Greetings
Week 30 of the lockdown ๐.
COVID-19 cases as of 10/08/20; Dixon: confirmed staff 22, recovered staff 16, confirmed inmates 26, recovered inmates 26 | Sheridan: confirmed staff 15, recovered staff 15; confirmed inmates 22, recovered inmates 22. A slight up count on the Dixon, but all the other numbers are looking positive.
One news story relating to prisons and the COVID-19 issue is visitations. The Bureau of Prisons (aka BOP) announced the resumption of social visits. Which I'm sure is a blessing to the federal prisoners, their families, and loved ones. Currently, the Illinois Department of Corrections has not resumed visitations. If you have a loved one or friend in IDOC or are simply interested in IDOC's response to COVID-19, you can visit IDOC COVID-19 Response. On a broader national scale, The Marshall Project had assembled a collection of articles on both federal and state prisons. SOCPM's intent in providing these websites is not to cast a net of negativity on correctional institutions or those administrating them. But a simple reminder that the incarcerated and their loved ones, like us, are enduring difficult times. Perhaps even more so due to the confining living space and limited interaction with family and loved ones. Please remember the staff, including those who must make difficult administrative decisions and the inmates in prayer.
Despite the somewhat promising numbers above, based upon an e-mail this week from the chaplain at Sheridan, the return of volunteers will not be happening this year. In his e-mail earlier this week, the warden asked him to put a call-out to volunteers for some creative ways to bring a virtual Christmas to the prisoners. I've not met Sheridan's Warden Sherwin, having been appointed warden after my last day of volunteering. But what I've had communicated to me she is a believer and has a sincere heart for inmates including their receiving Christian programming despite there currently being no volunteers bringing Christ to the inmates. It is personally comforting when the chaplains mention the inmates miss us, volunteers.
There was no mid-week message this week. So, finding an alternate the teaching for Weekly Notes was placed upon me. There is an abundance of teachings on various Christian topics to be found on the internet and I enjoy seeking out a topic. But, first, through prayer, I must choose a topic that is in alignment with God's. However, once God puts in my heart a topic there is the challenge of finding a teaching that is biblically solid and can be printed on 1-page. I also want to give my guys a teaching that I would want, something that challenges me as a Christian in my personal sanctification (Philippians 2:12, 2 Timothy 2:21).
So, after detailing the above, my task in finding a topic and teaching for this week's Weekly Notes. After watching a YouTube sermon on Repentance and biblical repentance being a topic heavy on my heart. I felt God placing repentance on my heart as a topic. After some searching and reading, I eventually found the essay 5 Marks of Repentance by J. C. Ryle. It took some reducing of the margins, but I was able to squeeze it in satisfying the 1-page limit. Thus this week's Weekly Note and now I can be at peace, knowing the masses now know the pressing question, 'how does he decide and choose what to send for Weekly Notes'? ๐ค
This week's e-mail exchanges with Chaplain Thomas of Dixon brought an encouraging message. Inmates who aren't SOCPM students saw the SOCPM students reading Weekly Notes and asked to be added to the distribution list. Chaplain Thomas also mentioned my 3-minute video made a few weeks ago was aired this past weekend and invited me to do a 15-minute video. Pray, I will be meet the task with a message that will glorify God.
SOCPM on ZOOM is turning to be a trial of perseverance due to a couple of technical issues and other alumni not connecting, I decided to cancel. Joe, unable to resolve a mic issue on his laptop, had to revert to connecting through his phone. After I decided to cancel the study Joe and I had a good conversation for about 30 minutes. Pray for Joe, despite some movement in the right direction, one, his getting to see his children, his divorce is still a trial he wishes would end. A prayer of praise, through the various trials, Joe has been able to maintain sobriety. Also, pray that through the Holy Spirit giving me perseverance next week's SOCPM on ZOOM will bear some fruit.
A lengthy newsletter this week, it was a somewhat boring Saturday morning, but in closing Stanley, a Dixon SOCPM student since May 2015 was paroled yesterday October 9th. Only two other current SOCPM students have an earlier enrollment date. Stanley almost never missed a class in almost 5 years. As I've said in previous newsletters it is a bittersweet moment. Losing a student with the longevity of Stanley is a strong bittersweet moment. Please be certain to remember Stanley in prayer that he transitions well. Stanley definitely knows the Gospel and professed Christ. Pray that his profession of faith was indeed a saving faith and that he connects with a church.
To Him be the glory in ALL things and to Him alone!
Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries๏ปฟ