 MAY 2025  VERSE OF THE MONTH “Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.” Luke 3:11 VOLUNTEERS MAKE EVERYTHING BETTER! Everyone has a favorite day of the week. Mine is Tuesday. That may seem like an odd day and it probably is. But every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. I meet with our Cards For Prisoners volunteers to accomplish the incredibly important work that must be done to keep Cards For Prisoners operating.In 2024 those volunteers read, recorded, addressed, and mailed 1,517 letters to our pen pals. They sorted donated cards, stamped our address on cards and envelopes, checked in on our friends on the inside that haven’t been writing, let pen pals know that their incarcerated friend moved to a new facility, updated our database, mailed cards of encouragement and birthday cards……the list goes on and on. They can (and do) it all!The bond this group has formed warms my heart. Especially when they tell me that Tuesday is their favorite day as well! Our volunteers make everything better!  Paula CreswellExecutive DirectorTangible Hope Ministries   Ask about volunteering with CFP |
  Tangible Hope Ministries wants to give a shoutout to Drenthe CRC. Their morning service has a mix of contemporary and traditional styles of worship with a focus on praising God and proclaiming his reign in the church and the world. The Holy Bible is their rule for faith and life and guides the worship. The evening service is more informal and they welcome questions and comments from the congregation regarding the scripture they are studying. They are presently going verse by verse through the book of Genesis. The music in the evening is traditional and is accompanied by the organ and/or the piano. Drenthe is located at 6344 Adams Street in Zeeland. Sunday services are at 9:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Stop in for a visit or click the link below for more information. Your congregation can join us and become a Tangible Hope Church – walking alongside the often neglected and forgotten in our society. Drenthe CRC Information |
pen pals on the outside “There is a lot of talent and wisdom in the minds of those in prison. I wouldn’t have realized this without being a pen pal and experiencing that reality first hand”.-Sandi, Pen pal with CFP  pen pals on the inside |
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| WHAT’S A COOK UP? We get many emails asking us what certain words and references mean in the letters our pen pals receive. We were given these definitions from a few of our friends on the inside! If you have questions about any not listed, feel free to ask in the next letter you write. (I was reassured by my pen pal that they appreciate those questions!) Bid – A prison sentence Books – A prison account Bunkie or Cellie – Cellmate Chow – Prison food CO – Corrections officerContraband – Items illegal to have in prison Cook up – what prisoners create out of various food items from the commissary Count – Units are locked down twice a day to count inmates Dotted up – Prison tattoos The Hole – Solitary Confinement Kite – Written request submitted to prison staff LOP – Loss of Privileges Ride out – Being transferred to another prison Shakedown – When prison staff dismantle a cell to look for contraband Store – Commissary Ticket – Disciplinary report Yard – Outside fenced recreation area JOIN US IN PRISON MINISTRY! Tangible Hope Ministries, (the “parent company” of Cards For Prisoners) is planning our next steps in working with both teen AND adult inmates! (Stay tuned!)Click the link below to donate and help us with this mission. 100% of all donations go directly into our programs.(Checks may be mailed to Cards For Prisoners at PO Box 413, Grandville, MI 49468)DONATECards For Prisoners exists to bring hope and encouragement to incarcerated individuals and their loved ones through heartfelt notes and cards. We share God’s love with those currently and formerly incarcerated, offering support as they rebuild their lives. Our mission includes engaging the local church to walk alongside returning citizens and families affected by incarceration, fostering community, and “Tangible Hope.” |
