Reentry: A Pathway to Restoration

Reentry at South Street Ministries is a transformative journey for individuals returning from incarceration, aimed at fostering a successful transition back into the community. Led by those who have navigated this path themselves, our Reentry program focuses on redirection and restoration, helping returning citizens reshape their lives and integrate into society. This process begins from the day of sentencing, offering support, guidance, and community engagement to pave the way towards a restored life of family, home, business, and faith.

Supporting the Journey: Reentry Services at South Street Ministries

At South Street Ministries, our Reentry Services provide a vital support system every Tuesday at 4 pm. 

These peer-to-peer meetings, held at 798 Grant St., offer a space for justice-involved individuals to gather, share experiences, and support each other in their reentry journey. 

Attendees can expect a warm welcome, with meetings often splitting into separate groups for men and women, or coming together as a single unit. Each session varies, featuring speakers, Q&A sessions, guest presenters, and always concluding with a communal meal, prayer, and an affirmation of love. 

If you’re seeking more information or looking to engage with our Reentry Services, don’t hesitate to call our office. Join us in this journey of support and transformation.

For people of faith, exploring the dimensions of Reentry involves digging deeper into what we, as Christians, believe about justice, America’s justice system, and the day-to-day realities of grace. Many Christ-followers quickly recognize the need for the forgiveness of sins. But when sinning goes beyond “moral” — and crosses into “illegal” — many often defer to punishment more quickly than to grace. 

Of course, many illegal acts should result in a fitting consequence. However, our criminal justice system is more grounded in punishment and leaves little room for practiced grace (let alone what comes next: restoration). So, what does the grace of God look like in the context of this justice system? 

• First and foremost, we must recognize the image of God (Imago Dei) in every individual — including the incarcerated. In this recognition, criminal offenders transcend being defined by the worst thing they’ve done and become a full person — with a family, with trauma, with potential, with love. 
• When we visit and serve the prisoner, the Bible reminds us that we have visited and served Christ Himself. Jesus’ identification with “the least of these” is the strongest scriptural reality that grace and love MUST be infused into our understanding of justice.
• Read through the Word, and you’ll find plenty of telling reminders that illegality and punishment can be construed and designed unjustly. (See Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Joseph, Daniel, Paul, and, ultimately, Jesus’ sentencing and crucifixion). 

A robust theology of Reentry is foundational to pursuing and practicing grace and justice, together, in the day-to-day restoration of individuals. We believe Jesus would have it no other way.

Please reach out to us for any inquiries or to have a discussion about reentry by emailing Joe Tucker.