Welcoming the Returning Neighbor

Dear Friends in Christ,
This week, I want to share something close to my heart and something that reflects the very core of what it means to follow Jesus. Our Community Outreach Committee is honored to invite you to a special conversation on how we, as a congregation, can more fully welcome and support individuals who are returning to our community after incarceration -- those seeking a Second Chance.
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Donna Brundage

 We know that people coming out of jail or prison face enormous challenges like finding housing, employment, and even just a sense of belonging. Too often, they also face judgment and isolation. But we are called to see them not by their past mistakes, but by the possibility of their redemption.

In Matthew 25:36, Jesus says, “I was in prison and you visited me.” That’s not a metaphor. It’s a clear invitation to see Christ in those our society often overlooks. In James 2:13, we are reminded that “mercy triumphs over judgment.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:17, we are given this promise: “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

These aren’t just beautiful words — they’re a call to action.

On Tuesday, July 16th at 6:00 p.m., we will be hosting two special guests: Kootenai County Jail Chaplain John McSwain and his loyal therapy dog Rocket, along with a representative from the Idaho Department of Corrections Free to Succeed mentorship program. They’ll help us better understand the realities of reentry — what barriers returning citizens face, what programs and support are available, and how we as a faith community can offer a Second Chance and a real welcome.

This isn’t about excusing wrongdoing. It’s about living out the gospel of grace. It’s about seeing each person as more than their past, more than their sentence, more than their struggle. It’s about creating a church where no one is defined by the worst day of their life, and where everyone is invited into healing, wholeness, and hope.

I believe deeply that our church has a unique role to play in this work. We are a people rooted in compassion, reconciliation, and Second Chances. Together, let’s explore how we can be the hands and feet of Christ to those who are so often left on the margins.
I hope you’ll join us. Let’s open our hearts, listen deeply, and take one more step toward the kind of Love First life Jesus calls us to live.

Please RSVP here by using Sign-Up Genius -- a pizza dinner will be served.

In His Name,
Donna Brundage, Community Outreach Committee

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