Hope ‘inside’ and out
Texas prison mission offers study, worship and a second chance By Ann Hafften
“ P
ray for me. I’m getting out in 60 days,” said Bill (last name with- held), who operates the sound-
board at Church of the Damascus Road, an ELCA mission in the John R. Lindsey State Jail, Jacksboro, Texas. “I work the sound at every service. It helps me in my walk with God.” Many of the men at Lindsey and
Damascus Road’s other site, the Walker Sayle Unit in Breckenridge, Texas, have been convicted of drug and alcohol-related crimes. A lot of them have struggled with addic- tion for years. But not every man who gets out goes free. One church member died of a heroin overdose just four days aſter his release. To help the inmates, Dan Lund,
a member of Messiah Lutheran Church, Weatherford, Texas, leads a Bible study based on Alcoholics Anonymous meditations, prayer and discussion. “I understand the struggle these
guys are in from my own experi- ence with alcohol addiction. I am 38 years sober,” said Lund, a leader of this Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana synodically authorized worshiping community. “I encour- age them to stick with what has been helping them: regular AA meetings and Bible study.” Participation in the Bible-based
recovery meetings grew from five men to more than 100 in about two years. Meetings were moved from the open dorm to the gymnasium. Worship (limited to 100) is open to
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www.thelutheran.org
all the inmates. Lund gives
each man who has attended four meetings a Recovery Devo- tional Bible. “Te men treasure these Bibles,” Lund said. “Tey are allowed very few personal possessions.” Liturgical wor-
ship is what sets the Church of the Damascus Road apart from other visiting Christian groups that pro- vide no Scripture readings or communion. Inmates have their own praise band that leads singing in English and Spanish. One tenor song leader who has
Tim Davis, a member and product of the Church of the Damascus Road prison ministry, attends a meeting of a Northern Texas-Northern Louisiana Mission Area conference at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Amarillo, Texas. Davis was recently paroled from the Texas correctional system.
been in other prisons says it’s the first time he’s been able to sing in Spanish. He has learned English here as well. Ten there is the printed bulletin,
including all the lectionary readings. Tose not incarcerated might take a church bulletin for granted, but prison worshipers do not. Tey’re allowed to take it with them—not one is leſt behind. Tim Davis of Pampa, Texas, who
was released from incarceration in February, said worship brings the church inside. “We worship exactly like [congre- gation] members do in churches on
the outside,” he said. “Holy commu- nion at the Damascus Road service is the only [unrestricted] avenue to the sacrament in the Texas jails. We felt more human. We could forget that we were inmates; we are simply children of God. It is an open door. We could participate, not just sit and listen. We felt human again and truly loved.” A former high school history
teacher and coach, Davis was incar- cerated for drug possession. “Obses- sion with meth was more than I could handle on my own,” he said. “I prayed, ‘Lord, help! Amen.’ ” Davis’ prayer was answered with
the Bible-based AA meetings. He was one of the first five participants. “It was a chance to share, which I’m
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