One of my favorite venues is the Somerset County jail in central Maine.  It may be the only county jail in Mine with a room sey aside specifically as a chapel.  All the others I've performed in hold my programs in multi-purpose rooms / libraries.  It's a bright, beautiful high-ceilinged room with portions of the cement block walls painted to look like stained glass windows.  These include 'windows' depicting creation, the fall, the flood, Christmas, the crucifixion, empty tomb and more. Furthermore, right in the center of the stage at Somerset (located in the small town of Madison, Maine) the initials for the jail are laid into the tile floor: SCJ.  This is also the initials for my ministry: Supreme Court Jester.  I won't say it makes me feel at home, exactly, but it does make me feel especially welcome.  

I did three shows there recently: one for the women, and one each for the minimum and high security men's groups.  It was on a weekday morning for a change, which allowed them tohave enough security to accomodate me, although it sounds very strange to put that sentence in writing.  Anyway, I spoke with the officer in charge of programs, and we will target shows around school vacations so I can do week day services from now on.

The first program was for the women.  I feel a special compassion for incarcerated women; is it because Ihave three adult daughters?  Regardless, the show was a great time, with the exception of one renegade fly-away dove earlyon.  Fortunately, she settled up high on one of the small, barred windows near the ceiling, and she didn't distract from the rest of the show.  Although I planned a lot of funny routines,and we had a good time,I ended with my illusion/story of Jesus' encoutner with the Samaritan woman at the well.  This left them attentive, hopeful, and in a couple cases, teary-eyed.  

While resetting for the frst group of incarcerated men , I was able to coax Lotte (the dove) down to the floor,and she behaved herself the rest of the morning.   Both of the men's shows were well attended, and in both cases, some of the men were fellow believers.  I got quite a few 'amens' and 'that's rights' from these brothers in Christ.  In both these shows I also included a lot of humor, but led to a serious witness for a closing.  I used my illusion/story of the thief on the cross who called out for mercy.  Again, the Holy Spirit was very present (I know, when is He not.  But sometimes it's like He's the very air in the room.)  A few of the men also brushed away tears of hope and grace as the service sended.

Perhaps the best outcome of the day was that the lady who has been leading Bible studies there for 17 years came and watched my first show.  This gave her a feel for what I do and can help in the future to follow up the things the men and women are introduced to in my show. She can then build on what I've done, and correct errors I've taught if necessary.