A Year end note from our president of CFTI Ministries and Educational Services…

We sincerely thank you for all your continued support. Every donation, no matter how large or small, really adds up. Because of your generous offerings, the CFTI Ministry team has been able to somewhat weather the recent economy. We want you to realize how important every contribution is. The combined total of all your gifts ( again, no matter the size of the offering ) really makes a huge impact. For this, we sincerely thank you and encourage you to remember CFTI Ministries as you consider any year end additional gifts.

As 2009 draws to an end, the CFTI staff asks you to remember all of the incarcerated and all those affected by incarceration throughout the world. Pray that God will ease their loneliness, fears, and depression with the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Please pray that they may feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and find His peace during their isolation and that their inner eyes will be opened to the redemption of Christ’s birth.

Maybe, in some ways, the incarcerated are like Jesus and Mary were on that special night. Although the holy family was traveling out in the open instead of being confined to a cell, the loneliness must have been overwhelming. The country side was unfamiliar to them and they experienced constant rejection from the inn-keepers. However, CFTI’s arms are always wide open to all those who walk through our threshold.

CFTI has brought the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to many of the post incarcerated, and there are still many more that have not had the opportunity to experience the inner peace that only Jesus can give. Although CFTI on the outside nurtures, comforts and genuinely cares for these individuals of both men and women, how many more are not being reached? A lot!

Of course, this Spirit-infused ministry needs an increase of volunteers and monies in order to accomplish such growth.
In this last year, I have been working diligently to produce materials to assist volunteers in recruitment and fund raising both of which are the foundation for future growth.

I cannot tell you what a transformation your ministry has done for me since walking through your doors. I now pray more, and seek God’s face morning, noon, and night. ( a grateful CFTI student )

Our curriculum is designed to make a real difference in the less fortunate. Outside of prisons and jails, CFTI’s programs have been able to make our communities safer. Praise Jesus! At times, people ask me if I can prove to them that the CFTI curriculum is effective. My answer is always this; I have a front row seat watching God’s miracles. As time goes on, Certification for the Incarcerated receives the addition of more endorsements. Our most recent one was the endorsement from the City of Wyoming Community Fund.

Our volunteer staff has doubled in this year alone, and it’s difficult for me to believe that this many people would stay engaged and sacrifice their time and resources if they did not have a great time experiencing lives being changed through a personal touch from God. As my volunteers read this letter, it’s now appropriate to take this time to say “thank you” for the above sacrifice you are making to this ministry that solely belongs to God, our Father. My gratitude swings wide open to Pastor Ray Townsend who now leads our Bible study classes, as well to Rachelle Jackson in taking charge of our fund raising needs. Mrs. Jo Carney has faithfully been serving her time as our grant writer for two years, and Mr. Paul Zimmerman directs and teaches our continuing education department. Thank you Rosa Minter for answering our phones with a smile!

If it was not for Robert Melendy, CFTI would not have a properly working network of computers. There are several others that have not been mentioned, but the Lord knows who they are, and they are definitely storing up treasures in heaven.

As I close this letter, I need remind our readers the importance to God for Him to reach the shackled; let’s not forget the three crosses at Calvary; Christ, as you know, was on one of them and who were on the other two? Criminals, who still need to hear the Words of Christ two-thousand years later.

Chaplain Kurt Michael Glover
Founder / President CFTI Ministries and Educational Services