Prison Ministry

Rev. Walt Westbrook answered a calling in 2005 to serve in prison ministry.  Every month he preaches to inmates at Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Boydton, VA.  Two Saturday evenings each month he joins with inmates at Brunswick Correctional Center in Lawrenceville, VA for Centering Prayer.  In addition to Walt's personal efforts, the United Methodist Men of Jamieson have donated Bibles to two prisons and the county jail, and the church supports All God's Children Camp and participates in the Prison Fellowship's Angel Tree program at Christmas.

All God's Children Camp

All God’s Children Camp is a camping ministry for children of incarcerated mothers.  Children, ages 7-12, spend a week at camp, All God's Children Camp Logoparticipating in activities such as boating, swimming, hiking, archery, horseback riding, music, crafts, Bible Study, and conflict resolution.  The camp was started in 1999 when the Bishop’s Initiative for Children and Poverty was asked to identify and address the needs of at-risk children.  Partnering with Virginia United Methodist camps, the All God’s Children Camp was created to provide a week of sanctuary for children who face so many challenges in their lives:  economic poverty; temporary living conditions while their mother, usually their only parent, is incarcerated; loneliness; low self-esteem; violence; and drugs. 

Jamieson Memorial United Methodist Church will be supporting All God’s Children in these ways:

Prayers:  The camp and children need your prayers.  Alarming statistics show that these children are more likely than their peers to have behavioral problems, troubles in school to the point of dropping out, and eventual incarceration.  We hope to give these children the chance to break out of this cycle.

Mentoring:  Volunteers come from churches across the conference to spend the week at camp.  These mentors model to the children what God’s presence in their lives mean.  They are the ones who assure the children that they are indeed all God’s children and God loves and cares about them in the midst of their struggles.  Mentors do not lead activities but rather provide supervision, companionship and compassion to the children during their daily activities, mealtimes and bed time rituals.  After cam, they agree to maintain contact with their campers by phone or letters throughout the school year.  Mentors are adults, ages 17 and up.  They attend a one-day training prior to the week of camp.  (See camp schedule above.)  It is an intense, yet extremely rewarding experience.  Applications are available from the church office, the United Methodist Men, the UMW Circles, or from Linda and Richard Pulliam.  They are also available to download from the website:  http://www.vaumc.org/index.cfm/fa/content.view/menuID/750.htm

Financial Contributions:  The camps depend on funds donated by individuals, groups and churches.  A scholarship of $300 sends one child to camp.  Jamieson provided generous financial support in 2007.  The UMW contributed $700 for 2008.

Supplies:  There will be a container placed in the back of the sanctuary for supplies or contact Linda Pulliam for pickup:

Each camper will be given these items to use at camp and to take home at the end of the session. 

Transportation:  Most of the children would not be able to attend if it required their caregiver to have either the car or the gas money to drive the children to the camp.  Church members are needed to help transport children to the camp.

For more information, contact Ann Davis, The Virginia United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 1719, Glen Allen, VA 23060.  804-521-1138 or 1-800-768-6040 ext.138.  AnnDavis@vaumc.org

Prison Fellowship Angel Tree

Angel Tree Banner

At Christmastime, volunteers from Jamieson purchase and deliver gifts to the children of inmates in their parent’s name. Each gift delivery also presents an opportunity to share the love and hope of Christ with each family. Through Angel Tree, these children feel a parent’s love, despite their absence.