Our vision: Prison Ministry of Upstate New York envisions a culture that embraces all of God’s children – focusing on our incarcerated brothers and sisters – as we journey together to become more fully human and more Christ-like.
We are a group of dedicated volunteers who bring light and hope into the darkness of many Upstate New York correctional facilities through our spiritual retreats and focused ecumenical programs.
We treat incarcerated individuals with respect and as human beings who matter. When we first meet them, most inmates do not believe they matter. Lives marked by abuse, abandonment, neglect and shame have taught them that. Through our programs we hope to show men, women and adolescents they are magnificently made, worthy and capable of change. We understand all who live and/or work inside jails and prisons face tremendous ongoing challenges and we strive to live by example the Gospel messages of love, hope, healing, and reconciliation to all we meet in the process of our volunteer experience. Read more on our statement of support.
“You are not the clothes you wear. You are not the amount of money you have or don’t have in a bank account. You are not the address where you reside nor the car you drive. You are valuable and precious because you are a Child of God, made magnificently. Beginning now, our job is to live every day in a way that demonstrates… I believe in my magnificence and I honor the magnificence of others.”
– A Message to Inmates from a dedicated volunteer
Prison Ministry of Upstate New York is affiliated with Ecumenical Ministries of Perinton, which has 13 member churches – all supportive of our work:
Bethlehem Lutheran Church • Church of the Assumption • Church of the Resurrection • Fairport United Methodist Church • First Baptist Church of Fairport • First Congregational United Church of Christ • Greystone Church • Mountain Rise United Church of Christ • Perinton Presbyterian Church • Risen Christ Lutheran Church • South Perinton United Methodist Church • St. John of Rochester Church • St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
In addition to the EMP-affiliated churches, numerous other Christian communities and ecumenical programs support our work. If your church community would like information on how to support PMUNY’s ministries, please contact us.