Mercy Triumphs!

As we approach Great Lent, here is an important clarification: An exact keeping of the fast, attending all the extra services, and reading all the Biblical readings each day will not, in and of themselves,...

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Taming That Little Flapper

Today’s Epistle reading is from James 3:1-10. The photo, which was taken on a backpack on the Continental Divide Trail, reminded me of this passage. After informing us that the tongue is a fire, St....

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“Lavishly” Experiencing the Grace of God

CHRIST IS BORN!! GLORIFY HIM! “Never judge anyone, for any reason. Never do anyone harm. Discipline yourself, purging both material and spiritual evil. Nurture a modest and gentle spirit. Do these things, noticing your own...

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New Chrismations from Prison

Dear to Christ members of the OCPM family…  I had the great honor and blessing to Chrismate two men in prison yesterday. The men were filled with such incredible joy. Things worked out perfectly to...

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St. Porphyrios of Kavsokalivia

This story came to me from two different priests. After reading it, I found that it was definitely one to pass on to you. The Saints are truly wonderous in the Lord! Love in Christ…...

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On St. Nicholas

December 6th is an important day in my home each year. The “why?” is best answered by sharing this true story with you. If you are a fan of the Paul Harvey radio programs, you will be familiar...

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Why Am I Here?

Have you ever asked God: “Why am I here on this earth? What is it You want me to do with my life Lord?” Those are great questions to ponder. There can be various answers...

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Playing the Fool

I confess to you, the reader, that I have played the “fool” in my own life. I remember as if it were yesterday, coming home from college for Christmas. My mom was cooking breakfast and...

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The Rolling Love of Christ

Saint Paul prayed that the Lord Jesus Christ “would grant you (us), according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through...

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Our Conversion

As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” So, he arose and followed Him. (Matthew 5:16) And there you have it....

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Day One of the Advent Fast

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?...

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Ignore Evil

“God has placed a power in man’s soul. But it is up to him how he channels it —- for good or for evil. If we imagine the good as a garden full of flowers,...

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Praying in Difficult Times

It can be easy to trust in the Lord when everything seems to be going well, but difficult times can and do come to every life. We may be praying for ourselves or for someone...

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Happy Church New Year

Happy New Church Year, which began on September 1st. A couple of challenges for us in this new year came from a most unlikely source. On a recent airplane trip, I listened to that classic...

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A Most Important Choice Before Us

“Lord how many times must we forgive someone when they sin against us, seven times?” Jesus answers that question in Matthew 18 with “Not seven, but seven times seventy!” So, we should forgive someone 490...

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“Logical Sense”

“Doesn’t it make logical sense!” So said a couple of young men who were trying to convince me of a doctrine that is far removed from the Christian Truth that has been handed down through...

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Hearing vs Listening

Have you ever laid down in your bed at night, hearing the sounds your house normally makes every night? Then comes a sound that is not normal; it is out of place. Immediately, you begin...

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Fr. Stephen Powley serves as the Director of Training and Spiritual Care for OCPM. He is the Priest at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Pueblo, CO. 


Fr. Stephen began serving as a Prison Chaplain in January of 1985. He has ministered in every prison security level, from minimum to super-max. He eventually retired from Prison Chaplaincy in August of 2010.
 Over those years, Fr. Stephen had the great privilege of being a spectator of many incredible things that God did inside the prisons. He began serving on the OCPM Board of Directors in 2005 and he began working with OCPM following his retirement. Over the years, Fr. Stephen has been the keynote speaker at numerous spiritual retreats and conferences across the nation. He continues to enjoy speaking and educating people from all walks of life, with the goal of inspiring and encouraging people in their Christian faith.

 

Fr. Stephen resides in Colorado with his loving wife of 44 plus years, Presvytera Ashley. They have four wonderful children, two wonderful sons-in-law, one wonderful daughter-in-law, and four wonderful grandchildren. In his free time, Fr. Stephen loves mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, and mountain climbing. Before he went to seminary, he was a Smokejumper for the Forest Service, parachuting into wilderness areas to fight forest fires. Some have suggested a few bad landings on his head may have influenced his decision to become a Prison Chaplain. (He would prefer to think it was the guidance of the Lord.)