A joint Christian prison ministry afternoon will be held in Hämeenlinna, Finland, in October, bringing together speakers whose lives have been turned around by faith amid crime, addiction, and deep personal loss. The gathering is designed to encourage people involved in prison chaplaincy and outreach, and to show how lives can change direction even after the most difficult chapters. Organisers say the afternoon will combine moving personal testimonies with practical encouragement for those who walk alongside prisoners and their families.
Prison ministry has deep roots in the Finnish free church tradition, and the event is being promoted through Suomen Viikkolehti, the weekly newspaper of the Free Church of Finland (Suomen Vapaakirkko). The afternoon is described as an interdenominational gathering, drawing speakers from several Christian traditions who share a common commitment to serving people affected by crime and imprisonment. One of the speakers, Pasi Kosonen, serves in the free church in Hämeenlinna and works in addiction and mental health care.
Among the speakers is Jukka Hertell, a police superintendent with more than 35 years in the Finnish police administration, who has spoken about finding a balance between his faith and a career that has included demanding criminal investigations. Martti Stenbacka, who received his first prison sentence at the age of 18 and later became a prison missionary, will tell how his life changed in 1996 and how he has visited prisons and congregations for more than two decades. Pasi Kosonen will describe how he moved from a cycle of crime to helping others, and Janette Lindroos will speak on the meaning of forgiveness.
(Originally published in Finnish. Summary translated by CC / Connexion.)
Source: Suomen Vapaakirkko / Suomen Viikkolehti — svl.fi/elaman-suunnanmuutoksia-ja-toivoa-vankilatyon-iltapaivaa-vietet
