Sharing Hope. Transforming Lives. Restoring Communities.
The mission of New Mornings is to restore our community and criminal justice system through faith, connections, and support. In addition to our ministries within Chester County Prison, we also partner with and connect clients to other community ministries, nonprofits, and local churches. We envision our community transformed by those who were once forgotten and marginalized, as their lives are transformed by the love and hope of Jesus!
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In Prison Ministries
Trauma, abuse, addiction, grief, poor choices... There are many reasons why individuals find themselves in prison, but all have one thing in common: They are in pain and need to know they are SEEN and not forgotten. We view prison as a unique OPPORTUNITY. It takes away the constant noise of the world, allowing its residents to see the consequences of their poor choices and reflect on what and WHO really matters.
New Mornings is privileged to minister inside Chester County Prison (CCP) and Correctional Center. We have a team of staff and volunteers who lead our weekly Women’s Discovery Group on Tuesday nights, which focuses on God’s Word in a small group environment. In addition, we lead Chapel on the third Monday of every month for the women in minimum security at the main prison. We foster caring relationships with those who attend through One-on-One Mentorship and seek to continue those relationships when they return home—where they must learn to balance the noise of the world with their newfound clarity in Christ.
We also offer Reentry Resource Workshops at the main prison in partnership with CCP's mental health case manager. These workshops connect both male and female CCP residents to local resources accessible before and after they leave prison. Many of these agencies we know personally through the Chester County Reentry Coalition and Coatesville Area Resource Network. We also bring available agencies inside the prison to present their organizations directly to its residents. We are so excited about this opportunity to bring hope, build trust, and guide clients toward a better future by addressing their immediate needs and offering practical support--empowering and transforming lives in the process!
In prison, personal mail is TREASURED. Knowing this, Scripture-based Cards of Encouragement are an integral part of our ministry. We send them weekly those who attend any of our groups. We also send them to inmates incarcerated in other prisons when requested. For some, this is the only mail they receive. You, too, can see our weekly cards on our Facebook and Instagram pages (see links below).
Reentry | Community Ministries
Through the generosity of individuals in our community and local churches, we offer Men’s & Women’s Grace Bags to our clients when they are released from prison or come to our office for assistance. These reusable bags include toiletry items, a devotional and a few clothing or luxury items to demonstrate God’s grace and provision while starting fresh. If you are interested in helping meet this ongoing need, click Grace Bags Needs to see what goes in each bag and review the instructions. (Please note, we also happily accept individual items on the list.)
At Christmas, we partner with local church congregations and the Chaplain’s office to provide gifts to the children of women at the Chester County Prison through our version of Angel Tree. We encourage personal interaction between sponsors and our Angel Tree families, and make sure that each family receives a Bible for their child(ren), in addition to gifts. We now take it even a step further, raising money to bless those caring for the children with gift cards. To hear more about how you can be involved in Angel Tree 2024, click HERE.
Prison Volunteer Training
Did you know that 68% of ex-offenders return to prison within just 3-4 years? The barriers they face are overwhelming. Having a mentor to serve as a friend, accountability partner, guide and cheerleader is key to a successful reentry. Recognizing this, we’ve partnered with ReTURNing Hearts under the Chaplain’s office to develop and offer Prison & Reentry Mentor Training to ALL religious volunteers at Chester County Prison as a first step toward addressing this need. Our trainings are currently on hold until the prison reopens fully to services, which are still limited as an after affect of the Pandemic. However, we are actively researching and preparing for additional trainings to better equip our volunteers on needed areas, such as, how to do one on ones, the effects of trauma, maintaining healthy boundaries, and addiction.
Get Involved
Stay informed. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and sign up to receive our quarterly New Mornings eNewsletter. We also have a downloadable New Mornings Brochure available to print.
Volunteer. See our LTM Volunteer Application and email our Prison Ministry Coordinator, Michelle Manthey.
Partner Financially. As a faith-based ministry, we rely on financial partners to keep our ministry going and we could really use your help. In order to continue this invaluable ministry, we need to raise an additional $1,100 a month in regular giving (or $13,200 a year). Our missionaries, Heather Albrecht (Account #25) & Michelle Manthey (Account #38) must also raise support. If you feel led to partner with us, you can donate securely through our website using the button at the top of this page--just make sure to designate your gift in the drop down menu. If you plan to give monthly, consider setting up an automatic monthly withdrawl using this ETF form so there are no extra fees. Want to give by check? Make your check payable to LTM and send it to: LTM, PO Box 29, Coatesville, PA 19320. Write "New Mornings" or our missionary's account number in the memo line or on a separate piece of paper.
New Mornings | 645 E Lincoln Highway | Mail: P.O. Box 29, Coatesville, PA 19320 | Phone: 610.384.5393 (ext. 3)