The Metanoia Minute
Monthly Prayer Requests and Ministry Updates
November 2019
In This Issue:
Greeting • Updates • Prayer Requests • Travel Schedule • Events • Media • About
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Dear Friend,
November is the beginning of the Holiday Season that stretches from now until New Years. November is the month of Thanksgiving. It isn't just a holiday, but it is a season for us to be intentional in giving Thanks to the Lord God Almighty, in whom we all live and move and have our being!
When I was incarcerated, I loved the holiday season. It was a time to publicly give thanks. It was a time to celebrate Jesus' birth. It was a time of reflection and contemplation and a time of joy.
While it is hard being away from one's family, the Holiday Season is still a wonderful time for the prisoner, for the same reasons it is wonderful for us out here: It's all about God!
Thank you, friend, for partnering with Metanoia and for your prayers on our behalf. We appreciate you greatly.
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November Updates and Praises
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- Metanoia is having its first ever benefit concert on Monday, Nov. 11. I'm excited to see the Quebe Sisters perform here in Chattanooga.
- Our budget was a bit tight this year. We praise God for bringing us new financial partners and for providing for us.
- Thank you for your prayers last month. I was gone for 17 days, and am thankful for safe traveling mercies.
- In October, we conducted 3 mentor trainings, 4 ministry presentations, and visited a new prison where we hope to start mentoring in January.
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- Please pray for the Quebe Sisters Concert. May God use that to help fund the ministry and also as a means to get new volunteers.
- Please pray about our newest work at Leath Correctional in Greenwood, SC. The launch has been postponed until January.
- Please pray that God will grant us discernment and understanding as we look to help TN begin mentoring.
- Please pray about a possible new mentoring site at Lockhart Correctional Facility in TX. This is a women's prison.
- Please pray for each of our staff: Shelly Marshall: Correspondence Ministry Administrator, John Theoharis: Associate Coordinator, Tim McCracken, Regional Director, San Joaquin Valley, Paul Miller, Regional Director, Texas, Tony Rogers, Regional Director, SC, Barry Smith, Regional Director, TN and MINTS Seminary Coordinator, Steven Howell, Mentor Ministry Administrator, Mark Andrews, Regional Director, NC
- Please pray for student longevity in the correspondence ministry. We want to work with students as long as possible.
- Please pray for more mentors at each of our mentor sites. Pray that God will raise up laborers for this ministry.
- Please pray about giving to Metanoia financially. Also pray that God will bring new partners in this work.
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- 3: Christ Covenant PCA, Acworth, GA: Preaching & Ministry Presentation
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I thought it might be good for you to be aware of various events that we are scheduling so that you can both pray for us, and attend if you find yourself in the area. Here are the events on the calendar thus far:
- Nov. 11: Quebe Sisters Concert to Benefit Metanoia: First Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga.
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MNA-Metanoia Prison Ministries has been blessed with some videos that were produced by Genesis One Productions, with the help of Christ Covenant Church. Andy Caldwell directed, shot and edited the videos, and I think he did a fantastic job. You can watch the videos here: Metanoia Video and Metanoia Video 2. Please let me know what you think. Also, please visit Ligonier.org and watch another video here: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/metanoia-prison-ministries/
If you would like to listen to an interview by Dan Frye of A Rebel's Cause Radio, you can watch or listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSVVOxtDyQM
If you are interested in listening to the radio interview with Pastor Kevin Boling of Knowing the Truth, you can hear it here: http://www.sermonaudio.com/playpopup.asp?SID=31312142251
If you are interested in listening to the podcast interview with William Hill of Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary's Confessing our Hope podcast, it can be heard here: http://www.gpts.edu/podcast/Broadcast7_(Casson).mp3
In 2017 I was interviewed by Eric Nevins, who hosts the podcast, "Halfway There". You can listen to his interview here: http://ericnevins.com/podcast/halfwaythere/037/
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Mark Casson is a husband, father, businessman, author and PCA Ruling Elder who also happens to have spent over 15 years serving a life sentence in California's prison system. He is the Director of Metanoia Prison Ministries and the Director of Prison Ministry for Mission to North America. Mark is a sought-after speaker who has taken the gospel of grace to high schools, college campuses, prisons and churches. He has a passion for mercy ministry to prisoners that is infectious.
His beautiful wife, Raylene has been a school teacher for more than 20 years and has taught in Bolivia, Canada, and the U.S. in both Christian and public schools. Raylene currently works as a first grade teacher in the Hamilton County School District in Chattanooga, TN.
They have two precious daughters. Eliana is 10 years old and has played in CA, NY, FL, MT, UT, OR, ID, NV, AZ, NM, TX, OK., TN, SC, HI, WI, GA, SD, WY, AL and MN. She loves her little sister, Joelle, who is 7. Their daddy calls them his beloved rapscallions.
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