大象传媒

Please note:

This script cannot exactly reflect the transmission, as it was prepared before the service was broadcast. It may include editorial notes prepared by the producer, and minor spelling and other errors that were corrected before the radio broadcast.

It may contain gaps to be filled in at the time so that prayers may reflect the needs of the world, and changes may also be made at the last minute for timing reasons, or to reflect current events.

Opening announcement from Radio 4 Continuity

大象传媒 Radio 4, it鈥檚 ten past eight. Today鈥檚 Sunday Worship was recorded in Her Majesty鈥檚 Prison Long Lartin in Worcestershire. It鈥檚 introduced by the Managing Chaplain Kevin Downham, but begins with a personal experience of faith in prison life.

Opening testimony
I鈥檓 on my 6th year into a 24 year sentence for murder. I found my faith again from finding myself at the end of the line, having crossed the line of no return and realising that enough鈥檚 enough and that there鈥檚 only one way forward from where I found myself and that鈥檚 to try to become more involved in my faith, which I鈥檝e always had but I鈥檝e never followed. I believe that having faith in my life now anyway, makes me a lot calmer in the dreaded situation that I鈥檓 in. Perhaps my hopes for my future is to become a good Christian person that can live in this society where society doesn鈥檛 fear me for what I鈥檝e done and hopefully one day will understand that I can be a good person and that I am truly sorry for what I did and I鈥檇 do anything to change it.

AMAZING GRACE Verse one sung by听 a prisoner

[KD] Good morning and welcome to HMP Long Lartin. Those words of Amazing Grace are deeply personal to the experience of many prisoners who come to this place and found faith - but even more personal was the testimony we have just heard from a serving prisoner here in our community.听 This morning鈥檚 service comes from the chapel of St Leonard situated in the centre of the Long Lartin complex; and that鈥檚 where the chaplaincy finds its mission field, in the very heart of this Category 鈥楢鈥� High Security Prison, i.e. a prison for offenders with the highest risk.

Our ministry is unique; a ministry where Christian, Jew, Muslim, Pagan and others work together with mutual love, humour and respect to walk alongside those whom society has to segregate. We work in a challenging environment where many of life鈥檚 events are lived out perhaps more intensely than you can imagine from the outside.听

Prison gives people an opportunity to reflect and during this time of reflection many come to faith. Others don鈥檛 but they can still rely on having a chaplain to walk alongside them offering unconditional care and support. For many there comes a point when they move from the darkness of their crime and see the light; the weight of their crime is lifted, and they begin to move forward towards reintegration into their family and community.

This is often a long, hard and painful journey. During that journey prisoners need to acknowledge the harm that they鈥檝e brought not only to themselves and their victims but to their families, the victims鈥� families and the communities they鈥檝e come from.

Accepting forgiveness can be difficult, but Christian faith teaches there is redemption for all who believe in God鈥檚 promise that through Jesus a new and living way is possible 鈥� even for the worst of offenders听 - and for this we give God the Glory.
And so we sing the hymn 鈥楾o God be the glory, great things He has done.鈥�

Hymn: To God be the Glory

[KD] Leading our service with me this morning is Judith Roles who is one of two Quaker Chaplains at Long Lartin and also works out in the community as a Restorative Justice Facilitator.

[JR]听Engaging offenders to help them fully understand the impact of their crimes is an important part of restorative approaches. And as they come to terms with this impact and begin to see the harm from the perspective of their victims, their rehabilitation can begin. In this journey of change, faith can be a real source of strength.听
As chaplains here, we don鈥檛 necessarily know full details of the offences of those we work with. But our role is to travel alongside all, wherever they are. What I hold in mind is the Quaker phrase 鈥榯here is that of God in all of us,鈥� whatever we鈥檝e done and whatever our personal history.

Each week we hold a multi-faith meeting for men of any faith or none in the Quaker tradition of quiet, expectant waiting on God and we offer a bridge for those seeking to reconnect with 鈥榯he promptings of love and truth, the leadings of God whose light shows us our darkness and brings us to new life鈥�.

[KD]When we accept the New and Living way which Jesus offers us we can be free from the burden of our guilt. God no longer sees the dirt and filth of our past; he sees us in the righteousness that comes from being made clean by Jesus. So let us take this opportunity to bring before God鈥檚 throne of grace those things for which we wish to say sorry;
The Father is always with us Forgive us for not reflecting your faithfulness
The Son is always self-giving Forgive us for living for ourselves
The Spirit always leads us on Forgive our holding back
The words of the Lord Jesus declare: your sins have been forgiven, receive His peace and walk in his risen life Amen.

A number of friends of the prison are helping with our music this morning and strengthening and supplementing our prisoner鈥檚 choir. Amongst these is a Salvation Army band, and the choir Octavo. They鈥檙e going to sing music by the Scottish composer James MacMillan now which calls us out from darkness and into the light of Christ 鈥� 鈥淥 radiant Dawn.鈥�

MUSIC: MacMillan: O Radiant Dawn

[JR]

鈥淐ome and shine on those who dwell in darkness
and in the shadow of death!鈥�
Here is one man鈥檚 experience of that darkness and his struggle to come to terms with the harm caused to his victim鈥檚 family, his community and to his relationship with God.

Prisoner Testimony
When I came into prison my faith was a major problem for me. I鈥檇 been a Christian, a practising Christian for over 20 years and I came into prison and I thought how can I call myself a Christian. I know that what I鈥檇 done is so far out there and I struggled, really, really struggled because it was a dark time for me personally but faith wise I thought 鈥榟ow can you profess to be鈥� and have done something like that.鈥� And God is wonderful, because he put in my path a Roman Catholic nun who used to work in the Chaplaincy and it was her that God used to tell me, 鈥檒ook, what you鈥檝e done you will have to pay for, you will be punished, on earth you will be punished but you are still my child and I love you鈥�. And it was emotional. That was it for me.
I have a phrase and I love it 鈥� 鈥楤e careful what you say and do because you may be the only Bible that somebody will ever read鈥�. And to try and live your life with that in mind, in prison鈥�People think in prison, it鈥檚 an easy place to be a Christian. It鈥檚 not, because everything you do is analysed. My favourite phrase in the whole of the Bible is Philippians 1:21 For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. And in this jail, that is what you have to do, you have to live as Christ. You have to be that shining beacon.

[JR] He鈥檚 been able to restore his relationship with God and regain hope to face his future. This is a fundamental role of our chaplains here, to enable spiritual and personal transformation especially for those who do not see a future and expect to die in prison.

Prisoner testimony
A little over 20 years ago I took a man鈥檚 life, causing tremendous hurt to his family, as well as destroying my own. This was devastating for everyone. I did not want to think about it 鈥� to face the enormity of what I had done. So I spent the first 15 years of my sentence getting out of my head on smack. I was certain that I would die in prison so nothing mattered anymore.

Because of suffering bad abuse in care I became convinced God had done with me, that he did not care, I was bad. I had as a youngster served as an altar boy, however each bad experience drove me further away from my faith 鈥� I was angry at God for everything. Then about 18 months ago I had a series of heart attacks 鈥� it terrified me that the lights can go out so quickly. I spoke to a priest I saw by chance on the wing, I wanted to know why God had let me live. I found myself thinking of God for the first time in years.

A few months later I was segregated in healthcare again. Each day a chaplain visited. I would always have a chat with them and it was then that I met the 2 Quaker chaplains. The more I spoke to them, the more comfortable I became with Quakerism. I felt it was like putting on an old comfortable jumper. I still had the hump with God but this just felt right. Almost immediately my life began to improve, I knew instinctively that a divine presence was with me.

I now attend our Meeting for Worship every Friday 鈥� it is now the highlight of my week 鈥� it fills me up 鈥� I can鈥檛 explain it any better than that. Nearly a year on, my anger at everything is dissipating and most importantly I now feel hope for my future. I have a burning need to do things for people. I feel that I have the strength of spirit and the enthusiasm to change the world. I鈥檓 at the beginning of a journey I don鈥檛 want to end. Never thought that would happen 鈥� but God, as they say, moves in mysterious ways. I can live with that!

[KD] Those are their stories; a stories from the heart, stories of the journey they have made whilst in prison. Their individual journeys reveal their trust in that blessed assurance that like all of us, we can have that personal relationship and assurance that Jesus is mine and bringing echoes of mercy and whispers of love during their darkest days.

Hymn Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Chorus:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Saviour all the day long.
Chorus
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Chorus
Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Saviour am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
[KD] Our Bible reading comes from from Hebrews Chapter 10 beginning at verse 19 and is read by the Residential Governor of Her Majesty鈥檚 Prison Long Lartin Jo May..

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

This is the word of the Lord Thanks be to God

[KD] Another of the chaplains here, the Revd Dr Stephen Blake will give the听 address.

Sermon
听
[SB] Guilt is a lonely place.听听

Guilt is the most difficult emotion to cope with.听 And you hear a lot about guilt in prison.听 As a prisoner here in chapel today, you were sentenced because a court found you guilty.听 You might be appealing because you believe you are not guilty.听 You may find yourself alone in taking the blame and guilt that others should share.听 Or you may be living with guilt you know will be with you for the rest of your life. When you do your programmes around your offence, you think a lot about guilt.

But guilt is common to us all, no matter what our circumstances.听 Whatever the degree or extent of our guilt,听 It's part of the human condition.听 And why is guilt so difficult?听听 Because guilt is the one emotion where all of us - prisoners in jail, and people听on the outside - stand isolated and alone. Only you know the depth of it. With any other emotion people may share it with us and help us to deal with it 鈥� so if we鈥檙e sad, or upset, or angry, or happy, or lonely, then other people can step in and be with us in that emotion, and help us to cope.

But guilt is all about being alone.听 We know something of that from childhood.听 When we were small it was being alone on the naughty step.听 Or standing alone with our face to the wall in the corner.听 On the outside it's about carrying an emotion alone, and not knowing what to do with it.听听Here in prison it鈥檚 about separation from our loved ones, and the loss of freedoms that everyone else takes for granted.听 It鈥檚 segregation.听听It鈥檚 not being able to share what hurts most.听听

When we feel guilt, we feel separation and isolation.听听There is no-one to share the pain.

So maybe we try to shift the blame elsewhere.听 Or we dream wistfully of what life would have been if that thing had never happened, and in our minds escape, just for a moment.听听 Or we inflict physical pain on ourselves as a trade-off 鈥� perhaps if we hurt ourselves, then the pain helps with the guilt.听 But we know none of these things really helps 鈥� the guilt just carries on nagging away at us inside.听 We feel ashamed, dirty, unworthy, alone.

But, says the writer to the Hebrews in our reading, there is a new and living way opened for us that can deal with the guilt.听听

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.听听

God alone can deal with our guilt because he alone is able to forgive us completely and truly.听 He can wash away our wrongdoings.听 He can put an arm round our shoulders and say, 鈥榶ou did a bad thing 鈥� maybe a very bad thing 鈥� but I know your sorrowful heart, and the price is paid.听听Your guilt is washed away鈥�.听 You will continue the rest of your sentence to pay the price society demands, but in your heart you can be right with God.听听In your heart you can be whole again.

How can that be?听 In short, because it all depends on Jesus, not on anybody else. Not on you 鈥� or me.听听

Our reading says that we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place 鈥� the very presence of God.听听And what鈥檚 the qualification to enter his presence?听 It鈥檚 by the blood of Jesus.听听 Nothing we bring can help us in the mess we鈥檙e in 鈥� only the blood of Jesus, shed for us as he died on the cross.听 Only his costly sacrifice can deal with the punishment that should have been ours, and reverse the inevitable spiral to death that results from separation from God.听听And that鈥檚 a hope that is certain and true.听听听

I know someone who has been through tough times recently, and he drifted away a little from his Christian faith.听 He knew he was wandering away from God, but he felt guilty and distant.听 The feeling of guilt separated him from God.听听

Just after Easter he found himself alone in church, where a large rough wooden cross was standing, left over from the Easter services.听 And he stood at that cross and prayed to God; he wanted to bring something to God to make things better.听 But he realised he had nothing to bring 鈥� nothing but his guilt.听听All he had to bring to that cross were a sincere heart and open hands to receive forgiveness.听

And at that point a simple truth dawned, that forgiveness is entirely one-sided, it鈥檚 all from God.听 A burden was lifted off his soul and he felt a warmth and a lightness of spirit once again, as he understood that God had forgiven him.听听

We have a new and living way opened for us into God鈥檚 presence, which is the body of Jesus broken on the cross.听听

Guilt makes us want to run away from God, but God says, No, draw near, with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having your heart sprinkled to cleanse you from a guilty conscience, and your body washed with pure water.

Guilt is a lonely place.

And if guilt is a lonely place 鈥� then forgiveness is a crowd!听 When you have been washed in the blood of Jesus you become part of a great crowd of sinners who have experienced the same healing.听 No matter how minor or how major our wrongdoings, we hold together a common hope in the blood of Jesus, and so we support and encourage one another.听听 We spur one another on to good deeds.听

We encourage our colleagues on the wings of the prison to live wholesome lives 鈥� to love, to make peace and to do good deeds.听 And we meet together as Christians 鈥� in our prison chapel and on the wings, in our churches and fellowships on the outside 鈥� to encourage one another in the joy of our new lives together, a group of sinners who have found peace and forgiveness through the Lord Jesus Christ, who now hold unswervingly to the hope we profess.

Guilt nags away at our hearts and isolates us.听 Forgiveness frees our hearts and opens them to share love, peace and encouragement.听听

Guilt demoralises and destroys 鈥� forgiveness changes our lives and equips us to face our future with hope and a purpose.听 For he who promised is faithful.听 Amen

Straight into solo first verse 鈥� Amazing Grace
Prayer in all its different forms is the foundation of everything we do as chaplains. Through prayerful listening and quiet discernment we watch and support lives being transformed.

Sung by prisoners鈥� choir
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

Lord you offer freedom to all people. We pray for those in prison. Break the bonds of fear and isolation that exist. Support with your love, prisoners, and their families and friends, prison staff, and all who care. Heal those who have been wounded by the actions of others especially the victims of crime. Help us to forgive one another, to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly together with Christ, in his strength,听 and in his Spirit, now and every day.
Amen.
Lord of life, you came and promised abundant life in and through Jesus Christ. Give to those who are in prisons everywhere the faith to claim your promises, the trust and confidence to live in knowledge of your saving grace, and assurance that all can be redeemed. May those who are trapped in their past, weighed down by guilt and sorrow, find true repentance and the strength to turn to you and follow your new and living way, as witnesses of that new life to others. Amen.
Healing Lord, give light in the darkness to those who have听 been the victims of others. Bring healing and peace, lead them into the ways of wholeness and restoration, and give them new joy in the journey. Take their fear away and fill them with grace and renewed strength to seek and serve you. May all who have been the victims of crime and wrongdoings of others, be comforted and set free from past sufferings and pain. Inspire them through your spirit to find and to follow your new way of hope and love, and to see a new vision of their future in your hands.
Amen.
Loving God, your Son healed the sick and comforted those in distress and so we lift to you the families of the victims and the perpetrators of crime. Send your Holy Spirit and give to them fresh hopes and visions to work for new, life affirming ways into your future, keep them strong in their commitment and in their love.
Amen.
Lord God, maker and ruler of all things, open our eyes, give us your vision and help us to recognise one another as brothers and sisters, made in your image, companions for the journey. We pray for all who struggle with ill health, including the mentally ill. We pray also for those who suffer loss and bereavement, for all refugees and for all those who are persecuted for their faith.
Amen.

Sung by prisoners鈥� choir
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me;
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.
Break me, melt me, mould me, fill me.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me.

JR? Our blessing is given by Deacon Peter Tibke.
Blessing over:
[PT]May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again,
May God hold you
In the hollow of his hand
And the blessing of God, Father Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you for ever more
AMEN

SONG TO CLOSE: I am a new creation

Closing announcement from Radio 4 Continuity.
Sunday Worship was recorded in Her Majesty鈥檚 Prison Long Lartin. The leader was the Managing Chaplain Kevin Downham and Quaker Chaplain Judith Roles. The preacher was the Reverend Doctor Stephen Blake and the director of music was the Free Church Chaplain Lesley Nicholson. The producer was Philip Billson.