Volume 11 Issue 03
FEBRUARY 2011
Inside this issue:
Spring is in the air!
JLWOP
A.R.M . & DaySpring Cards
Pastor Tom’s Preaching Corner 3-4
Prayer Corner
Special points of interest:
• Our Mission & Our Vision.
• You are an extended hand.
• 11 years in prison ministry!
• Volume number was wrong last
month
JPM Newswire
I was in prison and you visited me – Matt. 25:36b
Jeremiah Prison Ministry
We are serving him by serving them! ”His mercy endures forever” Psalm 106:1
Spring is in the air!
♦ I am so glad Punxsutawney Phil has predicted an early
spring, ha ha. I watched the coming out of this little
creature with such a reputation for predicting the weather
that didn’t see its shadow. The snow is melting and will
soon be replaced by the singing birds and spring flowers.
We are currently having spring like weather, which is a big
contrast from our weather a couple weeks ago, snow, ice
and frigid temperatures. We are ready for spring, I am sure Tom & Monica
you are too!
♦ We are excited for several inmates that have been given parole: Michael Willis
went home, Tom Parton & Douglas Mam are waiting for a bed date at halfway
1
houses. Pray with us that this comes to pass real soon for them and that they
1-2 find jobs.
3 ♦ Our last newsletter were some statistics in reference to Juvenile Lifers Without
Parole (JLWOP). I am including more information in this newsletter from The
4 Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth. We ask you to contact your
representatives in congress (national & state) asking them for reform for Fair
Sentencing of Youth. It will take all of us across the nation and much prayer to
see reform. God can move this mountain.
♦Have you ever wondered what card companies do with leftover cards? I found
an interesting article about DaySprings donating cards for prisoners across the
nation working with A.R.M.
♦Pastor Tom’s preaching corner – The Power of Forgiveness.
Our Mission & Our Vision

OUR MISSION..........To help men in prison reach their fullest in the Lord.

WHAT WE DO.....… Ministering to their spirit, soul and body, through one on
one mentoring as their spiritual advisor and friend.

HOW WE BEGAN......... Jeremiah Prison Ministry began on November 30, 1999,
and was birth out of a bond for a young man that made a wrong choice in life

OUR VISION……. To be able to go into the prison chapels without the inmates
having to take us off their visiting list. “With God all things are possible!”
Page 2 JPM Newswire

Juvenile Life Without Parole

I am sure you remember why are we publishing this information from our last
newsletter so I won’t repeat myself. The information I found is from “The
Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth” website - www.endjlwop.org
Another website is Equal Justice Initiative at www.eji.org

What is the problem that the National Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of
Youth is trying to solve?
There are more than 2,500 juvenile offenders in prison in the United States
serving life without parole sentences for crimes they committed under the
age of eighteen, and none in the rest of the world. Detailed research on the
The Campaign for the use of this sentence around the country has documented evidence of
Fair Sentencing of Youth systemic racial disparities, gross failures in legal representation, and many
examples of youth being sentenced more harshly than adults convicted of
Http://www.endjlwop.org the same crimes. Despite popular thinking, a large portion of the people
serving juvenile life without the possibility of parole (JLWOP) are not repeat
offenders, nor have they been convicted of the most serious violent crimes.
Nearly 60% of people serving JLWOP are first time offenders. More than one
quarter of people serving JLWOP were convicted of “felony murder,” which
means they were participants in an underlying crime which resulted in death.
In other words, while these youth may have intended to commit some crime
(for instance, robbing a store), they did not intend for anyone to be killed.
Others sentenced to life without parole were convicted of crimes on a theory
of accountability, which means that they were not the actual perpetrators of
the crime. The Campaign for the Fair Sentencing of Youth is dedicated to
seeking a just alternative to JLWOP that will hold juveniles accountable for
their crimes while offering the opportunity to achieve parole before they die.

Why is JLWOP inappropriate for youth?

The imposition of life without parole sentences on young people is especially
cruel because children are different from adults, and juvenile justice is
founded on the majority view that children, even those convicted of grave
crimes, deserve the opportunity for second chances. Behavioral research
confirms what is recognized by U.S. and state laws: children do not have
adult levels of judgment, impulse control, or ability to assess risks. There is
widespread agreement among child development researchers that young
people who commit crimes are more likely to reform their behavior and have

Going past the a better chance at rehabilitation than adults. The Supreme Court agrees—In
prison walls to Roper v. Simmons the Court explained, “From a moral standpoint it would be
take the Love of misguided to equate the failings of a minor with those of an adult, for a
Jesus. greater possibility exists that a minor’s character deficiencies will be
reformed.” Youth deserve meaningful and periodic reviews of their life
sentences, to ensure that those who can prove they have reformed are given
an opportunity to re-enter society as contributing citizens.
Volume 11 Issue 03 Page 3

Interesting Fact - Greeting Card Ministry

 Each quarter, bookstores who are DaySpring Greeting Card customers
all across America return their unsold cards to DaySpring for credit.
These boxes of returned cards contain beautiful Christian greeting
cards for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day and other special holiday and
all-occasion cards. Usually the returned cards are not matched with
envelopes and are not sorted to type.
Chaplains can purchase 500
 When DaySpring receives these returns, rather than sorting the cards
cards for 25.00 at
there, they have teamed up with A.R.M. (American Rehabilitation
http://www.arm.org/card.htm
Ministries) to make these returned cards available to prisoners who can
use them to keep in touch with their loved ones at home.
 The returned cards are shipped to A.R.M. where volunteers sort and
package the cards and match them with envelopes. The cards are then
sent from A.R.M. directly to the prison chaplains across the nation who
distribute them to the prisoners who request them.
 We encourage you to visit DaySpring's web site at www.dayspring.com.

Pastor Tom’s Preaching Corner

There’s Power in Forgiveness Matt. 6:13-6:13-15 14 For if ye forgive men

Forgiveness is giving up the desire to see someone punished for the their trespasses, your
things they did to you. heavenly Father will also

As we grow up in Christ we learn to let things go and trust in the Lord. forgive you: 15 But if ye
forgive not men their
When you truly forgive, you give up the desire to see someone punished
trespasses, neither will your
for the things they’ve done to you. When you truly forgive, you pardon Father forgive your
people and cancel the debt they owe against you. trespasses.

Jesus said if you don’t forgive others for the things they’ve done to you,
then your heavenly Father won’t forgive you of the wrongs you’ve done.

There are some prayers that God cannot answer… Until you release
people from the things they’ve done to you. Until you let go of the
bitterness. Until you let situations go.

Some think that if you forgive people that have hurt you it’s a sign of
weakness. It takes tremendous spiritual strength to forgive someone
that doesn’t deserve it. When you use the weapon of forgiveness your "We loved you so much that
enemies will be defeated. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies and put we were delighted to share
every thing in God’s hands. with you not only the gogos-
s-

The Bible says to give no place to the devil. When you hold on to pel of God but our lives as
unforgiveness, you are giving the enemy a place in your life. well, because you had bbe-
e-
Unforgiveness will cause you to fail faster than anything you can do. come so dear to us."

There are some things…Not worth hanging on to. Not worth losing sleep
over. Not worth losing your family over. Not worth going to hell over. 1 Thessalonians 2:8

Don’t let the enemy trick you into being bitter or trying to get even.
Whatever you give out is exactly what you get back. Give and it shall be
given back to you.

Jesus said, “By the standard of measure you give to others, it will come
back to you.” continued pg 4
Jeremiah Prison Ministry
To Our Family & Friends
Revs. Thomas & Monica Cohee
128 Conodoguinet Mobile Estates We love you!
Newville, PA 17241
Phone: 717-776-3535
Fax: 717-776-3235

I was in prison and you visited me – Matt. 25:36b

W E’ RE ON THE WEB
WWW. JEREMIAHPRISONMINISTRY. COM
1 1 YEARS OF P RISON M INISTRY
Pastor Tom’s preaching corner continued

The Bible says that unless you pursue peace with all men, you cannot walk
in holiness. Without holiness you cannot see God. Holiness is about how
you treat others.

No mountains will move until you forgive those who have come against you.

If you are continually obsessed with the things that people have done to you,
You are an Extended
Hand and a vital part of this
then you haven’t let it go. Sometimes you need to face your past, so you can ministry. Together we are
give it to the Lord. making a difference with Jesus
Christ, taking life to a dark

When you truly let go of your past and forgive, God will bring a new joy into
place! We go because you send
your life. When you release people from the things they have done, you will us. Thank You so much!
see mountains move like never before. That’s the power in forgiveness.

Prayer Corner There Is Power In Prayer

Pray for Kevin, Chris, Mike, Domingo, Michael & Frank that God blesses them financially

Hebrews 13:5b
above and beyond their expectations. They faithfully stay in touch with us. “Jesus will never leave

Pray for Randall V. in prison falsely accused of a crime. you nor forsake you.”

Pray for Larry, Lewis, Corey, Bob, Greg, & Eric for favor to receive commutation. Believe
with us for them for a miracle with God’s favor.

Pray for Jeremiah as we continue to believe for a miracle for his release.

Pray for healing for Larry, Bob & Corey.

Pray for Kevin D. from NY. Kevin is 17 and had Leukemia, he is in remission. I haven’t
heard from his mom in some time but we can still pray for them.

Leah is now 15. She remains cancer free, 5 years off chemo & is now in the survivor’s
clinic! God is so faithful & continues to hear our prayers!

Pray for our grandson, Andy, recovering from pilonidal tract surgery (almost healed) &
recently diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis in the sacroiliac joints.

Pray for my daughter, Vickie she found out she has food allergies & thyroid condition.

Praise-Dale our son in law is back to work.

Pray for Terri & Tayler they are doing much better but still miss Alan.

Pray for my brother Norman needs knee surgery.

Pray for the Salvation of every man, woman, boy and girl not saved in this world. Our
prayers are heard!

Please pray for all the inmates, their families, our nation, our leaders, our military and their
families.

Pray for reform in the prison system, for lives to be changed & a spiritual renewal across
this land with men, women, boys & girls being touched.

Pray for Bill our dear friend who goes with us to some of the prisons, he is still having back
pain, pray his health is restored.

Pray for Dotty another dear friend in prison ministry, she has lymes disease.

Pray for us for strength and wisdom in all that we do, for Tom & Monica to stay cancer free
& healthy to do God‘s work.
God is Faithful!