Each year the Missions Mobilization Group, SCBC, and the SC Woman's Missionary Union, auxiliary to SCBC, organizes Christmas Packets for Prisoners, a project that provides a Christmas gift to more than 25,000 inmates in correctional institutions in SC. 

This year there is an opportunity to personalize the Christmas packets before they arrive.  Department of Corrections chaplains across the state have invited Southern Baptist pastors and laymen to speak during chapel services in November and December. 

According to Tim Rice, mobilization strategist for the SC Baptist Convention, this opportunity to speak in correctional institutions will be beneficial for the volunteer pastor or layman, the chaplains at the institutions and the inmates.  “The added benefit of this missions project will be the relationship that develops between the pastor and chaplain,” Rice said.

Chaplain Reid White, who has been with the SC Department of Corrections for 17 years, agrees.  “It means a lot for a pastor or lay person to come into our institutions and speak.  I am excited about that.  They can take what they preach from the pulpit to our institutions, and use it as a platform to share God’s word.”

White also said that it is important for the inmates to see the individuals who give the Christmas packets each year.

Since the chaplains extended the invitation for pastors and laymen to speak in the institutions, many have accepted and plan to go to a local institution during the month of December.

“This is a great opportunity to share Christ with the inmates, who are locked up and can’t go to church,” said Kenny Moore, pastor of Davidson Street Church in Clinton.  Moore and other members of Davidson Street Church plan to minister at Tyger River Correctional Institution in Spartanburg County.

“I see this as a branch of the Christmas Packets for Prisoners project,” Moore said.  “For example, an inmate may go up to the pastor or layman who speaks in chapel and say ‘thank you for the Christmas packets every year,’ and then the pastor has an open door to share the love of Christ.”  According to Moore, the most important message to share with the inmates is the love of Christ through words and “especially actions.”

The next chapel service dates to participate are Nov. 30 and Dec. 7.  To volunteer to speak during a service or for more information, contact Rice at (800) 723-7242, extension 5624 or email timrice@scbaptist.org.