Lecture in County Jail

There was significant resistance from the chaplain to having a Christian Science speaker due to a misunderstanding of Christian Science. However, after the talk the representative from the chaplain association was enthusiastic and welcoming. Hopefully the local congregation will follow up by participating on a regular basis in prison ministry. Here's their report....

September 25, 2010 Spirituality Workshop at Allegan County Jail

It was a beautiful afternoon, and we were escorted into the Allegan County Jail
by Sergeant Merrill, a professional, yet warm woman who greeted us with ‘have you left your guns and grenades at home’?

As we went through the airlock, she chatted with us and the guards letting us
in. We met the jail Chaplain Davis, who is the Vice President on the Board of Directors of the Forgotten Man Ministries the organization that serves many of Michigan’s county Jails. He is filling in until another chaplain is appointed for this jail.

Elise Moore, our Lecturer, had suggested that we take in a few Bibles and Science and Health books to be donated to the Jail library/book cart.

We went into the Recreation Room – which had a number of seats – about 28, and
three women inmates already there. The Chaplain and the Sergeant each brought in more groups of people. Elise introduced herself to the women, and as more men
and women came, she shook the hand of each and met them.

The women’s seats were separated from the men’s by the Chaplain. It was a full
house of about 23 inmates, plus the Chaplain and Sergeant, plus the two of us
from Saugatuck Society.

We sat on the far right facing Elise, with the group of men, with the pile of
Bibles and Science and Health's and Sentinels on a chair between us.

Kathy introduced Elise, (and did a great job, by the way)…
Elise began her talk on “God is Speaking to You” (“in the recreation room at
2:00”, as Elise puts it…!).

A number of the inmates brought their Bibles, and a number were taking notes.
One was writing his notes IN his Bible. During the entire lecture the audience was attentive and appreciative – they seemed genuinely interested. The audience was very attentive – Elise noted it was one of the most attentive audiences she’s had in a prison. She mentioned one young ‘tough looking’ guy who started out not looking up at all, but during each story, he really focused.

At the end, one was asked how if they could choose what they did with their free
time, and he said ‘we didn’t HAVE to come’.

Many shook Elise’s hand at the end, and thanked her.

After the Lecture the Chaplain asked if he could keep a copy of Science and
Health and gladly took the rest of the Science and Health and Bibles for the
jail’s book cart, a clear change of tone from when we first came in.