The way through life...
It was a privilege for us to have as our special speaker for the Annual Meeting Rev. Jeff Chalmers. He has been a Chaplain at the Hamilton Detention Centre for the last five years.
Rev. Mr. Chalmers – who prefers to be called “Jeff” – is a native Hamiltonian who grew up in a family that “couldn’t be described as a church one.” However, when he was in Delta Collegiate he took a class on “World Religions”, and the Christian teacher there led to his conversion. He went on to graduate from the Ontario Bible College, joined the Presbyterian Church, and did some supply preaching before continuing his education at Knox College at the University of Toronto, where he was ordained. After serving several pastorates he finally accepted a position in Hamilton as one of the Chaplains in the Detention Centre.
Some of us had heard Jeff speak recently at a Presbyterian church in Hamilton, where some women in their Alpha group regularly visit a small group of prison inmates.
As he talked to us about his calling, Jeff used a number of charts and illustrations. He began by pointing our that religion can help you understand and face up to the problems of life – especially when you are not in control of even your own personal environment. And this need not mean the religion of any particular denomination. Removed from the structured nature of a specific church, perhaps the best outcome of a weekly meeting with a few persons who are incarcerated is to put them in touch with outsiders who care – and care very deeply – about them: their failures, their troubles, their joys, their sorrows, their past and their future.
The advantage of such a small meeting, held weekly, is that it allows the members to take part in a discussion in which they can talk themselves out about almost any subject – or just let off steam and not be punished for it. It is a kind of cleansing experience to help them prepare for getting back into circulation in the outside world.
The prisons of Biblical times were generally windowless dungeons below ground. Sometimes a cave or pit was used for the purpose, and prisoners were bound or chained. Our thanks to Jeff for giving a new dimension to the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:36: “When I was sick, you visited me; when I was in prison, you came to see me.” It is a wonderful ministry to the weak and heavy laden.
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