Helping at-risk youth, inmates and ex-offenders Yoke themselves to Christ for salvation and changed lives. Serving PA and parts of WV & OH

Transcription

1 YPM Annual Report Serving PA and parts of WV & OH Helping at-risk youth, inmates and ex-offenders Yoke themselves to Christ for salvation and changed lives David Bowen, Executive Director YOKEFELLOWSHIP PRISON MINISTRY P O Box 413 Huntingdon PA info@yokefellowship.org

2 CONTENTS Message from the Board Chair David Manos... 1 About YPM... 1 YPM Board and Staff... 3 Executive Director s Report David Bowen... 4 YPM Area Councils... 7 YPM Ministry Presence... 8 Ministry Statistics... 9 Financial Report... 11

3 2013 YPM INTRODUCTION Annual Report MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR DAVID MANOS Change, it is nothing new and is a consistent part of life. Have you ever wondered why God created a world where change is the norm? It has occurred to me that the answer lies in our desperate need for God in our lives. The issue for most of mankind is that we don t know how desperate we are for God. His consistent blessing on both the just and the unjust are intended for us to give Him thanks and seek Him more. Unfortunately our nature is to become content in His provision and, as a result, not seek Him but rather seek the provision. Change is one of the elements in life that God has created to motivate us to seek something greater than ourselves for comfort and resolution. Of course, that something greater is Him. Over the last 3 years, YPM has embarked on a journey of change. The good news is that that change has not been about modifying our core strength, the use of the small group ministry model. It has been about changing our administrative model so we can better support our Area Councils and so we can develop prison ministry in institutions where there is currently no ministry occurring. As you read this annual report you will notice some of those changes, the most dramatic of which is the division of Pennsylvania into regions. These regions are staffed by Regional Directors who work with the Area Councils to support and strengthen them and to grow the ministry within the region by adding new councils and/or ministries. This change has not been easy. Many, many hundreds of volunteer hours have gone into discussing, formulating, scripting, and implementing these changes. The leadership of our Executive Directors through this work has been instrumental. They are all very gifted servants who have given much above and beyond the call of duty to help bring the guidance, wisdom, energy, and leadership that have been necessary for those changes to happen. John Rush was with us at the table six years ago when we first evaluated the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to the ministry. John s many years of prison ministry and aftercare involvement provided wisdom and direction that helped us determine what we needed to do to position the ministry for future, God directed growth and stability. When John retired God brought us Larry Coleman, a retired minister and chaplain from the Dauphin County Prison. After interviewing Larry, we actually commented to each other that Larry was brought to this position for such a time as this. And we were not disappointed. His love for Christ, his gifting as a writer and proof reader, his attention to detail, his strong Nebraska farming work ethic were all utilized to their fullest during his two years as Executive Director. And just as we were wrapping up some of the most challenging parts of the reorganization Larry told us the Lord had called him to focus on developing an ex-offender mentoring ministry in the Harrisburg area and he would be leaving his position as executive director. In reflection, we knew God had sent Larry for that short period to use his skills to help put into place the foundation for the changing ministry. God s next provision for Executive Director came in the form of David Bowen, retired chaplain from SCI Huntingdon and Smithfield. David took over the executive director role in July 2013 and one more time, we have not been disappointed. David has provided God-filled, spirited leadership. His love for his Lord and people is infectious. His focus on this ministry is serious and purposeful. He is driven by people s need for a relationship with our saving, transforming Christ. This passion is displayed in his leadership and willingness to travel anywhere within the scope of this ministry to meet the needs of those whom he serves. And when you talk to David, he will tell you about his wonderful wife, Reba, a missionary s daughter who grew up in Barbados and Panama, and who serves faithfully at his side. So we have been through a lot of changes these last few years. I have mentioned, without giving detail, that those changes have been both organizational and administrative. You can see more of those details as you read the rest of this annual report and review our updated website. In all of this, let us never forget that the One we serve never changes. As it is written, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8) Yes, we serve a loving, faithful, mighty, unchanging God! 1

4 2013 YPM INTRODUCTION Annual Report ABOUT YPM YPM s mission is to help at-risk youth, inmates, and ex-offenders yoke themselves to Christ for salvation and changed lives. YPM is a 501c3 umbrella organization with local Area Council affiliates. A governing board of directors, elected by representatives from areas served, provides direction and oversight to the growing ministry. In 2013 there were 15 Area Councils that serve throughout PA and in parts of WV and OH. Each AC has its own governing body; recruits, trains, and assigns volunteers; has its own treasury and budget; and is asked to contribute 25% of its net income to the parent overarching ministry. Through these Area Councils, hundreds of volunteers are entering nearly half of the county, state, and federal adult correctional institutions in PA. YPM grew out of a fellowship movement started by Dr. Elton Trueblood, a renowned author, speaker, and theologian, in Trueblood believed being a Christian was synonymous to being yoked with Christ (MATTHEW 11:28-30) and that we need to heed the call of PHILIPPIANS 4:3 to help others, Yes, I ask you loyal yokefellows.. Regarding incarceration, Trueblood stated, Separation from the world for a while is justified if new life emerges. Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30 YPM focuses on small group discussions for spiritual and personal growth through learning and practicing Bible-based disciplines. The result is the changed lives of those we serve as well as our own. The following selected attributes of discipleship are highly valued and taught as marks of a Yokefellow: Commitment - Hearing Christ s call Come to me a Yokefellow knows this answer gives a center of stability in life as he or she also joins Christ in lifting the burdens of others. Discipline - A Yokefellow voluntarily accepts: Discipline of Prayer - pray daily. Discipline of Scripture - read reverently and thoughtfully a portion of Scripture daily, following a definite plan. The Discipline of Worship - to share, at least weekly, in the public worship of God. Discipline of Money - give a definite portion of my income to the promotion of Christ s cause and as an act of worship. Discipline of Time - use my time as a sacred gift, not to be wasted, striving to make my daily work, whatever it may be, a Christian vocation. Discipline of Service - daily lift some human burden. Discipline of Study - develop mental powers by careful reading and study. Witness - A Yokefellow is one who knows that faith in Christ is not a private affair; to be kept it must be shared. Ministry - A Yokefellow is one who participates in the universal ministry. The New Testament is clear; all are called and all are recruits in Christ s cause (Ephesians 4:1). Fellowship - It is impossible to be a Christian in isolation. A Yokefellow finds or produces a redemptive Christian fellowship. 1

5 2013 YPM INTRODUCTION Annual Report YPM BOARD AND STAFF YPM BOARD CHAIR (2014) David Manos NE PA AC VICE-CHAIR (2014) Rich Gallo Indiana County AC SECRETARY - Vacant TREASURER (2014) Wiseman, Sue Three Rivers AC swiseman@yokefellowship.org YPM STAFF DIRECTOR AT LARGE (2016) Rev Helen M.C. Jones Delaware Valley AC hmcjones@juno.com DIRECTOR AT LARGE (2015) Paul Ilyes Jr York White Rose AC paulilyes@aol.com DIRECTOR AT LARGE (2015) Wesley King Central PA AC wesking@afo.net DIRECTOR AT LARGE (2014) Chuck Goodge Lehigh Valley AC charlesgoodge@verizon.net NC RAC CHAIR (2014) - Vacant SE RAC CHAIR (2014) Keith Groves Delaware Valley AC keithandcharlene@msn.com SW RAC CHAIR (2014), Treasurer (2014) Wiseman, Sue Three Rivers AC swiseman@yokefellowship.org The YPM Board of Directors meets via telephone conference call on the first Monday of each month at 9PM. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Bowen, David davidb@yokefellowship.org NC REGIONAL DIRECTOR Whaley, Nessie smileynessie@yahoo.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Oldham, David pastordave@yokefellowship.org SE REGIONAL DIRECTOR Maldonado Colon, Alma colonalmacolon@aol.com SPECIAL PROGRAMS Geissinger, Carl luvgod@centurylink.net SW REGIONAL DIRECTOR Calabro, Ron revcal@comcast.net 3

6 2013 YPM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S REPORT Annual Report EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S REPORT DAVID BOWEN Unity and Diversity in the Body I Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV 12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 the Apostle Paul uses the analogy of the human body to describe how the church functions as a living organism. He concludes by saying, Now you are the body of Christ. I would like to use a similar analogy to report on the life and work of Yokefellowship Prison Ministry (YPM) in the Year I will talk about the organs, the skeleton, the muscles, and the blood. THE ORGANS LEADERSHIP OF THE BODY: BOARD AND STAFF The organs of this body are its leaders. After two years of dynamic leadership, Larry Coleman resigned as Executive Director effective July 1, The YPM Board selected David Bowen, who had been serving as Vice Chair of the Board, to become the new Executive Director effective July 1st. The official office of YPM was moved from Harrisburg to Huntingdon. This is the furthest West and the most centrally located that YPM s office has ever been. David Bowen served as a chaplain in the PA Department of Corrections for 20 years and retired in He selected David Oldham, whom he had worked with in the PA DOC, to be his Administrative Assistant and work in the Huntingdon Office. YPM s Annual Meeting, held October 5th during our Annual Conference, elected David Manos for a tenth term as Chair of the Board. Rich Gallo was elected as Vice Chair. The Annual Meeting voted to add the words at-risk youth to our Mission Statement which now reads: Helping at-risk youth, inmates, and exoffenders yoke themselves to Christ for salvation and changed lives. In 2013, Danesta Whaley continued to provide effective leadership to our North Central Region with its four Area Councils (ACs). Ron Calabro continued to provide strong leadership for our South West Region with its three ACs. Alma Maldonado Colon oversaw our largest region, the South East Region with eight ACs. Larry Coleman assisted her with three of those ACs. When he resigned, Carl Geissinger was asked to take responsibility for those three ACs - Franklin County AC, Harrisburg Area AC, and York White Rose AC. 4

7 2013 YPM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S REPORT Annual Report THE MUSCLES VOLUNTEERS OF THE BODY According to the fourth quarter ministry reports submitted by our Area Councils, YPM has 371 active volunteers. These volunteers are the ones who really do the front-line work of YPM. They are the muscle of the ministry. Some volunteers minister once or twice a month, but many minister on a weekly basis. In 2013, YPM volunteers went into sixteen of the twenty-six Pennsylvania state prisons, twenty-five Pennsylvania county jails or prisons, one federal institution, and three juvenile facilities and one youth shelter in Pennsylvania. We went into one DOC prison in Ohio and one state and one county facility in West Virginia. See Ministry Presence on page 8. Some of our Area Councils provided aftercare ministry and/or supported other aftercare ministries in their area. In total, YPM volunteers ministered to approximately 1,200 individuals weekly in correctional facilities. It is the quality and dedication of our volunteers that make YPM s ministry effective. As of the end of 2013, 228 of our volunteers have completed the training and experience requirements to become YPM certified. We are grateful for their commitment to excellence in this ministry. We thank God for our volunteers and their faithful, loving service. THE SKELETON-- STRUCTURES AND POLICIES We often don t think about the skeleton of our body until we break a bone - or develop osteoporosis! Then we realize how important the skeleton is. What is the skeleton of the YPM Body? It is the policies, procedures, and practices that are the essential structural support of the body. As the YPM Body has grown (and aged) the YPM Board has become increasingly aware of the need to strengthen its structure. Therefore, in 2013 a great deal of time and effort was invested in developing a Board Policy Manual (BPM). Prior to 2013, Board policies were scattered here and there in board meeting minutes and other places. The Board was essentially at the mercy of old board members to remember motions made in the past. These policies needed to be brought together and organized into a meaningful, useable form that is now called our BPM. In 2012 and 2013, Larry Coleman and others invested much time and effort in developing and strengthening our YPM training practices. Sue Wiseman under the direction and with the support of the YPM Board and Executive Directors produced a very helpful tool for our YPM Board and Area Councils. The tool is the Volunteer Management Manual (VMM). In 2014 we will introduce the VMM and begin implementing it through our Regional Directors and Area Councils. It will require some change and effort, but it will strengthen our ministry and increase our effectiveness. 5

8 2013 YPM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S REPORT Annual Report THE BLOOD PRESENCE AND POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT OTHER NEWS The life of the body is the blood. What is the function of blood in the body? It delivers food to every cell in the body and then removes waste from all the cells of the body. The blood feeds and cleanses the body. It is the presence of Christ by His Holy Spirit in the body that gives the body life. Jesus says, Without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5). Great leaders, great volunteers, and sound structure are essential to effective ministry. But without the presence and power of Holy Spirit, all our efforts are vain. Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. (Psalm 127.1) We cannot convince, convict, nor convert sinners. That is the work of the Spirit. We are called to witness to what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for us and what He can do for others. It is encouraging and exciting to see the transforming work of the Spirit in the lives of the men and women He has called us to serve. In 2013, our 371 volunteers ministered to about 1,200 men and women per week. YPM s 2013 Annual Conference was again held at the Best Western Country Cupboard Inn in Lewisburg. One hundred and one individuals attended the conference with the theme The Power and Practice of Small Groups. Tom O Connor, our principle speaker, not only told us but showed us how to do effective ministry in small groups. Other speakers included: Joseph Herbst, the Executive Director of Bethseda Family Services Foundation; Chaplain Ray Kauffman, retired chaplain from Franklin County Jail; and Tom Rice, an ex-offender who has successfully turned his life around. The frequent response on the feedback forms was This was our best conference ever! Efforts are underway to start a new Area Council in Crawford and Erie County to support the new YPM in SCI Cambridge Springs. SUMMARY The Year 2013 was a year of transitioning between Executive Directors and in strengthening the Body of Christ through the ministry of Yokefellowship Prison Ministry. It was a year of developing caring fellowship, disciplined living, and intentional ministry. That s what YPM is all about. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Based upon Area Council 4 th Quarter Reports: 371 YPM Volunteers Ministering to approximately 1,200 incarcerated individuals weekly In 48 correctional facilities 6

9 2013 YPM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S REPORT Annual Report YPM AREA COUNCILS BERKS COUNTY AC c/o Mark Menley 110 Anderson Ave Reading, PA Chair - Pat Antosy Council Director - Mark Menley CENTRAL PA AC c/o Wes King 30 Juliasam Drive Belleville, PA Chair - David Kurtz Council Director - Wesley King DELAWARE VALLEY AC c/o Keith Groves 836 George St Norristown, PA Chair - Keith Groves Council Director - Keith Groves FRANKLIN COUNTY AC c/o Calvary UMC 150 Norlo Dr Fayetteville, PA Chair - John Rauch Council Director - John Rauch HARRISBURG AREA AC c/otonia Stanley 1401 Longfellow Ct. New Cumberland, PA Chair - Tonia Stanley Council Director - Tonia Stanley INDIANA COUNTY AREA AC c/o Rich Gallo 300 Queen Lane Indiana, PA Chair - Rich Gallo Council Director Rich Gallo LEHIGH VALLEY AC PO Box 3114 Wescosville, PA Chair - Lisa Perry Council Director - Chuck Goodge NC PA AC PO Box 1081 Clearfield PA Chair - David Manos Council Director David Manos NE PA AC c/o George Moyer 639 Highland Dr Walnutport, PA Chair Clyde Heisler Council Director Loretta Oswald SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AC PO Box 141 Pottsville, PA Chair Stephanie Parker Reager Council Director Denim McDemis SUN AC c/o Brenda Broschart 186 Libeck Rd Northumberland, PA Chair - Stanley Bullard Council Director - Brenda Broschart THREE RIVERS AC c/o New Stanton Assembly of God 117 Assembly of God Lane New Stanton, PA Chair - Sue Wiseman Council Director Sue Wiseman UPPER OHIO VALLEY AC c/o Dale Noland 223 Jefferson Avenue Wheeling WV Chair - Tony Means Council Director - Dale Noland UPPER SUSQUEHANNA AC 1200 Almond St Williamsport PA Chair - Jack Schrader, III Council Director - Danesta Whaley YORK WHITE ROSE AC c/o Paul Ilyes Jr. 65 Kendal Rd Red Lion, PA Chair - Tom Frederick Council Director - Paul Ilyes Jr. 7

10 2013 YPM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR S REPORT Annual Report YPM MINISTRY PRESENCE YPM IS PRESENT IN 48 CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES FEDERAL INSTITUTION (1/9) USP Lewisburg PA STATE INSTITUTIONS (16/26) Cambridge Springs Camp Hill Coal Township Fayette Frackville Greene Graterford Houtzdale Huntingdon Mahanoy Muncy Pine Grove Pittsburgh Retreat Rockview Smithfield PA COUNTY INSTITUTIONS (28/64) Armstrong County Jail Berks County Jail System Carbon County Correctional Facility Centre County Correctional Facility Clearfield County Prison Clinton County Correctional Facility Dauphin County Prison Franklin County Jail Indiana County Prison Lancaster County Prison Lehigh County Dept of Corrections Lycoming County Prison Mifflin County Correctional Facility Monroe County Correctional Facility Montgomery County Correctional Facility Northampton County Jail Northumberland County Prison Perry County Prison Pike County Correctional Facility Schuylkill County Prison Snyder County Prison Tioga County Prison Union County Prison Westmoreland County Prison York County Prison Lancaster County Prison YOUTH DETENTION INSTITUTIONS Lehigh County Westmoreland County YOUTH SHELTER Westmoreland County COMMUNITY CORRECTIONAL CENTERS Lehigh WV & OH INSTITUTIONS WV Moundsville Jail WV Moundsville State Prison OH Bellmont State Prison 8

11 2013 YPM AREA COUNCIL MINISTRY ACTIVITIES Annual Report MINISTRY STATISTICS HARRISBURG AREA AC Dauphin County Bk L* Mon 8-8: Dauphin County Bk G&H* Mon 8-8: Dauphin County Bk G&H* Mon 7:30-8: Dauphin County Prison** Fri 6-7: Dauphin County Prison* Mon7-7: Dauphin County Work Rel Sun Dauphin County Work Rel Sun Perry County Prison Tues 1:2: SCI Camp Hill Th 6-7: * Every 3 rd week **bi-weekly All ministries weekly unless otherwise noted. BERKS COUNTY AC Berks County Jail Th Berks County Jail Th Berks County Jail Pre-rel Th s 1 Lancaster County Jail Wed 25 4 CENTRAL PA AC Centre County Prison Mon 7: Centre County Prison Fri Mifflin County Prison Tues 6: SCI Huntingdon Th 6: SCI Rockview Mon 2: SCI Smithfield Tues 6: DELAWARE VALLEY AC SCI Graterford Tues 10 1 Montgomery Cnty Prison* Tues 6:30-9: Montgomery Cnty Prison* Sun 6: Montgomery Cnty Prison* Sun 2: * Monthly INDIANA COUNTY AC Indiana County Prison Th 6:00-9: SCI Pine Grove Th 6:15-8: LEHIGH VALLEY AC Bethany UMC* Tues7:30-9: Lehigh County CCC Th 8-9: Lehigh County Prison Sun 7:30-9: Lehigh County Prison Mon 7-9: Lehigh County Prison Wed 6:30-8: Lehigh County Prison Th 7: Lehigh County Prison Fri 7-9: Lehigh County Prison Fri 7-9: Lehigh County Prison Fri 8: Lehigh Juvenile Detention Tues 7-8: Lehigh Juvenile Detention Suns 7-8: NC PA AC Clearfield County Prison Ths 7-9PM 35 6 Clearfield County Prison Suns 7-9PM 35 6 SCI Houtzdale Tues 6-8PM 80 5 FRANKLIN COUNTY AC Franklin County Jail* Wed 6: Franklin County Jail* Wed 6: Franklin County Jail* Sat 2: Franklin County Jail* Sat 4 1 9

12 2013 YPM AREA COUNCIL MINISTRY ACTIVITIES Annual Report NE PA AC Carbon County Prison* Fri Carbon County Prison* Fri Carbon County Prison* Sat 1:30-2: Monroe County Prison On Call 1 on 1 Northampton County Jail** Sun Northampton County Jail Mon Northampton County Jail Wed 8: on 1 Northampton County Jail* Wed Northampton County Jail* Wed Northampton County Jail* Fri 1-3: Northampton County Jail* Fri 1-3:30 1 on 1 Northampton County Jail Sat 2:30-3: Northampton County Jail* Sat 1-3: Northampton County Jail* Sat 1-3: Northampton County Jail* Sat 1-3: Northampton County Jail* Sat 1-3: Northampton County Jail* Sat 1-3: Northampton County Jail* Sat 1-3: Pike County Prison* ^ Tues 4:30-5: Pike County Prison* Wed Pike County Prison* Th 1-? 2 Pike County Prison* ^ Fri * bi-weekly **monthly ^Spanish SCHUYLKILL COUNTY AC Schuylkill County Prison Wed 6: Schuylkill County Prison Wed 7: SCI Frackville Tues 9: SCI Mahanoy Tues 1: S.U.N. AC Northumberland County Wed PM Northumberland County Mon PM Snyder County Prison Th PM Snyder County Prison Mon PM Union County Prison Tues PM USP Lewisburg Mon PM 62 2 God said, Aha! This is the vessel I ve been hoping to find. I will mend it and use it and make it all mine. SCI Smithfield THREE RIVERS AC Armstrong County Pod A Tues 1-2: Armstrong County Pod B Tues 1-2: SCI Fayette Sat 1-2: SCI Fayette Tues 8-11AM 8 2 SCI Greene Mon 6: Westmoreland Cnty Prison* Wed Westmoreland Youth** Sat 2-3: Westmoreland Juvenile** Sat 2-3: * Monthly **Twice month UPPER OHIO VALLEY AC Belmont Prison? 70 2 Moundsville WV Prison Mon PM 15 2 Northern Reg Jail & Prison Mon 20 3 UPPER SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY AC Clinton County Prison Wed Clinton County Prison Wed Lycoming County Prison Th Lycoming County Prison Th Lycoming County Pre-Rel Fri Lycoming County Pre-Rel Fri Lycoming County Pre-Rel* Sun 3: Lycoming County Pre-Rel* Sun 3: SCI Coal Township being re-established SCI Muncy Th 7PM Tioga County Prison Sun 7PM * First two Sundays only YORK AC York County Prison Fri PM 15 1 York County Prison Various Days

13 2013 YPM TREASURER S REPORT Annual Report FINANCIAL REPORT YPM Financial Report January - December 2013 INCOME Donations Berks County $0 Central PA $3,500 Delaware Valley $400 Franklin County $2,400 Harrisburg Area $1,400 Indiana County $70 Lehigh Valley $1,178 North Central PA $4,000 North Eastern PA $436 Schuylkill County $100 SUN Area $813 Three Rivers $520 Upper Ohio River Valley $70 Upper Susquehanna $1,170 York White Rose $1,000 Donations - Other $1,990 Total Donations $19,046 In-kind Income $1,219 Interest/Investment Income $241 Misc Income $85 Program Income- Annual Conference $10,868 TOTAL INCOME $31,459 EXPENSES Miscellaneous Expenses $355 Operations Postage, Mailing Service $180 Printing and Copying $252 Rent & Utilities $960 Supplies $264 Total Operations $1,656 Payroll Expenses $15,712 Program Expenses Honorium Scholarships $200 Misc Program Expenses $17 Travel and Meetings Donated Travel $439 Travel and Meetings - Other $3,190 Total Travel and Meetings $3,629 YPM Annual Conference $8,781 Total Program Expenses $12,627 TOTAL EXPENSES $30,349 NET INCOME $1,110 11

14 YPM STATEMENT OF FAITH We in Yokefellowship Prison Ministry believe: God - There is one eternal, almighty, and perfect God, in essence revealed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are faithful to the biblical revelation that in one sense God is one and in a different sense He is three. Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ is true God and true Man, born of a virgin, died for our sins, rose from the dead, and will return in glory and power. The Holy Spirit - When a person becomes born again, by believing and receiving Jesus Christ, God resides in that person through the Holy Spirit. All the divine attributes ascribed to the Father and the Son are equally ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Word The Bible is the inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of God given through the Holy Spirit for the purpose of teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. The Fall - God created mankind in his own image, but through the fall in the Garden of Eden man was removed from the Garden and separated from God. Thus, we are all sinners and cannot earn God s favor on our own. The Plan God s original plan to give mankind eternal life was rejected by Adam and Eve. In God s redemptive plan, man is rescued from death by the priceless shed blood of Jesus Christ. His atoning death on the cross ended the separation for all those who come to Him. The Call Everyone who is reconciled to God through Christ Jesus is called to be a minister of reconciliation an ambassador of Christ. As Yokefellows, we are called to provide a ministry of reconciliation to those who are or were incarcerated. The Body of Christ All believers are members of the body of Christ. With Christ as the head, every member is called to have a personal relationship with Him, to be His disciple, to love one another, and to use our gifts for the body. The Reward - For taking the message of God s transforming love and forgiveness to captives and sharing the grace that has been given to us, great will be our reward in heaven. Adopted by unanimous consent at YPM State Board Meeting September 15,

15 Special Thanks to Kody Mansberger and Images Print Shop, Huntingdon, PA for donated printing. All Scripture quotations, in this publication are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV, COPYRIGHT 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. 13

16 2013 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, And he with me. Rev 3:20 David Bowen, Executive Director YOKEFELLOWSHIP PRISON MINISTRY P O Box 413 Huntingdon, PA info@yokefellowship.org