wfn.org | Newsline: Bethel Ministries aids men leaving incarceration in Idaho

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl Brumbau gh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

BETHEL MINISTRIES AIDS MEN LEAVING INCARCERATION IN IDAHO

(June 4, 2009) Elgin, IL -- Bethel Ministries, a nonprofit organization and  faith-based program located in Boise, Idaho, was established to help men l eaving incarceration to change their lives to become law-abiding, productiv e members of society.

The ministry is connected with Mountain View Church of the Brethren in Bois e, and pastor David McKellip serves as director of ministry for the program . Others involved in administering the program include a volunteer Board of  Directors, and staff consisting of executive director Rob Lee, and assista nt executive director Chris Roberts.

Bethel provides transitional homes where the men reside in a family-type se tting. During their 6-to12-month stay, the men are matched with mentors, ob tain employment, attend a structured program of life-skill classes, and par ticipate in group and individual counseling.

Bethel Ministries was established in 2001 to recognize the importance of de veloping an ongoing relationship with Christ Jesus in each person, and to h elp men who, having great obstacles to overcome, desire the kind of help ne cessary to make a new life. Those involved with Bethel believe that such ne w Christians need support from each other, the church, and the greater comm unity if they are truly going to change their lives and stay out of prison.  Bethel sees that the men need jobs, new friends, educational programs, and  proper leadership in order to build a whole new way of living.

Staff spend considerable time interviewing and assessing potential Bethel c andidates at prison facilities throughout Idaho. Staff also oversee the ope rations of the transitional homes, and meet regularly with Bethel residents  to resolve problems. Staff are aided by a Leadership Council consisting of  residents who are the housing coordinators and assistant coordinators, the  director of ministry, and the executive director. With four transition hom es, Bethel has capacity for 32 residents.

Bethel has received awards for it unique program. Today, more than 100 men  have come through this ministry. Graduates are flourishing as they successf ully continue in a new way of living with hope for their future. The minist ry has well over a 90 percent success rate in graduates who have not return ed to prison.

With the major economic problems faced in Idaho, however, finances continue  to be a major challenge. Bethel is generally primarily funded by the men i n the program. A lack of jobs locally makes it very difficult for parolees  to obtain employment. In 2008, Bethel suffered from financial shortfalls mu ch of the year, but the Lord provided just enough funds to keep solvent. Mu ch of the year the executive director could only be paid part-time.

The board made a decision in April to close one home if the number of resid ents did not increase above 24 by its May 21 meeting. In May, the board vot ed to keep the fourth home open at least as long as the budget will support  it and the number of men in the program justify it. The Lord has recently  provided 26 men for the program, and three homes can only accommodate 24. T o help with funding shortfalls, Bethel is planning fundraising projects thi s summer and fall.

Go to www.bethelministries.net for more information.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in  community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith t raditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated it s 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the Unit ed States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria,  Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

(Al Murrey, chair of the board of directors of Bethel Ministries, contribut ed this report.)

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org