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.
Prisoners now make up more than 10% of the CLF's membership! Most of them heard about the CLF from other prisoners; some discovered Unitarian Universalism in a newspaper, magazine, or book. 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, prisoners write to ask us: "I hear you're a church where you don't have to believe in God?" ... "My cellie tells me you're OK with pagans and Wiccans?" ... "Can you send me anything about religion and being gay?"...
And every week, prisoners' membership applications echo what UUs hear every Sunday during 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 membership application. Please rush me a list of everything you've got in your lending library!"
Through the generous contributions of CLF members and others, we can offer a free membership to any prisoner who chooses to join the CLF, and mail our prisoner-members the following resources:
- Quest (the CLF's worship publication) every month, and UUWorld magazine four times a year;
- monthly "reading packets" with chapters from their choice of a dozen+ UU books, with more titles added every year;
- correspondence courses such as "NewUU" (3 lessons) and "Spirit of Life", "World Religions" and "UU History" (9-11 lessons) for personal growth and spiritual enrichment (not for academic credit);
- a letter-writing match with a non-incarcerated UU, for an exchange of friendly letters on topics of mutual interest (more info below).
If you know a prisoner who might like to join the CLF, encourage them to write to us (CLF Prison Ministry, 25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108), or you can send us an email PrisMin@clfuu.org that includes your name, their name and ID#, and their facility name and address, so we can mail them info about UUism and CLF membership (sorry, no one else can "sign up" a prisoner for a membership in the CLF).
Donate to the CLF Prison Ministry
CLF's Letter-Writing Ministry
Most CLF 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 from the mailings we send them and the letters they exchange with our 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 and 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.
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