• Welcome
    • Purpose
    • Statement of Faith
    • Prayer Request
  • My Apology
  • TESTIMONY
    • English
    • Chinese Translation
    • Dutch Translation
    • French Translation
    • German Translation
    • Italian Translation
    • Portuguese Translation
    • Russian Translation
    • Spanish Translation
    • Turkish Translation
  • READY OR NOT...
  • My Story - Videos
    • My Life Story Video - "In His Own Words"
    • Video Interviews
    • Written Interviews
    • Son of Hope Gospel Tracts
  • Journal
    • 2023 >
      • *January 2023
    • 2022 >
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • April 2022
      • May 2022
      • June 2022
      • July 2022
      • August 2022
      • September 2022
      • October 2022
      • November 2022
      • December 2022
    • 2021 >
      • January 2021
      • February 2021
      • March 2021
      • April 2021
      • May 2021
      • June 2021
      • July 2021
      • August 2021
      • September 2021
      • October 2021
      • November 2021
      • December 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017-2005
    • 2004-2003
  • Updates
  • For Parents, Teens, and Students
    • General Advice for Parents
    • Advice For Troubled Teens
    • Stopping Teen Violence
    • School Projects
    • Jailhouse Interview
    • A Letter to David from Youth Minister Dan Bailey
    • Suicide is Everyone's Business
    • What is Prison All About?
  • For Satanists
    • A Letter to a Satanist
    • Satan's Bible
    • Famous Satanists' Last Words - Quotes
    • Carl Sartor's Story
    • A Satanist Has a Vision
    • Jailhouse Interview
  • A Letter to a Soldier
  • Ministry Tools
  • Jesus Christ, the True Treasure and Pearl of Great Price!
  • Insights and Miscellaneous
    • A Letter to North Shore Baptist Church
    • Parole Hearing Transcript 2016
    • He Knows Your Name
  • Inspirational Testimonies
  • Friends
  • Contact
  • Welcome
    • Purpose
    • Statement of Faith
    • Prayer Request
  • My Apology
  • TESTIMONY
    • English
    • Chinese Translation
    • Dutch Translation
    • French Translation
    • German Translation
    • Italian Translation
    • Portuguese Translation
    • Russian Translation
    • Spanish Translation
    • Turkish Translation
  • READY OR NOT...
  • My Story - Videos
    • My Life Story Video - "In His Own Words"
    • Video Interviews
    • Written Interviews
    • Son of Hope Gospel Tracts
  • Journal
    • 2023 >
      • *January 2023
    • 2022 >
      • January 2022
      • February 2022
      • March 2022
      • April 2022
      • May 2022
      • June 2022
      • July 2022
      • August 2022
      • September 2022
      • October 2022
      • November 2022
      • December 2022
    • 2021 >
      • January 2021
      • February 2021
      • March 2021
      • April 2021
      • May 2021
      • June 2021
      • July 2021
      • August 2021
      • September 2021
      • October 2021
      • November 2021
      • December 2021
    • 2020
    • 2019
    • 2018
    • 2017-2005
    • 2004-2003
  • Updates
  • For Parents, Teens, and Students
    • General Advice for Parents
    • Advice For Troubled Teens
    • Stopping Teen Violence
    • School Projects
    • Jailhouse Interview
    • A Letter to David from Youth Minister Dan Bailey
    • Suicide is Everyone's Business
    • What is Prison All About?
  • For Satanists
    • A Letter to a Satanist
    • Satan's Bible
    • Famous Satanists' Last Words - Quotes
    • Carl Sartor's Story
    • A Satanist Has a Vision
    • Jailhouse Interview
  • A Letter to a Soldier
  • Ministry Tools
  • Jesus Christ, the True Treasure and Pearl of Great Price!
  • Insights and Miscellaneous
    • A Letter to North Shore Baptist Church
    • Parole Hearing Transcript 2016
    • He Knows Your Name
  • Inspirational Testimonies
  • Friends
  • Contact
AriseandShine.org

April 2016

Saturday Service

4/16/2016

 
Behold, how good and how pleasant it is
for brethren to dwell together in unity.
Psalm 133:1

Today I attended my first service here at Shawangunk...
I've yet to receive my personal belongings, which includes my trusty typewriter. For now I am writing this entry with pen and paper provided to me by another inmate.

Entering the chapel for the first time was an interesting experience. It's a huge building with very high ceilings, but not good acoustics. In such a large space and with so much cinder block, I noticed many of the inmates having to speak louder than normal in order to be heard.

Most of the men were friendly to me and welcoming. While some remained reserved and stand-offish, which is to be expected. This is prison. Even in the chapel setting a certain amount of distrust exists. Usually such distrust will dissipate over time once guys get to know the newcomer.

This afternoon eighteen men were in attendance as well as the volunteer minister, who himself was friendly and welcoming, too. The service as a whole was much like it was at Sullivan. An inmate opened the service by leading us in a prayer, while a second man coordinated everything from start to finish. We sung a handful of congregational-style worship songs, and everyone was encouraged to sing along. Some did, while some did not. The civilian preacher gave a good message, biblically sound, on the importance of fellowship among believers.


I was happy, however, to have met the two men whom I had known from my former facility. We had about ten minutes before the service started to talk and reconnect. It was good to see some familiar faces.

Nevertheless I am still in a state of shock. Less than a week ago I was living in another prison where I had spent the past 28 years. This was a big and unexpected change. In addition, I've yet to receive my personal belongings. Thus I have been wearing the same clothes I arrived in for five days now. It's time for a change. But I cannot do anything until my property is given to me once everything is searched and inventoried.

Thankfully a handful of friendly fellow prisoners were kind enough to provide me with soap, shampoo and shower slippers, as well as writing material and stamps. One gave me a new towel to use for the shower. A few handed me snacks, while another loaned me one of his Bibles so I could continue my daily devotions. I likened them to angels. If not for these guys, I'd be sitting in a barren cell with nothing but the clothes on my back.

D.B.

Comments are closed.

    Author

    ​David Berkowitz
    Copyright © AriseandShine.Org

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly