LMA in Action

Our Programs:

Through JAIL CHAPLAINCY in city and county jails, LMA provides pastoral care to residents, staff, and alumni. Not only does LMA conduct religious services for each floor at the jail, chaplains make referrals to and from social workers, and psychologists. LMA chaplains have supervised hundreds of seminary students, while also providing advocacy that has saved drug and alcohol treatment programs, anger management classes, and job readiness and parenting skills programs critical to successful re-entry. This is no small undertaking in a jail with an annual population of 11,000 people and daily census of up to 1100 inmates. LMA averages 16 baptisms per year, and chaplains continue contact through letter writing with inmates who are transferred to state penitentiaries. Some of these inmates pass on the Word of God to fellow prisoners, continuing the work that LMA begins.

Each year our JAIL MINISTRY OUTREACH program, works with 50 to 100 families of those incarcerated in our jails. LMA identifies available resources, develops resources, provides crisis intervention assistance and makes referrals to collaborating agencies that can help families separated by incarceration. During holidays LMA collects and delivers over 2,500 toys for dependent children, children who are six times more likely than others to face incarceration one day. This critical ministry can keep families together that otherwise might break under the stress of a parent's jail sentence. Bringing God's love to family members gives comfort to people who fear God has abandoned them in these dire circumstances.

LMA's JAIL OMBUDSMAN Program provides a trained professional who can monitor treatment and respond to complaints, requests or grievances from inmates and correctional staff. Having an ombudsman, who is not employed by the institution, is very important in giving residents and staff a neutral advocate. Since LMA began the jail ombudsman program in 1972, local jails have not had any major disturbances.

LMA's PRISONER FAMILY SERVICES: Many families of inmates do not have transportation to visit their loved ones incarcerated throughout the state of Missouri. Research concludes that successful community re-entry requires that family relationships be maintained. LMA's PRISONER FAMILY SERVICES program, also known as the BUS MINISTRY, offers these families transportation to all six state prisons. Story after story confirms that without this ministry, families would be strained beyond their limits.

LMA's LONG TERM CARE MINISTRY helps nursing home residents adapt to one of life's most difficult transitions. Chaplains become their pastors in weekly visits and worship, leading Bible study and song groups. Chaplains also give support and counsel to nursing home employees who provide much needed care under sometimes unpleasant and thankless circumstances. The most important care is also the most simple. LMA chaplains listen and share the comfort of God's Word. Serving over one thousand people annually, LMA's Long Term Care Ministry officiates at regular baptisms and has brought out as many as 600 people for "family and friends night".

LMA'S HOSPITAL MINISTRIES provide chaplains and volunteers to visit with families and patients as they deal with illness and loss. Prayers, words of comfort, and a listening ear help the families cope with their feelings. Chaplains are also available to visit the patients so they feel less alone when their families are unable to visit.