SOCPM Newsletter | October 9, 2021

Greetings,

A snapshot of this week's SOCPM Newsletter

SOCPM's return to Dixon wasn't was a trial run return

A possible opportunity for you to bring encouragment and hope to the incarcerated.

The Weekly Note and the study of Psalms move forward with Psalm 8: An Introduction.

On the non-prison ministry stuff, the no-car garage is getting closer to being a one-car garage; the new printer arrives early, but still no water softener.

Those are the topics for this week's SOCPM Newsletter. I hope you enjoy it.

To Him be the glory in ALL things and Him alone,

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

Prison Classroom Return Update

SOCPM's long-anticipated return to Dixon wasn't great as I had hoped. Other than some time spent looking for my ID, my actual entry through the gatehouse went smoother than I expected. Perhaps, one of the COs who pre-lockdown was one of the COs who worked the 118 building where classes are held, was one of the COs manning the gatehouse.

However, sadly, things from there went down the proverbial drain. As I always did it those days so long ago, I stopped off at the officer's commissary for two bottles of water. I found I had a balance of $9+ on my vending card, enough to get me through several weeks of water. The only problem was they didn't have any bottled water. Hopefully, the chaplain will be able to get me some bottled water.

As I continued my half-mile trek to the 118 building, a couple of guys saw me and warmly welcomed me. One was Thomas, a student before the lockdown, and was enrolled in both current classes. We walked and talked a bit, but once we arrived at the 118 building, I told Thomas, 'I need to see Chaplain .'

The hall to the chaplain's office was blocked, but the CO told me he was somewhere down the hall. So the CO escorted me to the other end of 118, and we found Chaplain Thomas in a temporary office, and after a fist pump greeting, he told me in so many words 'we have a problem, all the students got their passes, but none of their names got passed on to the movement sheets.'

Thomas was fortunate the CO who knew him well and knew he was on the up and up, and when I walked by the gate to his unit, the CO permitted him to leave. However, the chaplain did not have the most tremendous success in resolving the issue despite frantic calls. It didn't help that the phone in his temporary office would ring, but he couldn't hear the caller, and as best he could tell, the caller couldn't hear him. Chaplain Thomas was very apologetic. I told him I understood, and I knew God was fretting over this, and if God was fretting, I wasn't going to fret.

As Chaplain Thomas worked on resolving the matter at hand, we talked about several things. One was there not being no water in the commissary. He explained why. The state decided to reduce vendors (personal thought, perhaps the state needed to find a vendor who would go without payment) and chose one who didn't supply water. Furthermore, anyone deciding to seek a vendor on their own would face serious consequences.

Chaplain Thomas showed me the class lists. It was a joy to see some familiar names, but also sad to notice the names of several students missing due to parole, a happy thing for the student, but bittersweet for me, or transfer to another facility.

I did sit and talk with Thomas for about an hour. I asked him how did things go for him personally in the past 81 weeks? He shared he had COVID, and one person he knew well died, as did several other inmates. I forgot how much Thomas was a talker, so Thomas did a lot of talking of things not related to the past 81 weeks, but that's Thomas. He did share he was looking forward to the Discipleship series, 'What Does Revelation Teach?' The reason being he saw that the previous teaching series SOCPM has brought in were by teachers he never heard of, but he came to know these teachers were great, and he learned a lot. So, when he saw the Discipleship class would be on Revelation, he made sure to enroll. It was uplifting and encouraging to what thus far had been a downer of a day.

Eventually, it came down to my choosing to stay and see if he could resolve the issue before the start of Malachi Dads' class. Knowing the chaplain already had a busy day, and my staying would only add to his workload. So, I told him. I was disappointed, but trusting in God, it will happen next week.

He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. Psalm 112:7 ESV

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

Encouragement and Hope

If we are honest with ourselves, we all have had moments of discouragement and hopelessness over the past months. I know I have. However, one of the things that have been a blessing to me beyond God's Word and prayer is my wife Michelle and my church family. I say it is the same for you too. Hebrews 10:25 became one of my favorite verses when I first found a church family. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Imagine life without a church family or any family and life without God. Sadly being alone is true for many, especially those who are in prison. Quite often, families abandon the incarcerated. Healthy relationships are rare while in jail or prison. Yet, many prisoners seek relationships.

One of the most common means is finding a pen pal. However, I'll admit up front that not all those seeking a pen pal have good intentions, which is why so many who seek relationships with good intentions go without success.

Being a pen pal is not for everyone, and no one should pursue being a pen pal without serious prayer and godly counsel from friends and their pastor. But if God is calling you to be a pen pal, step up and respond to the call. The rewards can be many.

Many men have never had a positive male influence in their lives, let alone a godly Christian man. The same is true for many women who never had a godly Christian woman but suffer the emotion of being separated from their children.

I've heard of men and women who came to true saving salvation through a pen pal. I've also heard of others who, through a pen pal, grew stronger in their faith and found the hope they once lacked.

SOCPM ministry partner Christian Pen Pals Ministry has an 18-month waiting list of prisoners seeking a pen pal. Is God nudging you to be a pen pal? Would you please pray to see if this is a ministry God is calling you to serve Him? Being a Christian pen pal has been a rewarding experience for retirees and others who are confined to their homes for various reasons.

If you want to hear the first-hand testimony, let me know by replying to this e-mail, and I’ll connect you with Lora, whose been a pen pal to Jesse for coming on a year.

Check out the Christian Pen Pals Ministry website for more information.

For the Lord hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. Psalm 69:3 ESV

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. Proverbs 12:25 ESV

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24 ESV

But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13 ESV

Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. Hebrews 13:3 ESV

 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to[a] a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 2 Timothy 16-10 ESV

The Weekly Note

The Weekly Note moves with an introduction to Psalm 8.

James Montgomery writes in his introduction to Psalm 8, 'Every Psalm in the Psalter has undoubtedly been of great spiritual benefit to many millions of persons. Yet we cannot escape feeling that some of them stand out. This is true of Psalm 23, probably the most beloved Psalm in the Psalter. ...It is true of Psalm 8...' [1] As I read Psalm 8, it has become one of my favorites.

Especially verses 3-4; 3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? I'll comment more on 3 & 4 in a couple of weeks. Still, it speaks of God's creation, and when I pause and think of God's creation, I'm in awe, and it brings the fear of God to my foremost thoughts and concludes with verse 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

It's a challenge to put all my thoughts into words, but I will try in the coming weeks; but for now, I hope you find Psalm 8 as inspiring as I did.

Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! Psalm 33:8

Operation What Comes After the Move

On the home-front, there is not much new to report.

The process of making our current no-car garage a one-car garage continues. I've opened all the boxes and sorted out another load for Goodwill, which was delivered. With one or two exceptions, the furniture bound for Wayside Cross is front and center and ready for pick-up. The contents have been checked out, and Michelle has a fair number of boxes to get to, but her being busy with work makes it a time challenge.

One bummer is my coin bowl, aka loose change bowl, a box with my ordination certificate, a volunteer of the year plaque, and more are still MIA. So unless I overlooked a box or wasn't thorough in my checking, I'll have to accept it. My hope is a Michelle box has been doing an excellent job of hiding the above stuff.

This week, the setback was to dispose of some items I needed stickers, I bought ten a couple of weeks ago and set them on the entry table, but surprise, they weren't there when I went to use them. My lovely bride says she didn't move them; I don't recall moving them, but I am older now, so who knows. They may show up. However, I think someone sorting through the mail may have thrown junk mail on top of them, and then when the junk mail was grabbed for the recycle bin, so went the stickers. So the twin bed set got a week's reprieve. Maybe the twin bed snuck in the house one night and took them in an attempt to save its life?

Another hurdle is the installation of the water softener. I was supposed to be delivered yesterday Thursday, but FedEx, aka DeadEx decided otherwise. An e-mail this morning said it was out for delivery. So, I'll be patient as I sit and wait.

My Brother HL-L2370 printer, the replacement for my many years of trustworthiness Brother HL-2270DW, an apparent casualty of 'Operation Move,' arrived way early. Office Depot initially told me it wouldn't ship until November 5th, but God blessed me with an early arrival this past Wednesday..

My impatience in wanting to get all the various post-moving task completed is growing weary.

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:25 ESV

On the Prayer Front

Cameron posted a new profile pic on Facebook, and he has a great smile. A smile I haven't seen in a very long time. So the prayer of praise and further prayer, the smile remains on his face and in his heart. Cameron can use more hours at his current job, or another job to supplement, or one job that will bring financial peace. As always, would you please pray for his salvation and sobriety?


A prayer of praise for Michelle, she passed a SQL exam. She has another exam on the horizon, ready for a mouthful of computer talk, Caboodle Data Model Fundamentals. Would you please pray she passes the mouthful of computer talk exam?

Finally, a prayer of praise though it wasn't what I had hoped, I did return to Dixon. Would you please pray next week that all goes well in the students getting passes and being on the movement sheets? Would you please pray for bottled water? Though it was allowed at Sheridan, Dixon does not allow bottled water brought in by staff and volunteers even if it is sealed. I would just blow it off, but all my doctors tell me to drink plenty of water. Would you also pray for the gates of Sheridan to open up? Finally, again, not important in the big scheme of things, but a lot of meaning to me, that I would at least find the box of my ordination certificate and volunteer of the year plaque.

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2 ESV

IDOC COVID-19 Response
As I mentioned last week, since SOCPM technically is no longer on a lockdown, at least when it comes to Dixon, I would no longer document the IDOC's COVID-19 response. However, if you wish to keep track of the number, here is the link -
https://www2.illinois.gov/idoc/facilities/Pages/Covid19Response.aspx

Citations

1 Boice, James Montgomery. Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005. Print.

Scripture

SOCPM - All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

CHS - Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from Clarke, Roy H, editor. The Treasury of David: Spurgeon's Great Commentary on Psalms, by C. H. Spurgeon, 3rd ed., vol. 1, T. Nelson Publishers , 1997 are from the New Geneva Study Bible published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., using the New King James Version of the Bible, ©1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

FDK Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from Derek Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

JMB - Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from James Montgomery Boice, Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005) is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.TM

WAV - Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from VanGemeren, Willem A. “Book 1 Psalms 1 - 41.” The Expositor's Bible Commentary Psalms, by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, Revised ed., vol. 5, Zondervan, 2008 is taken from is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

WSP Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from “Psalm 1.” Psalms: A Critical and Expository Commentary with Doctrinal and Practical Remarks, by William S. Plumer, Banner of Truth Trust, 1975 is taken from the Holy Bible King James Version.

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