{"id":1530,"date":"2020-09-17T22:07:25","date_gmt":"2020-09-17T22:07:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.presbyterianmission.org\/weekly-offerings\/?p=1530"},"modified":"2020-09-17T22:07:25","modified_gmt":"2020-09-17T22:07:25","slug":"peace-global-witness-hagars-community-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/centernet.pcusa.org\/weekly-offerings\/2020\/09\/17\/peace-global-witness-hagars-community-church\/","title":{"rendered":"Peace & Global Witness: Hagar’s Community Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

Separated from the world, but not separated from God’s love<\/h4>\n

The Washington Correctional Center for Women is both the largest and the only maximum and medium security prison for women in the state. It\u2019s surrounded by barbed wire, and you have to go through five locked gates to get to the main population. But while the women within the prison may be separated from the world, they are not separated from God\u2019s love.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Rev. Lane Brubaker outside the Washington Correctional Center for Women<\/p><\/div>\n

Thanks to the work of dynamic Presbyterian leaders, a new and unique worshiping community has been established inside this fortress of concrete and steel. It is called Hagar\u2019s Community Church. For those among us today who may not remember, Hagar\u2019s story is in found in Genesis. She suffers but perseveres. Hagar\u2019s story teaches us that survival is possible even under the harshest conditions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe women I have the opportunity and the privilege to pastor to are learning that they are still indeed loved by God and are not defined by their worst mistake,\u201d says Rev. Lane Brubaker, who leads Bible study and worship on Saturday evenings. \u201cBut rather, they are defined by one\u2019s beloved.\u201d Perhaps what is most impactful is providing a place of acceptance.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are helping women process and handle their incarceration through God\u2019s love and guidance, and we want this to be a healthy, sustained ministry,\u201d Rev. Brubaker explains. \u201cThere are some women who are incarcerated for many years, some for their whole lives. The dream of the presbytery when this started was that it would be a ministry that continues long into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"The promise of this long-term ministry is possible thanks to the support of congregations like Skyline Presbyterian Church in nearby Tacoma. The church used its portion of the Peace & Global Witness Offering to fund Hagar\u2019s Community Church. Rev. Brubaker says the prison ministry would not be able to maintain itself without those financial gifts and that every congregation should be looking to expand outreach to places not yet considered.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think there\u2019s a lot of room for more worshiping communities like this to be established,\u201d she said. \u201cAll of us should be listening to God to find where these worshiping communities are needed in all sorts of different unique places.\u201d<\/p>\n

Because let\u2019s never forget\u2014we are the church, together.<\/p>\n

Let us pray<\/h4>\n

Reconciling God, continue to build us as your Church. May we engage in ministries that share your joy and promise with all people and deepen our call to be reconciled\u00a0\u00a0 to one another. Amen.<\/p>\n

Join us<\/h4>\n

For more information and resources related to the Peace & Global Witness Offering, visit the Special Offerings website.<\/a>
\n<\/u> This post is based on a regional Minute for Mission which can be found on our\u00a0website<\/a>\u00a0as a\u00a0script<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Please give generously to the Offering:<\/p>\n