In the Winter issue of Walking Together, I mentioned that Bishop Mary and I had been invited by Chaplain Teslik to Columbia Correctional Institution in Portage to lead worship in July. July came last night. Bishop Mary, Nancy Raabe AIM, and I were privileged to lead worship for inmates at two worship services held in the new prison chapel. Chaplains Mark Teslik, rostered leader in our synod and CCI’s new Chaplain, Justin, presided as well.
The inmates were seated in a simple chapel. The chapel held an altar doubling as a credence table, (did I mention “small” chapel), block walls as one would imagine, small windows that let a trickle of air in and big fans blowing to make up for the stillness of the air. We all agreed we’d have to make sure to talk loud! With just a little bit of time to prepare as the inmates gathered, I prayed, “Please Holy Spirit, blow through this worship service with the same gusto as this humongous fan behind me!” And indeed the Holy Spirit did!
We opened with prayer requests from the inmates and then intercessory prayers led by the chaplains. We continued worship with hymns led by the very gifted Nancy Raabe who accompanied on piano and provided the inmates with some interesting new ways to sing three songs from the ELW. I thought she might be stretching their abilities; however, we found many who caught on easily. Their voices lifted up, out the windows and across the courtyard. It was a big, beautiful sound, and it was good!
Chaplain Teslik and I then led them through Psalm 138 responsively. I shared with them that I was grateful for the opportunity to be with them again and to tell them that I had been praying for them since my visit many months ago. I asked for their prayers in return and was humbled by their gracious replies. It was good!
Bishop Mary then gave the message. She recognized that each one of us has our own unique story and it is ours to tell but that God’s story includes all of our stories. She then read Acts 9, Saul’s conversion story, and asked if we had ever had an experience like Saul. A time where we doubted that God or Jesus ever existed and then a time when we came out of the darkness like Saul. Saul fell to the ground when suddenly the light of God’s truth flashed from heaven and then Saul believed. She invited us to think about where God’s story intersected with ours or if we didn’t think it has yet, to be ready because it could “kick us in the butt” just as it did Saul. Saul was so changed by his experience that God even changed his name to Paul. He was made anew just as were are given the opportunity to be made anew every day.
We heard “Amen” and it was good!
Bishop Mary then prayed for God’s blessing of the new chapel. Chaplain Teslik decided to add a baptismal font (think stainless steel salad bowl) to the new worship space and Bishop Mary invited us to “play in the waters of baptism, to mark our foreheads with the sign of the cross to remember that we are a beloved Child of God.” She also invited anyone who wasn’t ready but wanted to know more about baptism, to talk to their Chaplains about what it means to become a follower of Jesus.
And so we reminded ourselves of our baptism and shared in the Lord’s supper. Communion wafers and dixie cups of grape juice served as our elements and it was soooo good.
Last night our stories and the stories of the inmates at CCI converged. In God’s story, we were and are one body. The Holy Spirit blew through the little chapel in Portage in a big way . . . and it was good!
On The Road With Your Synod Staff 
Your experience did not imvolve multitudes of people but it was gentle and true and full of God’s love. Someone in the group was made ready to feel His love and forgiveness and those who love that someone will be touched as God’s love radiates out in waves of grace. May God continue to bless you with opportunities like this.
I don’t think you could have said this any more beautifully…we sent them out into their community by passing the peace as the inmates left the chapel and sharing our gratitude for joining us. Thank you, Bill, and I too pray for more opportunities like this.