A Parish Story from Skagit Valley | WA
In Skagit Valley, Washington, an hour north of Seattle, Underground Ministries is a catalyst for profound transformation through helping formerly incarcerated people to re-enter society. They embody a simple yet powerful belief: all, regardless of background, bear the image of God. They're also acutely aware of unjust structures that can devalue certain people based on identity.
Chris Hoke began this journey in 2005 as a jail chaplain. He was drawn to the valley to conduct Bible studies but soon became entwined in the complex reality of the lives of those who are incarcerated, outside of view from society. He befriended gang members and founded Underground Ministries, with the goal of equipping local communities to embrace men and women as they return from prison.
Chris's book Wanted shares some of his stories, and he got connected with a community of activists and scholars like Bryan Stevenson and Michelle Alexander, who are fighting against the system of mass incarceration in the United States, which currently holds 2 million people in prisons.
“If every church could walk one person home, we would have a resurrection movement. “
- Chris Hoke
Helping churches move beyond learning about mass incarceration into an embodied response, Underground Ministries is a movement, offering churchgoers avenues to connect with inmates, one relationship at a time. Underground Ministries sees this as a movement of repentance, rolling away the stones of mass incarceration, treating each relationship as a resurrection.
In Washington State, where the number of prisoners equals the number of churches, they launched "One Parish One Prisoner," a program that crosses denominational lines, envisioning each church walking one person home as they re-enter society after incarceration.
Committed to walking alongside those coming home from prison, they're living proof that faith communities can serve as a modern underground railroad, offering redemption and support for those that society has cast away. They currently have 47 parishes in Washington State connected with an inmate. No longer a job for just a few nonprofits in a few urban centers, prison re-entry is a job for the church. They exemplify how embodying God's liberating story leads to redemption and healing for all.
