According to recent statistics published in February 2008 by the Pew Public Safety Performance Project, 1 in every 100 people in the U.S. is currently in prison. That is the highest imprisonment rate in the world with Kentucky leading the nation in the percentage of residents (some 22,531) incarcerated.
Luther Luckett Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) (LLCC) continues not only to provide a spiritual home for those who are in prison but also to offer them tools for living healthy, productive and faithful lives once released from prison.
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. In July, we will offer our fifth five week life skills training session. It will introduce the men to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and offer an in-depth look at our growing re-entry ministry. We now have three on-going Nurture, Support and Accountability Groups working with members of the LLCC who have left prison and two more groups are forming. Over 35 churches from the outside have joined us by leading worship and by worshipping with the men who are residents. We have welcomed nearly 400 new outside visitors since we began in January, 2008 with one worship service a month. We have welcomed 125 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.
We have a training team that will train and prepare outside churches that want to assist our men when they leave prison. These Nurture, Accountability and Support Groups are informed by the circle model associated with restorative justice. Due to the growing nature of this portion of the ministry, a separate non-profit corporation has been formed, Mission Behind Bars and Behind, that will focus on facilitating these groups and inviting our ecumenical partners to share in this ministry. 95% of the men in prison will be returning to our communities. We seek to proactively make their re-entry a successful one.
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.
To continue to share the Good News that has been disclosed to us in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in this ministry, we need you. Please explore this website. Learn more about what we are doing. Find ways to live out your faith in a very powerful and meaningful way and consider joining us on this exciting journey. We are solely funded by individual donations and by the generosity of our outside communities of faith touched by this wonderful ministry. We invite you to become a partner by making a monetary through PayPal or by joining us for one of our worship services.
