Welcome Home, Welcome to our Church – Part 3: Are you willing to be a home for those coming out of prison? [Video]

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If you had just been released from prison after serving 10, 20 or 30 years, you’d find the challenges awaiting you might be overwhelming.

When incarcerated you have little control over your daily life. And once outside you have to make good life choices in a world you probably don’t recognize.

Even those who have studied Christian Science on the inside can be overwhelmed when they’re released.

This video is designed to help you help them once they get out and visit your church. And in fact, there’s a lot you can do as you’ll see in this instructive video.

And as always you’re invited to leave a comment or tell us your own story. We love hearing from you.

If you’d like to learn more about about the Root & Rebound organization mentioned in this video, they have some excellent guides and toolkits for those interested in reentry work.

All videos in this series:

Like our work and want to support Light in Prison? Please consider making a one-time or recurring donation to help fund future stories and videos like this.

8 thoughts on “Welcome Home, Welcome to our Church – Part 3: Are you willing to be a home for those coming out of prison? [Video]”

  1. Patricia

    Thank you for this set of videos about loving and welcoming former inmates, or those still on probation or parole, to the sheltering wings and arms of God. An eye opening and rewarding experience. Even when challenges might pop up, God does show us how to handle them. Loving others as yourself.

    As an attorney and life long Christian Scientist, I think I have read almost all of the 48000 rules and laws re parole, probation, institutions, cases, which keep changing , and have compiled lists and contact info of, local, state, national, and International outreach of ‘material’ ‘practical’ resources, for various CS churches, Reading Rooms, teachers, association’s, and practitioners. I have been doiing this for more than 40 years now, with a few breaks, but I always keep updating. It is a form of TEACHING, EDUCATION, “correcting impositions on Chr8stian Science .in the complex area called the legal arena.

    I am humbly blessed daily for these opportunities to share God’s love in this way.

    I thank all the others in this work for God, Jesus, Mary Baker Eddy.

  2. Jamie Lee Wakefield (age 5) and her Ya Ya Kristen

    I liked the music- I danced to it, and I clapped to it and I stomped because it made me happy. My Ya Ya (grandmother) listened to the music and the people talking and it made her happy, too. Ya Ya said that we need to love all the people who were talking because it’s what Jesus taught us to do to be God’s children. And, thank you Alex (Cook) for helping my (Christian Science) Sunday School paint the giant picture (mural) at the (Lutheran) church in Sacramento so lots of cars could see it. Lots of love to you!

  3. Clementine Suiffet

    I had no idea there were 48,000 federal, state, and local laws pertaining to a returning citizen’s probation or parole. It’s great what Root and Rebound is doing to provide the legal support for reintegration into society. Not an easy transition for someone who has been in prison for 10 or 20 years.

    I loved Sophia’s remarks about returning citizens who are coming to church—They ultimately are searching for God. Sure, we need to be welcoming and accept them as they are. Providing that compassion and personal connection is important. And sometimes we can be concerned about how we come across to them. Are we making them feel welcome and so on? These things are important but what means the most to them is finding a meaningful connection with God. This helps to get rid of any self-consciousness about our welcoming them.

  4. Alex Cook

    I love this video! There are so many bad, dehumanizing stereotypes, both about prisoners AND about church people. This video, and the sensibility behind it, does a great job of seeing past those, and revealing a direct, simple, love that connects. It requires flexibility and willingness from all of us, but it’s the thing that works! Thank you so much for telling these stories and giving folks a vision of powerful, effective prison ministry.

  5. Beverly Farr

    I can’t believe it–though I should not be surprised! I was just talking to our Coordinator and said that we needed to think more about what we could do to support those being released and re-entering the community. Thank you so much for this! So much good information.

    • Susan Collins

      Outstanding. Inspired and most practical!
      This video would be terrific to show at church.

      Sincere thanks.
      Such a thoughtful presentation.

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