We offer worship services three Friday nights a month. On the first Friday of each month, the men gather for a congregational meeting where we sing, pray, share joys and concerns, meet with members of the outside board and celebrate the Lord's Supper. We have just completed our sixth five week life skills training session. It focused on managing stress both inside and outside of prison and was taught by well-qualified volunteers from the community. Our re-entry ministry contiues to grow. We have created a separate 501 (c) (3) non-profit corporattion, Mission Behind Bars and Beyond, to focus specifically on our re-entry program. We have trained nine Nurture, Support and Accountability Groups working with members of the LLCC who have left prison. These are located in Berea, Northern Kentucky, Louisville and Nelson County. We hope to train more groups statewide. Over 40 churches from the outside have joined us by leading worship and by worshipping with the men who are residents. We have welcomed over 400 new outside visitors since we began in January, 2008 with just one worship service a month. We have welcomed over 150 new members, some of whom are associate members from outside churches who have joined LLCC to demonstrate their support and desire to be considered a part of this amazing community of faith.
There is room and opportunity for everyone in this Spirit led ministry. We welcome individuals and congregations who feel called to respond to the teachings of Jesus to care for, nurture and support "the least of these." For some who visit, it is a way to share a ministry of presence. For others, it fulfills a calling to serve those who have been locked away. Yet, for others, it is a way to make a difference by working to end the cycle of recidivism that has strangled so many who have difficulty breaking entrenched patterns of behavior.