I am a member of a group of people from several UCC congregations
working in the area of prison ministry. We sent Christmas/Holiday cards to people who are incarcerated in
December, and our effort was very well received. We decided that sending a card
around Valentine’s Day would also be good.
We also decided to expand our circle of invitation — asking if others in our congregations might be interested in being involved in prison ministry. The text of the card reads:
‘Happy Valentine’s Day, Friend…
In the spirit of St. Valentine, who was also imprisoned, we with warm and caring hearts send you this Valentine. While in prison, Valentine healed the chief warden’s daughter of her blindness. When the Emperor Claudius heard about this, he ordered that Valentine be put to death. The legend says that on the day before he died, he wrote a note to the warden’s daughter, signed “Your Valentine.” He was put to death on February 14, in the year 269.
Sending along to you prayers and good wishes.”
I am sharing our UCC Prison Ministry group’s invitation to Old First Members who wish to correspond with someone
in prison by making these cards available at Old First at the Annual Meeting this coming Sunday. You can pick up a card or just write it at the meeting. Our recommendation is that you use the church’s return address, rather than your home address.
I will have the cards at the Annual Meeting on Sunday. You may add a personal note or well wishes. Most of the cards will be delivered to inmates at the Montgomery County prison. But we will also be mailing some to folk who we know are in prisons elsewhere… some right here in Philadelphia.
Let me know beforehand or on Sunday if you are interested…
Beth W.
