Finding the CLF in Prison
Click here for CLF's Letter Writing Ministry
More than two million people are incarcerated in prisons and jails across the United States. Like many Americans, most prisoners have never heard of Unitarian Universalism, and prisoners who have 'non-traditional' spiritual beliefs often despair of finding a religious community that will respect their beliefs and encourage their spiritual growth while they are incarcerated.
Some prisoners discover Unitarian Universalism when they read a mention in a newspaper, magazine, book or encyclopedia. Disparaging comments by conservative Christian prison chaplains ("Don't talk like that! You sound like a Unitarian!") have also prompted curious prisoners to seek us out.
Every week, the Church of the Larger Fellowship gets letters from prisoners all across the US : "I hear you're a church where you don't have to believe in God?" ... "My cellie tells me you're open to pagans and Wiccans" ... "Can you send me anything about religion and being gay?"...
And every week, we read comments in prisoners' CLF membership applications that echo what UUs hear every Sundayduring coffee hour: "I can't believe I found a church that will let me believe what I already believe, and still help me explore and deepen my personal spirituality" ... "Oh, how I wish I'd found y'all sooner! When I think about how my life might be so different today" ... "Here's my application to join your church. Please rush me a list of everything you've got in your lending library!"
Through the generous contributions of CLF members and otherUUs, we have been able to offer a free membership to any prisoner who chooses to join the CLF. Like other members of the CLF, prisoner-members receive Quest (the CLF's monthly publication of sermons, essays, poems and other writings) as well as our denominational magazine UUWorld (four issues/year).
If you know a prisoner who might be interested in becoming a member of CLF, encourage them to write to us (CLF Prison Ministry, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108), or you can send us an email
that includes your name, their name and ID#, and the facility name and address. We'll send them an info packet with an application they can return for a free membership in CLF (sorry, no one else can "sign up" a prisoner for a membership in CLF).
If you'd like, please make a donation to help support the CLF Prison Ministry.
CLF's Letter-Writing Ministry
Most of the CLF's prisoner-members are 'brand-new' to Unitarian Universalism. With no access to the web or UU Sunday services, they can only learn about Unitarian Universalism by reading the publications they receive from the CLF ( UUWorld magazine and the CLF's Quest ) and through letters they exchange with the CLF staff and other Unitarian Universalists.
CLF's Letter-Writing Ministry matches CLF prisoner-members with non-incarcerated UUs for an exchange of friendly letters on topics of mutual interest. Because prisoners have no access to email, all mail to / from prisoners must be "old-style" letters (on paper, mailed in envelopes with stamps). All letter-writers (prisoners and 'free-world') agree to the same Guidelines, which emphasize that our program is not intended for romantic, legal-aid or financial/gift interactions.
Prisoners send their letters to the CLF to be forwarded (un-opened) to the non-incarcerated UU they've been matched with (prisoners are told only the first name of their 'match' and are given no other contact information by CLF). We hope participants will exchange letters for at least six months, although many matches last longer. The CLF staff remains available to all letter-writers for advice and support by mail, phone or email.
If you're a member of CLF or any other UU congregation (and have been for six months or more), we hope you will consider becoming a part of our Letter-Writing Ministry. UU's who are not members of CLF, and who are matched to exchange letters with one of our prisoner-members, will be asked for a modest annual donation ($20/year) to help support our prison programs, and may read CLF's Quest online (free) or receive Quest in the mail each month ($22/year).
Read a "preview" of the Notes and Guidelines that are part of the info/application packet for our Letter Writing Ministry.
Complete the following form to request an info/application packet for our Letter Writing Ministry, which (like letters to/from prisoners) will be sent to you in the mail.
Questions? Comments? We'd love to hear from you...
The CLF's Prison Ministry is funded in part by grants from Unitarian
Universalist Funding Program and the Unitarian Universalist Women's
Federation.
Last updated July 28, 2008
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