ly dedicated to (because we are from) these populations. And those coming out feel His presence. They are Home with the “Us That We Are, and free indeed.” • Partnership with local housing and support ministries allows us not to duplicate what others are providing. Bible study weekly for returning citizens allows them a “foot in the door” to then experience other blessings of church, such as wider fellowship, benevolence, etc. • When we first started Welcome Home, it was basically a time when returning citizens would just hear me preach and we would occasionally do some praise reports. I believe God want- ed me to change it so we could get right into the mess of where people needed to be healed. So now it’s more of an open floor/ Bible study/small group/Holy Spirit-led time of engagement. Periodically, we have food where we celebrate with families of the returning citizens. • Residential Recovery/Re-entry Housing. It meets practical needs and is a vehicle to remove barriers for those coming out of incarceration. • Initial reentry assistance with housing, clothing and employ- ment • Members are mostly old gangsters themselves radically saved. • Our congregation’s reentry ministry is combined with our re- covery ministry called Community Recovery International. The most successful aspects we offer are a year-round, weekly recov- ery ministry evening where we offer a free meal, recovery wor- ship, and seven recovery groups. All of our mentoring, therapy, networking of resources, accountability navigation, and the like. We also offer online video resources and livestreaming that pro- vides recovery support. The majority of our people who attend on our recovery nights are returning citizens. We have been able to bridge dozens of returning citizens to the congregation over the past 23 years. • In-person ministry at the prison • Pen pal, book distribution, Bible studies Most challenging aspects of your congregation’s reentry ministries: • Mental health • Transportation and housing. The need is great. • We don’t have the number of people or financial resources we need. • Our program is new and the congregation is not fully aware that
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