Announcing: The Worthy Now Pen Pal Ministry partnership with CLF!
New Partnership Between Community Church of New York & Church of the Larger Fellowship Strengthens Worthy Now Pen Pal Ministry
NEW YORK, NY - The Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF) and the Community Church of New York are pleased to announce a groundbreaking partnership to expand the reach and impact of the Church of the Larger Fellowship’s Worthy Now Prison Ministry's Pen Pal Ministry.
Under this new collaboration, the Community Church of New York will become a central hub for coordinating and facilitating pen pal connections between free-world Unitarian Universalists (UUs) and members of the Church of the Larger Fellowship who are experiencing incarceration.
Worthy Now, a ministry of the Church of the Larger Fellowship, provides a vital lifeline for incarcerated individuals across the country. Many are new to Unitarian Universalism and are eager for non-judgemental spiritual connection. Some are existing Unitarian Universalists seeking to continue their fellowship in our denomination.
With limited access to religious services or online resources, these individuals rely on written correspondence to explore UU teachings and forge connections with the wider UU community.
Key aspects of the program include:
Matching incarcerated CLF members with free-world UU volunteers for a minimum six-month correspondence period
Fostering discussions on topics of mutual interest
Providing a channel for incarcerated individuals to learn about Unitarian Universalism
Offering free-world volunteers an opportunity to live out their values through meaningful engagement
The Worthy Now Prison Ministry’s Pen Pal program has seen rapid growth as more incarcerated individuals seek to connect with the UU community. This partnership aims to ensure that the Pen Pal ministry can keep up with growing demand and enthusiasm within incarcerated and free-world UU communities by leveraging the resources and infrastructure of the Community Church of New York, to manage and expand the program effectively. A partnership with the Community Church is a natural fit due to the congregation’s deep roots in social justice work and ongoing commitment to serving as a house of prayer for all people, no matter their circumstances.
The Church of the Larger Fellowship deeply feels the growing demands on their resources and the need for additional support to sustain and expand this vital ministry. The need for this partnership highlights the challenges and opportunities ahead, calling on the wider UU community to contribute to this life-saving ministry. As a church that has been active on the front lines of many national and international social justice efforts throughout its 200-year-history, the Community Church of New York was more than happy to take the plate and help meet the particular challenges of this moment, and they call on others who are able to do the same.
The Worthy Now Prison Ministry is a shared responsibility for all Unitarian Universalists, not just those directly involved with the CLF. It represents a commitment by the entire UU community to support and engage with those who are incarcerated, providing them with a sense of connection and hope. In forging this new partnership, the CLF and the Community Church demonstrate their mutual commitment to meeting this collective responsibility and embracing collaboration on behalf of shared values.
Cir L'Bert Jr., the Director of Prison Ministry for CLF shared, “The Worthy Now Prison Ministry of the Church of the Larger Fellowship is committed to the call of Unitarian Universalism that we are all worthy of love, generosity, and equity whether we live in the free world or are currently experiencing incarceration. We are also committed to the call of abolition to reorganize the way we live our lives together away from practices where prisons are solutions for systemic problems. Our letter writing ministry allows Unitarian Universalists to connect beyond the walls created by inequity and from the prisons to the pews of our faith.
We are grateful for this transformative partnership with the Community Church of New York as we both lean into interdependence and the shared ministry of justice.”
Rev. Peggy Clarke, Senior Minister at the Community Church of New York, said of the partnership: “Community Church has a long history of entering partnerships both with direct service organizations and with communities of people seeking alliances, but more than anything else, at the core of our mission, is a profound, counter-cultural impulse toward full, equitable inclusion of all people in our social and economic structures. We are grateful for this opportunity to live into our own values, helping build this bridge between those of us who are free, and those of us who are imprisoned.”
Church of the Larger Fellowship’s Worthy Now Prison Ministry is a two-way ministry: providing incarcerated UUs with a source of social and spiritual connection, while also enabling hundreds of free-world UUs to forge meaningful relationships and dive into UU values and teachings alongside a vibrant and pluralistic community of Unitarian Universalists currently experiencing incarceration.
“I have been a free-world penpal since 2019 and have to say there is no better way to expand your heart, grow your compassion and truly live your UU values than this wonderful ministry. I consider my penpal a dear friend and I have learned so much from this experience. Sign up! You won't regret it!” - Tracy B.
Unitarian Universalists interested in becoming pen pals or supporting the Worthy Now Prison Ministry can click here for more information.
The CLF is the Church of the Larger Fellowship (CLF), a Unitarian Universalist congregation with no geographical boundary. Together, we create a global spiritual community, rooted in profound love, which cultivates wonder, imagination, and the courage to act. We strive to keep the flame of love burning bright for all who yearn for its warmth and light.
The Community Church of New York Unitarian Universalist has served as a home for liberal religious community, justice-based values, and freedom of expression in the heart of Manhattan since 1825. Their Mission is to grow as a caring, justice-making, anti-racist, diverse, spiritual community.
For media inquiries, please contact: Ashley Parent at aparent@clfuu.org.
