Many of the men myself, my colleague Olly and the prison volunteers interact with are on remand, which means they are being held in prison while they are waiting to be sentenced in court. In the last couple of years, the length of time people are spending on remand has grown, which adds to the anger and disillusionment people are experiencing behind bars. We want to be a consistent presence for men, listening patiently and sharing hope through the gospel at a time in their life when they feel let down by the criminal justice system.
I was chatting to a man outside his prison cell last week and he was telling me how he just found out his court date has been pushed back again to May next year. He has already been in prison for almost two years waiting to be sentenced and now has to wait another nine months to find out how long he will be inside.
His health has seriously deteriorated, and he has lost his accommodation while he’s been inside, so will most likely be released with nowhere to live. In the face of all this his faith in Jesus has grown a lot in the last few months. He even prepared and led a Bible study for other prisoners recently and is such an encouragement to other men on the wing as he tries to stay positive.
Last month the mayor of London called on the Justice Secretary to take urgent action and deal with the court backlog. They estimated there were 16,000 outstanding cases in the crown courts and nearly 73,000 in the magistrates. There have also been a number of barrister strikes recently which will impact many prisoners in London. We meet men every day who are uncertain about their future. But it also reminded me how there is always hope, even when things seem really dark, if we look to Jesus.
This is why it’s so important that Christians keep going into prisons to share God’s love, and why it’s so important for churches to be safe and welcoming places for people who have been released from prison. We're coming alongside churches to help in both of these respects. If you or your church are interested in getting involved, then get in touch.
Please join with us as we pray for our team, prisons, prisoners, and churches across London
Please pray for our team as we work with churches across London. One of the main ways is being a link between ex-prisoners and a church in their area. Sometimes this process goes very smoothly, with the individual quickly welcomed into church, but it’s more common to encounter hurdles, or to lose contact with them as they readjust to life outside prison.
Prisons Week is 9-15th October, here’s how you can pray for our ministry.
Day 1 - Pray that the seeds of the gospel shared in London prisons will bear fruit and many men will put their trust in Jesus.
Day 2- Pray for all the faithful volunteers from churches across London who give up their time to go into prisons and spend time encouraging and supporting the inmates.
Day 3 - Pray for boldness and wisdom for Christian prisoners to share their faith and story with others they come into contact with as they serve their sentence.
Day 4 - Pray for miraculous provision for men leaving prison, for adequate housing, employment opportunities and reconciliation with family.
Day 5 - Pray for those who are serving long sentences or face uncertain futures, that God would give them hope and resilience in times of real darkness.
Day 6- Pray for the safety and wellbeing of chaplains, staff and officers across London prisons as they work in such a difficult and stressful environment every day.
Day 7 - Pray for the LCM team, the churches and organisations we partner with in prisons and resettlement work. Pray for perseverance, compassion and wisdom in the face of the many challenges and disappointments.
LCM shares the gospel alongside the local church of London, equipping everyday Christians to lovingly bring a message of hope in Christ to those least likely to hear it.
Registered Charity No. 247186
