New Hampshire Women's Prison Ministry
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Little is much, if God is in it.
Over 12 years ago, the New Hampshire Council of Churches made a commitment to provide for a clergy person to address the spiritual needs of the women who are incarcerated in the state and the staff at the prison. In recent years, as the number of incarcerated women has grown, so has the need for spiritual programs and pastoral care.
Since 2006, Pastor Beth Richeson has served as Chaplain to the inmates at the New Hampshire State Prison for Women in Goffstown. Pastor Beth works with women of all faiths to support them in their spiritual and emotional needs. She spends her time in the cells or on the tier listening, counseling and praying with the women. She offers Christian worship services and small-group Bible study, and coordinates clergy and volunteers from different faiths and other Christian denominations
In addition to ministering to the women who are incarcerated, Pastor Beth is also chaplain to the prison staff. She supports them as they struggle with the challenges of the difficult work they do.
In 2009, the chaplain arranged an opportunity for a group of women inmates to share their experiences and perspectives with students enrolled in a Women in Prison class at St. Anselm’s College. The exchange was eye-opening for both inmates and students, and resulted in a broader understanding of criminal justice issues and the human lives that are affected.
In Pastor Beth’s words, “What undergirds this ministry is an abiding trust that “little is much, if God is in it.”
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