Below is the last installment of our four-part series of journal entries from OCPM’s Prison Relationship Manager during his internship with OCPM and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS). If you haven’t already, make sure to read Part One and Part Two and Part Three of Toby John’s Prison Ministry Journal. March 22 This day was significantly different from […]
The Assembly of Bishops has blessed July 30, 2023 as Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday (PMAS), when hundreds of Orthodox Christian churches of all jurisdictions across the United States will recognize and share about the importance of prison ministry for the life of the Church. To help get us into PMAS spirit, enjoy this beautiful testimony […]
Below is Part Three in a new four-part series of journal entries from OCPM’s Prison Relationship Manager during his internship with OCPM and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS). If you haven’t already, make sure to read Part One and Part Two of Toby John’s Prison Ministry Journal. Tuesday, February 28 – March 1, 2023 […]
OCPM recently held a staff retreat in Pennsylvania. We had the privilege of visiting with seminarians, along with the Dean at St. Tikhon’s Seminary and the Abbott at St. Tikhon’s Monastery. We also visited SCI Waymart, a nearby prison, escorted by Fr. John Kowalczyk and Fr. Stephen Powley, Co-Directors of Training and Spiritual Care at […]
Below is Part Two in a new four-part series of journal entries from OCPM’s Prison Relationship Manager during his internship with OCPM and St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (STOTS). If you haven’t already, make sure to read Part One of Toby John’s Prison Journal. Friday, February 10 On this day, we began to hold Vespers […]
“This was the first time I have ever gone to visit a prison.” When Toby John, (MDiv St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Master of Social Work UT Arlington ) was hired this past year as OCPM’s new Prison Relationship Manager, he also became the first person to pilot a new Certificate in Prison Ministry program, created in […]
While serving his life sentence, Doug went on a spiritual pilgrimage, experimenting with many different religions to try to find his faith. One day, going through a guided meditation, he was brought again to his visceral memories of being abused as a child. His body began to shake with fear and rage and, instead of […]
When OCPM founder, Fr. Duane Pedersen, began corresponding with Michael in prison, Michael was quick to say he preferred if Fr. Duane would stop writing about God. Despite showing no indication that his heart was changing, Fr. Duane faithfully wrote to him week after week, year after year. After twenty years of correspondence, Fr. Duane […]
“When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He will place the sheep at His right […]
On my first Sunday of the Last Judgment after I became an Orthodox Christian, I heard our deacon read the Gospel from Matthew 25. For reasons I did not understand at the time, Christ’s words deeply struck me that day: “I was in prison, and you came to Me.” It wasn’t long after that my […]