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| Monthly Prayer Requests and Ministry Updates |
July 2018
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Dear Friend,
On June 21, Metanoia's Board of Directors held its annual face-to-face meeting in Chattanooga. After 8 years of service on Metanoia's Board, the last five as President, Mr. Alan Bonderud retired from service in this capacity. For me personally, this was a difficult day. I knew it was coming, but the reality was hard nonetheless. Alan Bonderud has been a close friend, mentor and an invaluable member of Metanoia's team. I thought, "How will we, no, how will I, survive without him?" It was Alan who suggested that in the history of Metanoia there "hasn't been a better group of experienced, capable, professional, understanding, compassionate, dedicated and willing individuals to serve as officers."
I am pleased to announce that Mr. Jim Prieb was elected to serve as Metanoia's President, and Mr. Brent Andersen was elected to serve as Vice-President. I look forward to seeing where God will take our little ministry in the coming years under their leadership! Please join us in prayer for Metanoia.
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July Travel Schedule
- 1: Greenville, SC: Call for volunteers at Second Presbyterian Church
- 12-19: California: Various locations and ministry meetings
- 15: Fresno, CA: Sierra View PCA: Ministry Update and Preaching
- 15: Clovis, CA: Grace PCA: Preaching
- 21: Duluth, GA: Mentor Training for Phillips State Prison
- 28: Greenville, SC: Mentor Training for Perry Correctional
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July Update & Praise
- I am happy to announce that on June 4, the first 16 mentors went into Perry Correctional in Pelzer, SC. Not only was this a first for Perry, it was a first for the South Carolina Department of Corrections! A second group of 5 mentors went in on June 11.
- The PCA General Assembly was held in Atlanta and was an excellent Assembly. I was able to meet with some folks and talk prison ministry. It was also a good time to catch up with people who have been doing prison ministry for years!
- Metanoia has again asked Covenant College for an intern for the fall semester and we are waiting for students to look at the recruitment materials. Please pray that God will bring us someone as good as our first intern. We praise God for this relationship with Covenant College.
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July Prayer Requests
- Our target date for sending the first mentors into Phillips State Prison in Georgia is the first Monday in August. Please pray for this new work, and for John Theoharis, who will be overseeing it.
- Please pray for Rev. Randy Jackson. In addition to the mentoring ministry at Hays State Prison, he is working towards launching some reintegration partnerships with the State of Georgia Parole Region in NW Georgia. AND, he is teaching one of the classes for seminary at Walker State Prison.
- Please pray that God will continue to raise up financial investors who want to invest in what God is doing in the prisons.
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Please pray for Shelly as she continues to see more and more students wanting to study with Metanoia.
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Please pray for our new part-time employee, Bradley, as he takes over the administration of all mentor ministries. Bradley is doing this in addition to his full time job and caring for his elderly father.
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Please pray for Rev. Tim McCracken and the work he is doing in the prisons in CA.
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Please pray for my travel schedule. I have a busy June and July scheduled.
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Watch our Videos or Listen to Interviews
MNA-Metanoia Prison Ministries has been blessed with some videos that were produced by Genesis One Productions, with the help of Christ Covenant Church. Andy Caldwell directed, shot and edited the videos, and I think he did a fantastic job. You can watch the videos here:
Metanoia Video and
Metanoia Video 2
. Please let me know what you think. Also, please visit Ligonier.org and watch another video here:
http://www.ligonier.org/blog/metanoia-prison-ministries/
In 2017 I was interviewed by Eric Nevins, who hosts the podcast, "Halfway There". You can listen to his interview here: http://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/037/
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Upcoming Events: Mark Your Calendar!
I thought it might be good for you to be aware of various events that we are scheduling so that you can both pray for us, and attend if you find yourself in the area. Here are the events on the calendar thus far:
- Nothing in the near future.
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Mark, Eliana, Raylene & Joelle |
About The Casson Family
Mark Casson
is a husband, father, businessman, author and PCA Ruling Elder who also happens to have spent over 15 years serving a life sentence in California's prison system. He is the Director of Metanoia Prison Ministries and the Director of Prison Ministry for Mission to North America. Mark is a sought-after speaker who has taken the gospel of grace to high schools, college campuses, prisons and churches. He has a passion for mercy ministry to prisoners that is infectious.
His beautiful wife, Raylene has been a school teacher for more than 20 years and has taught in Bolivia, Canada, and the U.S. in both Christian and public schools. Raylene currently works as a first grade teacher in the Hamilton County School District in Chattanooga, TN.
They have two precious daughters. Eliana is 9 years old and has played in CA, NY, FL, MT, UT, OR, ID, NV, AZ, NM, TX, OK., TN, SC, HI, WI, GA, SD, WY, AL and MN. She loves her little sister, Joelle, who is 6. Their daddy calls them his beloved rapscallions.
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