Jeremiah Prison Ministry Newsletter
JPM is an outreach of Martinsburg Christian Center, Martinsburg, WV
AUGUST 2016
Revs. Tom & Monica
OUR MISSION & VISION
Our Mission – to help men in
prison reach their fullest in the
Lord.
What we do – Ministering to their
spirit, soul and body, though one
on one mentoring as their spiritual
advisor and friend.
How we began – Jeremiah Prison
Ministry began on November 30,
1999, which was birth out of a
bond for a young man that made a
wrong choice in life.
Our Vision –It hasn’t changed but
security has and won’t allow us to
go into the Chapels. So we
continue to do one on one to God
Be The Glory!
99 men have been released in 16
years. We are ministering to 64
inmates in 4 states.
Celebrated 16 years of Prison Ministry in 2015
I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU VISITED ME – MATT. 25:36B
We are serving Him by serving them! His mercy endures forever. Psalm 106:1
VOLUME 16, ISSUE 09
AUGUST… AND I’M WRITING THIS 09/01/2016
August was just as hot as July. The humidity was the killer, steamy days with high
heat indexes making it in the high nineties and low hundreds.
My daughter, Vickie and granddaughter, Leah came to visit us. We had a great visit.
During their stay Tom and I did an outside wedding for a friend. The rehearsal and
wedding day had heat indexes in the low hundreds.
I ended getting sick on the following Monday and ran a fever, not sure if I
dehydrated because of the heat or just a fluke but I made sure I was drinking lots of
water. I ended up going to urgent care that Friday, I had a UTI. It took me a week to
recoup, I was drained and tired.
I caught up with Tom and celebrated my birthday on August 23. I had 2 coupons for
a Free Birthday Meal at the Golden Corral, one for Hagerstown and one for
Martinsburg, plus a coupon for a Free cookie at Panera Bread. So I have been
celebrating for 2 weeks. Yes, I am the coupon woman!
PRISON RESTENCING FOR JUVENILE LIFERS RETRO JANUARY 25, 2016.
We are still waiting to hear on several cases of resentencing for three inmates we see: one
from Montgomery County, one from Lebanon County and one from York County. There are
several others that we correspond with in PA and MI. It is a time consuming process to be
resentenced, some cases move fast and others are slower getting into court. There are
approximately 2,500 juvenile lifers across the US and PA has the most. We continue to pray
for them.
History of sentencing of Children:
 The majority of sentences to life without parole for youth have been imposed in states
where judges are obligated to impose it as a mandatory sentence, without
consideration of any factors relating to a child’s age or life circumstances.
 More than 25% of people serving life without parole after being sentenced as children
were convicted of felony murder or accomplice liability, meaning they were not the
primary perpetrators of the crime, and may not have even been present at the time
someone was killed.
 The majority of youth sentenced to life without parole are concentrated in just five
states: California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.
 Children sentence to life in prison without parole are often the most vulnerable
members of our society. Nearly 80 percent of juvenile lifers reported witnessing
violence in their homes; more than half (54.1%) witnessed weekly violence in their
neighborhoods.
 African American youth are sentenced to life without parole as children at a per capita
rate that is 10 times that of White youth.
 80 percent of girls and nearly half of all children sentenced to life in prison without the
possibility of parole have been physically abused.
 77 percent of girls and 20 percent of all youth lifers said they have been sexually
abused.
We thank you for your support and prayers for these sustain us!
Page 2 PASTOR TOM’S PREACHING CORNER
Keeping you informed
SCOTUS in a 6 -3 decision AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
rules in favor of Jonah 2:1, 5, 9-10 NKJV Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God
retroactive resentencing
on January 25, 2016.
from the fish’s belly…The waters surrounded me, even to my
Praise the Lord! soul; The deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around
my head…But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of
PRAYER CORNER
~Pray for Jeremiah & Val, Chris, thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the
Harvey, Kevin, Mike, & Richard that LORD.” So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
God continues to bless them
spiritually & financially.
~Pray for Larry, Ricky, Lewis, Corey, James said that the tongue is like the rudder of a ship.
Bob, Greg, Eric, Dan & Nathan to
receive favor for commutation, It will guide you to victory or defeat. Death and Life are in the power of the
retrials, resentencing & parole. tongue.
~Pray for continued healing for Bob &
Larry. God is moving! God wants us to have so much faith in Him that we put on an attitude of
~Pray for Harvey’s complete
recovery, he is doing well.
gratitude no matter what we are going through.
~Pray for our granddaughter, Leah, The apostle Paul knew how easy it would be for us to forget our blessings.
as she comes off meds. Leah got
engaged and turned 21 in May! PTL He continually encouraged us to be thankful no matter what we are going
~Pray for Andy, our grandson got through.
engaged and moved to OH, new job!
~Pray for Dale our son-in-law, cancer There’s something about an attitude of gratitude that will increase your
free.
~Pray for all our families- spiritually,
faith.
physically and financially. Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God.
~Pray for my brother, Norman
Pray for Tom’s mother, Virginia. God takes it personal when you murmur and complain.
~Pray for the salvation of the world. He calls it an evil report. He calls complaining, doubt and unbelief.
Pray for inmates and their families,
our Nation, elections, our leaders, our You may not be able to change the situation you are going through.
military, and their families.
~Pray for prison reform in our nation.
When you put on an attitude of gratitude, you will have strength to get
~Pray for Bill our dear friend & his through it.
wife Rose for good health.
~Pray for Dotty & her husband Stan Paul said be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
for good health. supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
~Pray for us for strength and wisdom
in all we do, that we remain cancer God wants you to quit worrying and pray with thanksgiving. He wants you to
free and healthy to do God’s work, for
our cars to be mechanically sound.
trust Him.
Heaven’s gates will be closed to you as long as you are complaining.
You are an Extended Hand and
a vital part of this ministry. You can’t wait any longer to change what you’re saying. You have to put on
Together we are making a
difference with Jesus Christ,
an attitude of gratitude today.
taking life to a dark place! We The next time you are tempted to complain, God tells us to find something
go because you send us.
Thank You so much! to be thankful for.
If you want the windows of heaven to open up in your life, then quit
complaining.
Put on an attitude of gratitude.
What are you grateful for today?
There’s something about an attitude of gratitude…
That keeps you going. That causes abundance to flow towards you. That
We traveled 12,585 miles for the causes God to help you.
ministry in 2015! Praise the Lord!
Be careful what you say because you can stop God’s plan.
Jeremiah Prison Ministry Negative confessions can stop the work of God. Jesus said that you will be
Revs. Tom & Monica Cohee
223 Cameo Dr. justified or condemned by your words.
Fayetteville, PA 17222 Don’t wait until God moves before you are thankful.
717-352-0080 (o) (f)
info@jeremiahprisonministry.com Be thankful now! Thank Him for the things He has already done.
We’re on the Web!
www.jeremiahprisonministry.com
Your Editor: Rev. Monica Cohee We are all human and need to be reminded of who God is and what He can do.