Prison Fellowship Norge

ABOUT US

Prison Fellowship is a member of PF International: http://www.pfi.org/. PF Norway was founded in April 1988.

Prison Fellowship Norway serve the purpose to help the prisoner, ex-prisoner and their familiy in Norway.

The chairman of the PFN board is Ingvald Viken. He has taken part in the work from the start in 1988 and has represented Norway in many international PFI congresses. In his congregation, Greåker Frikirke, and in co-operation with congregations and PFN co-workers he has established the first Alpha Course in Norwegian prisons, in region Østfold. Alpha is a course during 12 weeks. There has been up to 100 % participation by the prisoners. Alpha has received support from the inspector of the Prisons, Bibles from Gideon Norway, and funds by local sponsors. Most of the prisoners wanted to be Christians and to start a new life.
PF has started Alpha Courses in several Prisons, and it is very important to cooperate with the local congregations.

Prison Fellowship partners with local churches across the country to minister to a group that society often scorns and neglects: prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. God, unlike the world, has always chosen to identify closest with those who are isolated and broken. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison, and you came to visit me . . . I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:35-36, 40).

Prison Fellowship reaches out to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families both as an act of service to Jesus Christ and as a contribution to restoring peace to our cities and communities endangered by crime. For the best way to transform our communities is to transform the people within those communities—and truly restorative change comes only through a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Prison Fellowship International was founded by Chuck Colson , who served as special counsel to President Nixon and went to prison in 1975 for Watergate-related crimes. When Colson got out of prison, God radically redirected this former attorney's career goals—leading him to go back to prison, this time to minister to the men and women behind bars. Established in 1976, Prison Fellowship has grown into the largest prison ministry in the world, partnering with thousands of churches and tens of thousands of volunteers.

Prison Fellowship's logo is representative of Isaiah 42:3: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice.” The symbol reminds us that while society may cast aside those people it deems useless and unworthy, God continues to pursue them with His steadfast love, offering forgiveness and restoration.

The focus of our ministry includes fellowshipping with Jesus (including teaching others to live and look at life from a biblical perspective), visiting prisoners , and welcoming the children of prisoners.

PFN is an ecumenic fellowship. PFN wants to serve all congregations in Norway that have a service or want to establish a service to the prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families. PFN attaches great importance to have a service with quality in the commitments to the people PFN serves, based on knowledge of the requirements and the rules in prison- and social care, based on reliance from the prisoners and the directors and the priests in the prison.

Fundamental focus :

Professional training of the volonteers. PF contact courses and summer courses.
Meetings and visits in the prisons.
Alpha Courses. Thematic- and inspiration meetings.
Help the prisoners with Christian network when they leave the prison.
Help the foreigners in Norwegian prisons. Bibles on their language.
Support to visitors from other coutries.
Assistance when prisoners return to their native countries, using local PF organisation.
Help the victims of crime.
Resortative Justice between victims and the offenders.(Sycamore tree project).

Co-operation with:

Other Christian organisations
"Kriminalomsorg i Frihet" and local social measures
"Evangeliesenteret" and other Christian projects
PF organisations worldwide , programmes in prison, Restorative Justice, and the program "Nytt Liv" (New life).
Participating in international conferences and leadertraining programs.
Regular dispatch of news from PF Norway. Receiving international news .

Evaluation:

Regular contact with "Justisdepartementet" (Department of Justice, Norway).
Annual evaluation from the prisons served by PF Norway.

Members contact:
Andreas Edvartsen, Postboks 49, 1662 Rolvsøy
epost a-ed@online.no
Phone 69 33 78 69 / 915 49 951

Account for membership feet:
Prison Fellowship, postboks 49, 1662 Rolvsøy
1602.56.83092

Account for gifts :
Prison Fellowship, Postboks 212, 1319 Bekkestua
0531.33.86661