On December 2, 2008 the Howse Baptist Church family participated yet again in the Prison Ministry at the State of Tennessee Department of Corrections, Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee. The following joined in journeying to the prison this year: Melissa Cook, Arlene Goodwin, Jody Keymon, Johnny & Debbie Keymon, Glen Knight, Tony Latham, Hal Lawler, Debbie Mauldin, Glenda Maupin, and Shirley Utley. This was the first time for Arlene and Debbie M. One of the guards, who has worked in the prison for nine years, was in Guild 10 for the first time and she declared that she was going to pray that she could be with us in Guild 10 next year. That’s how meaningful the time was with everyone. The delicious types of BBQ (including BBQ pork, BBQ chicken, BBQ bologna, BBQ sauce, and baked beans) prepared by Johnny & Jody Keymon, Shirley Utley’s pickles (which are now famous and a much sought after item), and all of the cakes, pies, and cookies supplied by the church family made the occasion festive. Everyone I talked with loved the food and one prisoner said it was the best meal that they had had all year.
But there was more: the group singing; the unbelievably powerful solo of one of the prisoners; the testimony of Melissa Cook concerning her appreciation of the card the men sent her last year when she was absent because of illness and their response to her sharing; the sharing of conversations; and the involvement of the two guards, who were so complimentary of our ministry to the men. It doesn’t matter what words I string together, they are insufficient to describe the intangible sense that Christ was present and was magnified and glorified in this continuing ministry of our church family, made possible by the giving of many of you who were unable to go in person. You gave money through your regular giving to the church; you offered prayers for those who made the journey and for the prisoners; and you sent food that made the meal possible. Thank you; this was your ministry, too.
Our church family would like to thank Chaplain Larry Glenn and Chaplain Kurt Gross of the Northwest Correctional Complex for making this ministry possible.
To God alone be the Glory
The children of our church get involved by decorating paper sacks so each inmate receives a package of personal items as follows: writing tablet, pencil, pen, bath cloth, socks, tooth brush, tooth paste, comb, etc.
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