Miles Sings at Calvary!

Miles Edit from Rick Admiraal on Vimeo.

The Praise Team sings at Lake Red Rock

New Life brother Miles visited Pella on Sunday, August 25 and sang with the praise team.  This was part of the worship service at the summer outdoor services by the North Overlook Pavilion near the Lake Red Rock dam.  Other New Life volunteers are Sue Theune, Phil Goodyk and Rose Admiraal!  To God be the glory.

Central US Home Missions

Recently I received a newsletter from the Central United States Home Missions.  There is an article about New Life Prison Community at the top of page 2.

This newsletter contains a nice summary of New Life's ministry at the prison.

Serenity Prayer

One of the guys at the prison gave me a copy of the Serenity Prayer the other day.  The Serenity Prayer has been very helpful for men in prison, especially those who struggle with addictions.  To be honest, this prayer can be helpful for each one of us as we learn to accept reality by differentiating what we can and cannot control.  May God give us His gift of wisdom - to know the difference.

Notes on a Napkin

I was eating a sub sandwich for lunch at PJ's Deli in Newton, Iowa yesterday.  They had a copy of the Des Moines Register on the table where I was sitting.  I happened to notice two sentences that caught my eye.  I think they resonated with me because of my experiences at the prison on Tuesday morning.  So I wrote the notes down on a napkin.

The first note is printed above - it was from a Dear Abby article.  "Please remember that regret is the cancer of life.  You can't change the past and you mustn't allow it to cloud your future."  This seemed so relevant to prison ministry.  The past of the prisoner often brings a bulky burden of guilt and shame.  It weighs a man down.  I believe that moving forward requires forgiveness for our past mistakes and a hope-filled perspective regarding the future.

The second note is on the back of the napkin.  Sometimes out of curiosity I look at my horoscope even though I don't really believe in that stuff.  By the way, I'm a Scorpio and if you want to send a birthday card remember me on November the 10th.  Anyway, here's what the Scorpio horoscope read in the DSM Register yesterday: "Triggers from the past may still be influencing your reaction to the present."  It reminded me of Tommy whose hometown is not far from Pella.  We were talking in the prison chapel about how he deals with his anger issues when we stumbled onto the topic of hopes & dreams.  The word dream was a HUGE trigger from his past and he told me that his dad crushed any dream he ever had.  He squashed Tommy's hopes of becoming a soldier or truck driver or junkyard owner/operator.  Instead Tommy embraced illegal drugs and the criminal lifestyle.  How sad.  I believe Jesus Christ can redeem his past and provide hope for the future.  Please keep Tommy and other prisoners in your prayers.

Visit from Sully CRC Intern

At our July worship service in prison, we had a visitor: Evan Steensma, a student at Calvin Theological Seminary who is serving a summer internship at Sully Christian Reformed Church.  Here is a letter he wrote me giving his impressions of the New Life Prison Community worship service.

>Hi Pastor Rick,

Yeah, I wanted to thank you for letting me be part of that service. I am not sure exactly what to write, but I will give a few of my impressions.

First, I thought it was neat to hear many of the prisoners participate in the worship, sharing their experiences, and showing the way in which their faith is changing their lives. Also, I enjoyed sharing with them in communion, and knowing that as I was participating with them in the Lord's Supper, these were the type of people Jesus himself often associated with. I think the prison is a place with needs God's grace, God's love, and people who are willing to help be the means by which God brings them.

I have just under a month now left in my internship, and so far it has been a very good experience.

Blessings,

Evan

Pedal for Prisoners

Pedal for Prisoners has gone extremely well so far.  We are over halfway to our fundraising goal of $20,000.  And next week four riders tackle RAGBRAI - Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.  Pastor Rick won't be doing RAGBRAI this year - he rode his bike across Colorado in June.  The New Life riders this year are Bill, Corrine, Julie and Lisa.  They can enjoy a ride through central Iowa towns of Des Moines, Knoxville, Pella and Oskaloosa.  A true home course advantage!  

New Life bike riders / fundraisers!

Here are a few thoughts written by Julie...

In a few days I will be heading out on my 7th RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa) however this is the first one that is dedicated to making an eternal difference in the lives of many!! I am excited to be participating in the “Pedal for Prisoners” fundraising effort for the New Life Ministry at the Newton Prison. I have been blessed by seeing and feeling firsthand the revival that is taking place within the prison walls and it is amazing!!

New Life Prison Community is a Christian community growing in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. They are a prison congregation - they don't have a building of their own but worship as a body of believers in various locations within the prison: the gym, chapel, and classrooms. New Life has weekly Bible studies and prayer groups so that incarcerated men may grow in their faith. They are all about building community and discipling followers of Jesus Christ.

The money raised by “Pedal for Prisoners” will be used to support the ongoing work at the prison. It is used to buy Bibles and Christian books, purchase greeting cards, buy CD's DVD's and music supplies, and to pay the salary of the prison pastor.

If you would like to contribute to this effort you can mail a check to me (made payable to Lynnville Friends Church or New Life Prison Community) at 504 8th Ave Sully, IA 50251.

On behalf of Pastor Rick Admiraal myself, and the men at the Newton Prison, THANKS SO MUCH and God Bless!!!

* Julie Jones