By Connie Davis Bushey
News Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Recording artist Nicole C. Mullen of Nashville sings and dances with children of inmates during the Mother’s Day Celebration of New Vision Baptist Church, Murfreesboro.
MURFREESBORO — The day finally arrived.
About 30 of the women inmates had waited for this occasion, some years. They were being allowed to leave their center for the first time since their incarceration.
One woman inmate had waited for six years for the event so she could be baptized.
Another 30 of the women had waited for about a year for the occasion. They looked forward to it so they could spend time with their families in addition to the regular visitation times at their center.
Zion and John Spurgeon, pastor of prison and law enforcement ministries, New Vision Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, stand with a friend, Angel Lovvorn, at the Mother’s Day Celebration of the church for inmates of the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center and Adult Detention Center.
The women, inmates of the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center and Adult Detention Center, were attending the Mother’s Day Celebration of New Vision Baptist Church in Murfreesboro.
John Spurgeon had waited too. Spurgeon, pastor of prison and law enforcement ministries of the church, said, “It took seven years of prayer and waiting on God.” Then the Adult Detention Center officials allowed women inmates to leave the facility for an event for the first time in recent history. That event was at a church.
The celebration has been held for seven years but was only able to host the inmates at the work center until this year.
Because the inmates of the detention center were included along with family members of inmates of both centers, a lot of commitment by the county was involved, explained Spurgeon. Besides transportation by the county, many officers of both centers accompanied the inmates. Also about 70 volunteers of the church were trained to assist the officials with security. They were led by Leslie Nelius, events coach for the church’s prison ministry.
Mother and daughter say an emotional goodbye at the Mother’s Day Celebration of New Vision Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, for women inmates. They are Lynn Womack, left, and Marguerite Sims.
Thankfully, all went well, said Spurgeon.
Besides the one woman inmate who had waited six years to be baptized, 13 other inmates and three family members were baptized because of ministries at the two institutions. Also that day 18 people made spiritual commitments.
The Mother’s Day Celebration drew a total of 328 people including family members. It was held on Saturday, May 12.
The celebration is held because “we want them to know that there’s a church in the community that loves them and a God who will never give up on them,” said Spurgeon.
Preparing to be baptized at the Mother’s Day Celebration of New Vision Baptist Church, Murfreesboro, are Donna Lonza, mother, and her daughter, Zoey.
— Photo by Roy Thurman
The Mother’s Day program included guests from the Tennessee Corrections Institute and William Cope, superintendent of the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center, who is a member of New Vision.
“I believe an integral part of rehabilitation is to be involved with their families and church,” said Cope.
The program also featured music by a choir of the Adult Detention Center; message by Zion Spurgeon, wife of John Spurgeon; and music and testimony of recording artist Nicole C. Mullen of Nashville. Zion’s message included her testimony of a past abusive marriage, divorce, and issues related to a pregnancy and Mullen told of her personal struggles as well.
After the program, people made spiritual commitments. Then everyone enjoyed a luncheon with their families.
New Vision Baptist members actually are used to seeing the women inmates. Inmates of the work center come every other week to worship at New Vision, Battlefield Campus, and hear Brady Cooper, senior pastor, preach. The inmates attend other churches also.
Investing more personally in the inmates are about 24 volunteers of the church who lead ministries at the centers for women and for men. Members host a live viewing of a morning worship service at what the church calls a campus. Volunteers also hold weekly Bible studies, a mentoring program, and classes on finances, music, drama, and life skills.
Because of these ministries, the church has seen about 40 family members of inmates come to New Vision. The family members often suffer from “a stigma” related to their family member being incarcerated which often keeps them from church, explained Spurgeon.
