God’s Hand is in This Someplace

The Moravian - April 2005

Ten years ago a new jail facility was constructed in downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This 11-story building was designed to hold up to 1,000 prisoners and some 250 staff. Those who committed crimes would no longer be “out of sight, out of mind.” It would be clear that “those people” were really our people — How would the community take responsibility for them?

Rodney Stilwell, head chaplain of the Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministries, made the rounds to local churches and pastors trying to rally involvement for what would be a new day and a new opportunity for ministry. How would the spiritual needs of those in the expanded jail facility be met? He asked the Moravians to think and pray about that.

And then, someone in a meeting let a private thought become a spoken question: What if the Moravian Church, Southern Province, provided a Moravian chaplain in the Forsyth Jail and Prison Ministries? It was stunning and bold. And what if the initial three-year pilot program was financed without assessing the congregations? It was audacious even to consider. One month later, the required funding package was in place, thanks to the vision and generosity of many — churches, groups, individuals. Rodney Stilwell said, “God’s hand is in this someplace.”

With a partnership forged and funding in place, it was time to let the Holy Spirit work to call someone to pioneer in this new ministry. The Rev. Robert D. Wolfe, associate pastor at Friedberg Moravian Church responded to the call.

After a year of growing into a completely new setting for service, Robert would write the following in an annual report:

“When I accepted the call and began working as a chaplain in February, 1995, I became part of a ministry that I had honestly never considered prior to this. I only knew that, after much prayer and discussion, I had come to believe that this was where God had called me. After more than a year, I am more convinced of this than ever.”

“Every single day I have opportunity to reach out to people in crisis and try to witness to the reality of God’s love through Christ offered every bit as much for that inmate as for me. That is why I’m there, and why I want to continue to be there. Many of those I talk with know about the law, because that is where they failed and why they are in prison. Most know very little about grace and God’s love freely poured out for sinners. This is not to trivialize the crime they committed or the consequences of that crime. Part of a chaplain’s job is to get people to be honest about who they are and what they did.”

“Repentance is part of the Christian walk that challenges all of us to turn away from whatever it is that serves to separate us from God. Lawyers can’t demand that, judges can’t, nor can law enforcement officials — but chaplains can. And it’s not because we have the corner on all that is right and good, it’s because God expects that of all of us.”

“The new building in downtown Winston-Salem is full of people struggling with who they are, what they may have done, and what they are going to do next. It is a mission field full of people looking for hope.”

Robert has served for 10 years and continues to serve, representing Christ (and the Moravian Church) in offering God’s hope to those in need — prisoners, the staff, and families of both.

Like all who follow God’s call, Robert has tended to stay immersed in the daily things of being a chaplain: preaching, teaching, counseling, weekend responsibilities, taking a turn in the “on call” rotation, listening, supporting, and caring. He has scarcely looked up from the immediate need of the prisoner or person before him, or paused to catch his breath.

Saturday, February 26, 2005, we did manage to trick him into attending a celebration breakfast, attended by Jail and Prison Ministry board members, pastors, and supporters of this ministry. The members at Friedberg Church hosted. Their involvement with prison ministry has continued strong from the day they sent Robert forth into this special home mission. We gave thanks to God for 10 years of partnership in ministry. We told some stories. We laughed. We offered appreciation for Robert, and his wife, Sandy. We recalled the words of Jesus: “I was in prison, and you visited me.”

How did this all come about? How has it continued through these 10 years? We’re not completely sure. But, like Rodney Stilwell has declared more than once along the way, “God’s hand is in this someplace.”

The Rev. David Guthrie serves as Executive Director for the Board of Evangelism and Home Missions of the Southern Province.