Music in Ministry

We are grateful that our prison work hasn’t been stopped by lockdown. We haven’t been able to go into prisons but we have been able to send resources:

• boxes of good books (one chaplain requested slim books that can slide under cell doors!), we have sent 100 Bibles to Wandsworth as they had run out

• boxes of colouring Bible verse books and inspirational resources for the women in Send and Down View prisons

• Chaplain Beverley at Downview says  ‘thank you for your continued support of women in HMP Downview. The team and ladies are really appreciative. The colouring book and pens are amazing’. 

• CDs for prisoners in their cells

• Recording and sending in several talks and songs for Sunday morning services in Wandsworth, Send and Coldingley Prisons

• Building a new website for the Trust at www.musicinministry.uk

Despite lockdown we have made a new compilation CD for prisoners called Peace & Understanding.  The theme is healing, with many of the songs taken from my older albums from a time when we were seeing a powerful move of God’s healing.  These CDs have already gone into 10 prisons and we pray they will get to the prisoners who need them and be used by God to ‘set the captives free’.  The lyrics for one of the songs ‘Answer My Prayer’ were written by a prisoner and I’ve put music to them. 

Chaplain Shawn messaged ‘thank you for your wonderful gift of Peace and Understanding! Fabulous!  I’ve just put it on the CD player in the chapel and even though it seems empty the place is alive! I will be able to put these in the Faith Packs for our lads and I know that they will be thrilled! Thank you so very much for remembering our brothers in prison.’

Some prisons are starting to hold Sunday services from October. I have been asked lead worship for the 4 back-to-back (due to social distancing) services Chaplain Lesley hopes to hold on 24 October.

What can I do?  Pray for prisoners and their families and for prison chaplains:

• Prisoners are now locked up 23 hours a day.  Many have lost loved ones and in most prisons      chaplains have to administer bereavement prayer and comfort through a slot in the door. 

• Prisoners on remand:  there is a backlog of 500,000 court cases waiting to come to trial, many of these people are in jail, and may be innocent, unconvicted defendants. Pray for wisdom for all in
  authority that this backlog will be cleared. 

• Pray for prisoners’ families;  most visits are via Zoom where possible.  Many are losing contact
  altogether with families.

Thank God for the stories of people coming to Jesus in these days and pray that this ‘Time Out’ will turn many to new Life in Christ.                                        

Bryn & Sally Haworth    info@musicinministry.uk