By Emily Lyons, Coordinator of Saint Philip’s Prison Ministry

A very big thank you to everyone for supporting our neighbors in need! Response to the Angel Tree gift drive has exceeded expectations, and we are very grateful to everyone who has already pitched in to help.

Many of you have already purchased a Christmas gift and dropped it off to be wrapped. All the volunteers thank you for your outpouring of generosity; it is sure to bring some joy to these families this Christmas.

If you are interested in “adopting” an Angel Tree child, there’s still time! Visit volunteers at the Prison Ministry table in the Murphey Gallery this Sunday, November 17.

Additional ways you can help the Prison Ministry make a difference this season are below. Read on!

Christmas cards for women behind bars

Another way you can support Prison Ministry this Christmas season is to help other volunteers send Christmas cards to the women in Perryville State Prison. Following the success of our Mother’s Day card making event, we’d love to show the women once again that we are holding them in our thoughts and prayers this Christmas. Here are three ways you can help:

• Decorate a Christmas card. Stop by the prison ministry table after church on Sunday through the end of November. There will be art supplies and blank cards for you to decorate.

• Bring a Christmas card from home. If you want to bring a card from home, please bring it in an unsealed, unaddressed envelope, with or without a stamp. Please do not bring cards with glitter, stickers, or glued-on decorations, as the prison will not accept these. You can drop off cards at the prison ministry table on Sunday, or in the Prison Ministry basket in the front office.

• Donate stamps. If you have any first class forever stamps that you can spare, please drop them off at the prison ministry table on Sunday, or in the Prison Ministry basket in the front office.

Please keep messages brief and positive. If you’d like, you may include some words from a favorite prayer or an encouraging Bible verse. If you stop by the prison ministry table on Sunday, you can pick up some suggested greetings and Bible verses to inspire you.

To protect your anonymity, please sign the card only with your first name or “Your Friend from Saint Philip’s.”

Donate to Prison Ministry

You can make a donation by cash, check, or card. Checks can be made out to Saint Philip’s in the Hills, and indicate “Outreach: prison ministry” in the memo line.

Your donations help the ministry cover the cost of supplies for specific projects such as making cards for the Sunshine Club, hosting a Christmas Party for our Angel Tree children, and other upcoming events and projects planned for the new year.

If you have questions about Saint Philip’s Prison Ministry or would like to be added to the Prison Ministry email list, contact Emily Lyons at elyons@arizona.edu.

If you have questions about Angel Tree, contact Kyle Kim-Hays at k2hays@gmail.com.