It all started with one priest writing letters to just one man behind bars. Now, sixteen years later, 21 Orthodox clergy and laity serve 69 people in four different prison facilities across Michigan. The growth was small at first, almost non-existent for nearly the first decade of his ministry and coming to a complete standstill […]
Juwann stands at the front of the prison chapel, dressed in the same jumpsuit he has worn for the past ten years as an inmate of the Pennsylvania state corrections system. But this is no ordinary day. Beside him is Rassophore Monk Michael, a monastic of the nearby St. Tikhon’s Monastery, and soon to be […]
Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM), the national prison ministry of the Orthodox Church, is very pleased to announce Diana Emry as the organization’s first Director of Programs. To celebrate this appointment, OCPM sat down with Emry to hear what this position means for her and the future of the organization. OCPM: Can you describe your […]
Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) has many exciting speaking events coming up this season. Check out our scheduled events across the United States, and if we are coming to your neighborhood, click on the link provided to learn more. Make sure to check back throughout this season, as more events are still being set! Saturday, […]
Whatever mixed feelings each of us may have about New Year’s resolutions, the instinct persists; with a new calendar year always comes some desire for a restart: new goals, new intentions, new ways of seeing the world. For those of us at OCPM, these redirections often come from men and women behind bars, whose hard […]
“Your ministry has truly been a light shining in the darkness behind these prison walls! May the Lord, Our God, Jesus Christ, bless you and store up treasures for you in Heaven for all the love and help you have shown to me and others.” -A Letter from Travis in Prison We received this letter […]
We recently received this poignant reflection from George in prison on the joy of Christmas Day and the gifts God is ready to give us every day of the year. We hope this helps you get in the holiday spirit as much as it has helped us! Do you remember what it felt like as […]
Sam and Jonathan Springer were surprised to receive a storybook in the mail for their two-year-old daughter. Inside the package was a letter explaining that this book was sent on behalf of Sam’s mother, Christy, who had been arrested and was in a jail in Colorado. Even more surprising, the book came with a link […]
As the national prison ministry of the Orthodox Church, part of the OCPM’s mission is to train and inspire local church communities to support those in prison near them. This is why dozens of Orthodox clergy seek out our coaching services every year to learn how to best manage the various challenges of doing ministry […]
New York, NY. (October 1, 2024) Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) extends our deepest appreciation to Elsie Skvir Ganister Foundation Fund for their generous support of our prison newsletter entitled “The Journey.” This vital monthly publication provides incarcerated individuals with discussions on the Orthodox faith, events on the church calendar, messages from OCPM’s director, as […]