Reentry or Transition Ministry

Pastor Eric, with the help of Prison staff and outside trained professionals, will provide training to the church teams that have volunteered to be there for men who have served their sentences.

It is proven statistically that if there is a support network for the men, once they are released back into society, likely-hood of repeat offences drops dramatically.  One of the goals of this ministry is to build partnerships with synod congregations.

The intended outcome of re-entry is to create a bridge between the men and their families, to congregations throughout the State of Washington.  Successful transition of Living Stones members back into society may include any or all of the following:

  1. Strong church teams fully trained in Project Cope training,
  2.  Proper welcoming the men into one of the synod churches for worship, IE, introductions, using his talents for worship service as he did on the inside and being given the opportunity for sharing his testimony when it is mutually appropriate. 
  3. Knowing the needs of each man before he is released so that housing, work, clothing and all the other necessities can be checked off. 
  4. Provide support as problems are encountered in any area of reentry;
  1. Relationship conflicts,
  2. Money management, 
  3. Lack of confidence or self esteem
  4. Basically all the things that we struggle with daily.

In most cases a relationship will be established while the inmate is finishing his sentence so that the team can begin to develop a needs assessment. Cope teams can also use this time to get to know if families will be a consideration.  Single men have different requirements for effective transition back into society than family men do and will need to prepare for the differences.

Pastor Eric has done a tremendous amount of ground work already and his passion for this ministry is self evident.  He is always ready with an encouraging word or prayer.  But the most important part of this ministry is his love for the Living Stones Prison Congregation.  If the teams that follow can model his compassion, each of the men from the Living Stones congregation, with Gods help, will transition successfully into our congregational communities.