Calvin Prison Initiative

This week the CPI staff spent some time away for a staff retreat on Building Resilience to Address Stress and Trauma. We were led by Kristen Wray Terry (Calvin grad ‘93).? We were so thankful for the chance to learn, reflect and incorporate some new ways to dealing with the stress of our work.? Thank you, Kristen, for helping us learn new ways of coping and processing our emotions to help us avoid burnout and bring joy to our work.?We are grateful to you!

"Applying to Calvin has been one of the richest experiences of my life." Hear from CPI graduate Carlon as he shares his journey and how he’s using his education to mentor and support inmates with cognitive impairments at Handlon.

Calvin Peacemakers, a student group, is doing a bake sale today to raise funds for CPI! Pictured Is student, Seth Hoeksema, a member of Calvin Peacemakers. They are supporting our efforts to to provide our graduates with books to read following their completion of our program. We are so thankful for this partnership!

In 2007, Shane Browning was sentenced to life without parole for first-degree murder. What he thought then: “My understanding of what society thought of me is that I was a throw away, that I shouldn’t expect much from life or dare dream of contributing anything to the world.” What he thinks now: “Nothing prepared me for what I found and continue to find in the Calvin community. Not only did it shatter my notion that society thought me unworthy of redemption or having anything positive or meaningful to contribute, but I discovered a community formed in love and respect with a unique ability to highlight the intrinsic value in people.” Read more ?? https://bit.ly/43mfEwO.

?? Tomorrow, February 27, Calvin’s Gospel Choir will join the Handlon Tabernacle Choir for a powerful night of music! Each choir will share their own pieces, but if past years are any sign, we can expect plenty of spontaneous harmonizing from singers and audience members alike. This marks the Gospel Choir’s fourth visit, and it’s always a joyful, high-energy, and transformative experience. ?? Take a look back at this event from 2023. We can’t wait to welcome them again!

"Today I'm going to fly!!" Today, Waddell Fisher, CPI student was released from Handlon Correctional Facility and flew home to Tennessee to be with his family. Before he left Grand Rapids, Waddell got to spend time with the CPI staff, enjoy a hearty pancake breakfast at Wolfgang's and connect with CPI professors and others on the Knollcrest campus. Waddell is so thankful for his Calvin education. "I used to think that that my gifts for preaching and ministry had to be used within the four walls of a church. But through Calvin I now see that I can also use those gifts in the community." Waddell is excited to return home and use his gifts and skills to listen well, to really hear what the community has to say before jumping into action. We are excited for him to rejoin his family, his friends and his community. We are honored to be a small part of God's story of redemption in Waddell's life.

On January 24, Greg Elzinga was formally installed as Calvin's 13th president during his inauguration ceremony on Calvin's main campus. As part of the Convocation ceremony inside Handlon Correctional Facility, students representing the five current cohorts within our program offered words of charge and encouragement to Elzinga ahead of his formal inauguration. Onyema Simmons ’28: “President Elzinga, if the Kingdom of God is upon us, then we are standing on holy ground. I want you to know that we stand with you, and with your family. We will be at your side in prayer and in words of encouragement, in good times and in challenging times. And we ask you to stand with us. Pray for us. Encourage us. Pray for the officers, the staff, and the administration here at Handlon. From now on, President Elzinga, we stand together.”

Had a blast taking photos at the Calvin Prison Initiative commencement ceremony. Congratulations to all the graduates on this exciting milestone! Also a congratulations to Calvin University's new president, Greg Elzinga, who was inaugurated as president at this commencement!

“You lost your mother while you’ve been incarcerated. And I lost my son (the son that he killed). Will you be my son? And I would like to be your mother” Calvin Prison Initiative’s Todd Cioffi brings us one of the most powerful forgiveness stories that we’ve ever heard. To hear more of Todd’s awesome episode on An Army of Normal Folks, click the link in comments

“Greg Elzinga, president of Calvin University, receives words of charge and encouragement during his visit to the Handlon Correctional Facility on Thursday, January 16, 2025, during a ceremony honoring students who are receiving their associate's degrees.” Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gGPz6j6N