President's Messages
London, October 2011
Please follow the link to read a memo from the President outlining the important work done by the steering Committee at its most recent meeting. Following memo you will find a copy of the Strategic Plan that will guide the Steering Committee for the next while.
Summer Newsletter 2011
Welcome to summer!
Although we have experienced a cool spring in Vancouver, summer is now in the air.
One of the most important aspects of IPCA is strengthening the relationships in our global network of prison Chaplains. As the President of IPCA I have made this a priority and want to update you on our recent trip to Europe.
Please click here and the complete newsletter will open in a PDF document.
Greetings from the IPCA office in Canada.
Please know that you are not alone as you journey through “Holy Week”.
Your IPCA colleagues and friends are joining you in a shared experience of living the gospel in prisons throughout the world. As a prison chaplain I too know what it is to accompany prisoners during Holy Week. They know, more than most, what it is like to feel marginalized, condemned and abandoned. For some, it is faith and the loving care of chaplains and volunteers that give them the hope they need to continue. You will be in my prayers as you gather with prisoners throughout the world, taking them through the Pascal mystery that is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How blessed you are to share that journey with them. How blessed inmates and staff are to experience your visible presence in prisons throughout the world!
The life and ministry of a prison chaplain can sometimes feel very lonely. Many prison chaplains are finding it challenging to carry out their ministry these days. Sometimes they feel overruled and marginalized by security concerns and a “crowded house” of programs and correctional strategies. For others the restrictions are more overt and obvious. Where do we fit? How can we make a difference? What do we have to contribute?
I have conversations with prison chaplains throughout the world every day! Have you checked out the new IPCA website at www.ipcaworldwide.org? Two aspects of IPCA’s mission statement are “uniting” and “encouraging” a global network of prison chaplains. Our website administrator, Rev. Lloyd Bruce, has informed me that prison chaplains throughout the world are talking to each other in increasing numbers. Through our discussion groups we are averaging one hundred people each day in English, twenty in French and twenty in Spanish. Why don’t you join in? It’s easy! Let’s learn from each other. There is another section on the website where you can share a ministry idea that’s working for you. You can also share prayer concerns and solicit the support and encouragement of our global community.
As well, IPCA’s mission is to equip prison chaplains. In this regard, please visit the Resource Library on our website. I think you will be amazed and encouraged by the range of resources that have been assembled so far. There are many resources that could assist you in your prison ministry right now. There is also “evidenced based” research that our correctional systems are anxious to learn about. I encourage you to check this site out. If you have any resources that you would like to add to the site please forward them to me at president@ipcaworldwide.org
Please know that we are working hard on your behalf. I commend our IPCA steering committee to you. The representatives are planning strategies to expand the work of IPCA throughout their regions. For instance, Oceania has met recently and Europe will be gathering soon to plan a conference in 2012. Perhaps you have some ideas that you would be willing to share with your regional representative? Please click on their names on the website to communicate with them directly.
The IPCA office is now operating in Canada at the addresses noted on the letterhead. My wife, Dr. Faith Auton-Cuff, is acting as my assistant. I am grateful to her for her commitment to IPCA. She is a professor and a psychologist. We will be joining the IPCA Europe steering committee in Romania May 13th to 16th. Also, we will be making connections for IPCA with staff at the headquarters for prison chaplaincy in Great Britain, Prison Alpha in London, Justice Reflections in Lincoln, the Centre for Chaplaincy Studies in Cardiff and visits and consultations with prison chaplains in Scotland. Let us pray that our time will help us fulfil IPCA’s mission of uniting, encouraging and equipping a global network.
Again, God’s blessing on you, your calling and your work. What you do is having an impact and transforming lives. Please know that we are praying for you on a daily basis. Know that you are not forgotten.
May the peace of the Lord be with you as you celebrate the risen Christ this Easter.
Rev. Dr. Dwight Cuff
president@ipcaworldwide.org
First of all I would like to congratulate Sweden for hosting IPCA VI. What a splendid job they did! We experienced first-class accommodation at the Clarion hotel, outstanding meals, excellent speakers and workshops and marvelled at the beautiful city of Stockholm. It was a well organized Conference with the right combination of formality and spontaneity. The trips to the city hall and the Lutheran church were events that I will never forget. Of course the fellowship, with three hundred and twenty-five delegates from seventy countries, was a wonderful experience as well. Thank you to Doris Bernhardson, the musicians, the Swedish Christian Council, the Swedish Prison Service and all the volunteers who made this event possible. Although our theme was “Forgotten People”, we will never forget the experience that you gave us in Sweden!
Secondly, I want to express my gratitude to Birgitta Winberg for her five years as the President of IPCA. Thank you for keeping the momentum of IPCA going. We now have nearly three thousand prison chaplains who belong to IPCA. Birgitta conducted yearly steering committee meetings in Sweden, Australia, the Philippines and the United States. These meetings created the opportunity to engage chaplains, faith communities and governments. I also want to thank Birgitta for moving forward IPCA’s application for Non Governmental Organization (NGO) status with the United Nations. Hopefully we will receive a positive result in January! On behalf of IPCA, thank you Birgitta. May God bless you as you move to the next phase of your life and ministry.
I also want to thank the outgoing members of the Steering Committee. Your five years of service has been greatly appreciated by IPCA. A new constitution, regional development, networking and attending the steering committee meetings are only some of the contributions you have made throughout your tenure.
I am humbled that you have elected me to be the President of IPCA. Under God, I will do my best to be worthy of the title. I am also thankful for the new Steering Committee that will comprise the leadership team of IPCA. I look forward to working with the members and the assistants from the six regions of the world. The “talent pool” is rich.
This will be a challenging time in the history of IPCA. The current model for IPCA is not sustainable. In the past the President has had to find support for the maintenance of an office, a project officer, travel, an annual steering committee meeting and a major conference every five years. A year ago it became apparent that nobody in our IPCA membership would be able to comply with these past practices. Consequently, I wrote a paper that imagined a “new way” of being a network together. A model that is far more dependent on the internet, web conferencing, web-based training and strong regional networks. I will post this paper on our website in the near future. I believe that this new way of being will help us realize our mission statement in ways we had not previously thought possible.
During the next four months there will be a gradual transition of the leadership and organization from Sweden to Canada. I hope to gather together our new steering committee sometime during the spring of 2011. The purpose of this meeting will be to envision and strategize the new model for IPCA.
If you have any ideas, suggestions or comments please forward them to me at cuffdw@csc-scc.gc.ca.
I seek your prayers as we move forward together. “Uniting, encouraging and equipping a global network of prison chaplains as they share God's love and restoring justice.” What a mission we have! Please join me in creating something special. The world needs prison chaplains!
God bless
Dr. Dwight Cuff,
President, IPCA