the creature dies or chews away its own limb
to escape. But inmates are people, not just animals.
Churches with the assistance of college drama students will help
former inmates to produce prison life situational sitcoms. These
dramatic presentations will allow inmates to see themselves as others
see them. They will help teach young inmates how to identify
disruptive influences of others.
I Am My Brother’s Keeper
There will be old brother/young brother programs that will teach
pride, love and respect. This ministry will exploit “dad-pops” respect
relationships that presently exist between some young black inmates
and older black inmates. It will build on the resources, wisdom and
positive experiences of older inmates. The fact that most of these
inmates, raised in single-parent homes with no fathers are resources
that shouldn’t be neglected. This will equip young inmates to assume
their father roles and become better fathers. Other inmates will become
role models for attitude changes.
Jesus said, “Go into the vineyard and work. Whatever is right, I will
pay.” All ministry is about people and relationships. I’m asking church
es, businesses, civic groups and other organizations to let people see
your humanity. Sponsor workshops, seminars, and lectures with the AC
Phoenix and consultants with year of prison experiences. Your days are
your life in ministry.
“I’ve got to work until my day is done!”
Rodney J. Sumler is the publisher and owner of the A C Phoenix.
His life has mirrored the mythicai bird - the phoenix. He can be
reached at 336-923-0019 or 336-995-0677. You can write to him at
P O Box 1762, Winston-Salem, NC 27116.
“The Church of Love, ^
PAN0 Hope”
In 2006, we are expecting great things from God.
Ambassador Cathedral is a church
destined to bring about a greater
measure of unity and spirit of harmony
in the body of Christ, where its
members are united in a common effort
for the good of the whole body.
Bishop Frederick D. Patterson, Sr.
Senior Pastor and Overseer
Her Grace, Lady Dorothy D. Patterson
General Church Mother
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1500 Harriet Tubman Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27105
(336| 725-0901
www.ambassadorcathedral. org