September Ministry Reports
CLEMENS UNIT: Sunday, September 5th, My husband, Leonard, and I had the privilege of ministering to the men at the trustee camp at Clemens Unit on Sunday, September 5, 2021. The Lord had given me the message to share a couple of weeks before, “Find Your Rest in the Lord”. I did not realize until that Saturday that the message went perfectly with Labor Day Weekend.
“Come unto me, all you that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28
I shared that God says He is their Sabbath, and that they can have rest in Him. Then as the Holy Spirit led me off my prepared script, I shared with them that some of them had been “sleeping” with one eye open and one eye closed. Later on, after the service, several of the men shared with us that they had quite a few new men who had been added to the trustee camp, and that they were “youngsters”. For this reason, many of the more seasoned trustees HAD been having trouble sleeping. They left believing that later that evening they WOULD have peaceful sleep and would be able to rest. God knew what they needed. All GLORY to HIS NAME!
Pastor Leonard came up and gave the men encouraging words, a few good stories, and some deep belly laughs (as he usually does). They said they really needed that!
We shared with them about John Earl’s health battle. He was still in the hospital at that time. We now know that he is safely resting in the arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If I have ever known a man in love with the Lord, it was John Earl. He will be greatly missed!
The church prayed for John Earl, and we worshipped with his music on CD with the men. We told them that John Earl had been right there at Clemens where they are now, and about how Jesus changed his life. John Earl was actually ministering at Clemens that day, from his hospital bed, through his music and his testimony. What a blessing he has been to so many!
Quite a few men came up for prayer at the end of the service. The praise and worship team blessed us all, and we left, thankful again, to be able to be so blessed, while bringing a blessing to the men at Clemens Unit in Brazoria. All of the GLORY goes to God.
RAMSEY UNIT: Saturday, September 26th, 2021 Chaplain Shelia Johnson and Apostle Ray Felder went to the Ramsey Unit in Rosharon, TX. The choir opened up with three songs. I ministered two songs and Apostle Ray Felder ministered with a message from Romans 12 “Let love be without dissimulation”. Several men came up for prayer. ESTELLE UNIT, HUNTSVILLE: Sunday, September 26th I went into this unit alone, because the Hope For All In Jesus Ministry is short of volunteers. I ministered in 4 services; 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon. This unit still has restrictions because of the virus which limits the number allowed in each service to 25 and there was no worship team. Not all units still have these restrictions and was told they expect them to be lifted next week. My morning services were held in the gym while another service was being held in the Chapel by another prison ministry and in the afternoon, I ministered services in the Chapel. This is being done to accommodate as many inmates as possible. The worship team was not allowed in these services at this time but one of the men led worship on a keyboard. I brought my guitar and sang God Will Make A Way by Don Moen and Friend of God by Israel Houghton before giving messages on 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 concerning the weapons that we have to demolish strongholds and John Chapter 17 when Jesus prays for His followers. Although I was in this unit for over 8 hours it did not seem that long because of the enthusiasm of the men as they received the messages.
Wednesday 29, 2021 I was invited to speak about the Hope For All In Jesus Prison Ministry by Pastor Jon Alworth on his Recovery Radio Houston broadcast. This broadcast is presented to reach out and help people break the bondage of the vicious cycle of addiction. During this broadcast, we talked about the ministry and what we do while in the prisons, and how the ministry has affected many people’s lives.
God bless, Minister John Hammond