This time of year holds such wonderful memories for me and my wife, Martha: spending time with family and friends, special church services and events, and celebrating the birth of our Savior with men and women living in prison.
The holidays can be a particularly difficult time for those in prison, and that’s why each year we look forward to celebrating Christmas with people who are incarcerated. Throughout the year, Prison Fellowship brings the Good News of Jesus Christ behind bars through hundreds of Hope Events.
We make a special effort to organize these unique events during the holidays—a time when people in prison may be feeling especially discouraged. But with the support of friends like you, Hope Event attendees experience a day of hope and renewal, with many trusting Christ for the first time. From testimonies of God’s faithfulness and goodness to Christmas carols and sing-alongs, our Christmas Hope Events provide a reminder that God hasn’t forgotten about them and that He’s there with them every day.
“Today I have hope again! I am a Christian but thought my future was dim due to mistakes and being in prison. I know now I do have a future in ministry—prison ministry! Thank you so much for coming to minister to us today. My shame and guilt is gone. I am excited to see what God has for my future.”
—Hope Event attendee
Speaking of Christmas, there’s still time to sign up your church to serve the families of the incarcerated through Prison Fellowship Angel Tree.
There’s no better way to make a difference in the lives of children separated from their parents at Christmas. Gifts given in the name of a parent behind bars provide memories that last a lifetime for both children and parents. Cristina, an incarcerated mom, wrote to thank all of you who have made it possible for her children to receive a gift from her through Angel Tree Christmas:
I am currently serving the last several years of a 20-year sentence, and I want to thank each and every one of you for all of the happiness you have brought to my family over the years. There are no words to describe the gratitude my family and I feel for each and every one of you.
Please know that that even though I do not know any of you by name, I pray for everyone at Angel Tree every night as I do for my loved ones because your organization is loved. I don’t know exactly when I’ll be released, but it is my goal to make a contribution to Angel Tree when I am out and working to pay the kindness forward.
God bless you all and your families!
Gratefully Yours, Cristina P.
Will you join me this Christmas season in praying for men and women in prison and their families who will be touched in some way through the programs that your support makes possible? Our hope is that the joy of Christmas will remind all those impacted by crime and incarceration that they are loved by our Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for joining us in the Lord’s work. You are changing lives and generations, and we are grateful that you are part of the Prison Fellowship family.
Praising Him,
JAMES J. ACKERMAN President and Chief Executive Officer
P.S. To continue receiving these ministry updates in your inbox please add prison_fellowship@email.prisonfellowship.org to your address book or safe list. Learn how here.
Prison Fellowship P.O. Box 1550, Merrifield, VA, 22116-1550 US
