St. Simon Cyrene

The prison reentry and aftercare ministry of St. Luke & St. Simon Cyrene Episcopal Church - Two Saints Prison Ministry

Prison Ministry - Episcopal Diocese of Rochester

Supporting Central New York’s Prisoners & Families Inside and Out

Ministry

What has been called prison ministry in the church has developed in a larger framework of reentry to community, and care for formerly imprisoned persons and their families. The social implications of the “big picture” are great too as they adversely affect entire large sections of the city.

Three areas of activity have occupied Two Saints parishioners concerned with such prison reentry and aftercare for youths, men, and women with experiences of incarceration.

Communal Prayers

Communal prayers recognize the humanity and dignity of each imprisoned man, woman, and youth as well as of those reentering society. Services for them are definitely improving. Yet the whole area requires more resources and better service coordination to reduce recidivism, assist reentrants and families, and enhance public safety.

Individual Ministries

Some Two Saints members engage in individual ministries. Trained as a mentor by Judicial Process Commission, one counsels a Monroe County inmate. Another is website administrator and coordinates communications and research for SMART (Safer Monroe Area Reentry Team). The website is www.smartny.org.

Girl Scouts Beyond Bars

Most Two Saints associates of PRAM are interested in Girl Scouts Beyond Bars. GSBB is led by the Girl Scouts of Western New York (formerly “of the Genesee Valley”). Step by Step of Rochester, Samaritan Women, and St. Thomas parish collaborate. GSBB serves local daughters of women imprisoned in Monroe County as well as their mothers. We participate in planning. Unfortunately there was a delay in our hoped-for early 2008 start-up of GSBB. However all those who expressed interest in GSBB are known to the GSWNY persons responsible for contacting and training them.

Information: www.twosaints.org

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