Letters - 09 November 2012
From chaplains to commissioners
Quaker chaplains
There are many prisons without a Quaker chaplain. We could do with more.
For a start, all Area Meetings (AMs) could check if there is a prison within their geographical boundaries; there may be more than one. AM clerks can easily find a complete list of prisons and Quaker chaplains online or from Friends House.
If there is a vacancy, could I encourage all AM nominations committees to search for a Friend willing to serve? Those of us who serve in this capacity soon realise what a privilege it is.
My five-year experience as a Quaker chaplain convinces me that we still have a true ministry to give in prisons – to both officers and prisoners. Prisons are noisy places so, by taking in our precious gift of waiting in stillness, we are giving a really distinctive service, which is greatly appreciated.
There is also a serious lack of accessible Quaker literature for prisoners; many of whom do not have a good command of the written word, with a significant number having no reading skills at all. Unfortunately, Quaker books seem to be written for those who take reading for granted. This is a pity because many prisoners want to know more about us!
If any Friend has the time, and inclination, to write some pamphlets/books about our unique Quaker history, as well as Quakers today, which could be easily read and understood by most of the men I work with, I would be so grateful.
Joolz Saunders
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