Has God given you a heart for the less fortunate? Are you looking for a way to serve? Each year hundreds of people are  released from concrete cells back into Maine’s towns and cities.  Men and women getting out of jail or prison often need everything, but in particular they need a mentor, a spiritual partner who will help guide them as they reenter society. According to Prison Fellowship, “matching returning inmates with loving mentors from local churches is the best way to help them stay on the straight and narrow”. (http://www.prisonfellowship.org/article.asp?ID=11446).  The GAPS Inmate Ministry is in the process of building support systems to include jobs, housing, and other basics. Mentoring is a critical key to this reentry process.

Mentoring Seminar Scheduled for May 30

On Saturday, May 30 , noon to 6:30 PM. GAPS Inmate Ministries will host a mentoring seminar to equip men and women to mentor those leaving prison or jail.  The seminar to be held here at ECF, will be given by Pastor John Leonardson of MentorCare Ministries, Ft. Worth, Texas.

John, a national leader in his field of mentoring and prison aftercare, has led several large prison ministries.  He has served as Executive Director of Exodus Ministries, addressing the needs of families of inmates; Executive Director of COPE, a world-wide organization of prison ministries; and as North Texas Area Director of Prison Fellowship.  John has also served on the board of the Restorative Justice Ministries network.

In 2000, John and his wife Marian formed MentorCare Ministries, specializing in mentor training and in helping other prison ministries start or improve homes for men and women leaving prison.  For more about John and his ministry, see www.mentorcare.org.

In 2002, John held a mentoring seminar in Portland which was a huge success.  In his easy Texas style, complete with black boots and hat, he brings humor and honesty, mixed with much first-hand knowledge of prisoners and their mentality.

In addition to course materials, John also has other valuable resources.  His manual, “Preparing for Success on the Outside,” won the Texas Governor’s award for Most Innovative Program in 2003.  This four-month course is designed to help inmates face the real issues they will encounter after release.  Another of his manuals, “Starting and Operating a Post Prison Aftercare Facility,” contains 80 pages of practical information.  An accompanying CD provides an additional 1300 pages of resource material.

Cost including course materials is $25 if postmarked before Friday May 8th. Applications postmarked after May 8th, will be $35. A special lunch, which is included in the cost, will be served at 12:30. The manuals described above will be available at extra charge.  For an application, call 207-622-7031 or E-mail pastorkev AT elimchristianfellowship.net.  Checks should be made out to GAPS and mailed to ECF, 65 River Road, Chelsea, ME 04330.

Hopefully our new look and feel will be with us for a while.  Let us know what you think about how everything looks.