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10:00 a.m. Easter Worship (Online)
This joyful, multi-generation online service was led from the Sanctuary, which was decorated with the Easter Blooms. The service included trumpet and special music as well as a visual compilation of the dedications from the Easter Blooms. We celebrated communion on Easter. We also received our special Easter collection that will support the work of Partakers (please see below).
The bulletin is available HERE
Easter Special Collection
PARTAKERS
College Behind Bars
Donate through their website HERE
(or send a check to the church marked for “Easter Offering”)
In line with our theme this spring around Criminal Justice, The Mission Committee would like to lift up the Partakers program for our Easter offering this year. Some of you may remember Mark Smith’s Lenten reflection on his experience with this program.
Partakers supports Massachusetts prison education by coordinating teams of volunteers who mentor incarcerated women and men as they pursue higher education through the Boston University Prison Education Program, the Tufts Prison Initiative, and the Emerson Prison Initiative.
Through its College Behind Bars mentoring program, incarcerated people enhance skills critical to completing a college degree, and build trusting personal relationships. Both activities significantly increase their chances for success when they return to the community.
Partakers’ College Behind Bars Program has proven to be extremely successful. Women and men in prison who have gone through the program show a 2% recidivism rate compared to the Massachusetts three year rate of 32%.* (MA Department of Corrections) According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics study, national rates average 67.8% over 3 years. Partakers has an active, involved volunteer base of over 400 people participating as mentors to women and men in 5 prisons throughout Massachusetts.
For more information, please visit https://partakers.org/