January 2016
 

 
Can you believe this?  If everyone who receives this email makes a $15.00 monthly pledge for the rest of this year to us, we will raise all the funds we need to meet our narrowly-focused budget for the entire year of 2016.  Is that not incredible?  Will you make a $15 per month investment in our work (or any amount that would work for you)? 


Southwestern Seminary at Darrington Grads 2015

      
We have narrowed the focus of our work to two lanes:
(1.) Funding Southwestern Seminary at Darrington penitentiary --  
(2.) Funding our Field Ministry Teams -- supporting the work of our Seminary graduates who are transferred to other prisons where they serve as Field Ministers. 

Our Seminary graduates become the first inmate "Field Ministers" in Texas history.  Last year, in 2015, we sent thirty-three graduates into seven other Texas prisons to become prison pastors, counselors, church-planters, and influencers for the good.  We now help those Field Minister teams as they begin their ministerial work in their newly assigned prisons. On May 9th of this year, we will send a new graduating class to another seven prisons in Texas, giving us 14 prison teams of Field Ministers by the end of this year.  Each year hereafter, we'll graduate men every 12 months.  In a few years, we'll have Field Ministers in all 80+ men's penitentiaries in Texas--- as we totally depend on your continued financial support.
  
Here's a short-list of our progress during the last 12 months.  This past year:
  • Our Darrington Seminary grew to four full classes (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors).  We were able to increase the size in the Seminary to 14 professors to be able to cover the instruction needs for all four of the classes.  Just four years ago, we began our Seminary with one class and just two professors.  We are amazed to see what our God has done!
  • We graduated our first class of thirty-three men, all with B.S. Degrees in Biblical Studies, from the fully accredited (SACS accredited) Southwestern Seminary at Darrington Penitentiary.  We are now graduating a fresh class of Seniors every 12 months, and sending them into the other Texas prisons to begin their service as Field Ministers.  Praise God.
  • In full cooperation with us, in June of 2015 the Texas prison system made the historic decision to transfer all thirty-three inmate Seminary graduates into seven prisons in Texas, and allow them to begin their service as the first inmate "Field Ministers" in Texas history. The inmate Field Ministers were sent in teams to the seven prisons where they are now serving.  A total of over 19,000 incarcerated Texas men now have access to those thirty-three Field Ministers in those 7 prisons.  That's one Field Minister for every 575 inmates. Praise God.
  • We published Exiles.  Written by three of our Darrington Seminary students, Exiles is a devotional written by inmates for inmates.  It is a fascinating look at the impact Jesus Christ has had on the lives of the three authors, as they came to know Him on a deeper level during their studies at our Southwestern Seminary at Darrington Penitentiary.  Two of the three authors are serving life sentences, and a third is serving 35 years.  They will all graduate on May 9, 2016, and be transferred to other prisons in Texas as "Field Ministers." Exiles is for sale on Amazon and all proceeds go, at the authors' request, to another non-profit organization whose mission is to give scholarships to children of incarcerated parents. Praise God.
  • We began the second "Malachi Dads" chapter in a Texas prison; and successfully hosted the weekly meetings of the Darrington Malachi Dads for the full year of 2015.  This training in Biblical fatherhood is an extension of our work inside the Darrington Seminary to equip the graduates to begin taking fatherhood programs into the Texas prisons where they will be serving as Field Ministers.  "Malachi Dads" was created at the Angola Penitentiary in Louisiana as a response to the felt need of incarcerated fathers to learn how to begin the reconciliation process with their children in the free world.  Praise God.
  • We hosted our 5th "Darrington Day with Dad" and "Darrington Day of Hope" events.  Day with Dad is a 2-day event for fathers inside the Darrington penitentiary whose children are brought by their families to the Darrington prison to reunite with their fathers for a day of prayer, gospel messages, games, and fun.  It is a life-changing event for the fathers, the families, and the children.  The Day of Hope event is a day-long event for the caregivers to these children (grandparents, single moms, aunts, and others who are caring for the children while their fathers are in prison).  Over 100 volunteers are involved, from as many as 10 different churches.  Praise God.
  • We had our most successful Annual Banquet in our history.  And there was so much more!
Thank you donors and volunteers for making 2015 our greatest year of impact to date.  We thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ for His gift of this historic work in the Texas prison system -- and allowing us all to be a part of it.  And as 2016 begins, we are poised to have an even greater impact than ever before.  Other states are calling, wanting to know how they can replicate the "Texas Prison Seminary Model."  

And we're just getting started.

Blessings and thanks to you, from both Brenna and me,
as we serve through, by, and for Christ alone, 

Grove's Signature

Grove Norwood, Founder, CEO
The Heart of Texas Foundation is a public charitable, educational, and religious tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is qualified to receive tax deductible contributions. Financial information may be obtained by request, and our IRS Tax exempt number EIN is 20-4007150 and as such may receive tax deductible contributions under Section 170 of the Code.  We are also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises, and transfers of gifts under Sections 2055, 2106, and 2522 of the Internal Revenue Service Tax Code.  Our Annual IRS Tax Return Form 990 is available upon request.  Our CPA Firm is Keller & Sadler, of Katy, Texas. Our mailing address is The Heart of Texas Foundation,  POB 110 Bellville, Texas 77418.  Our phone is 281-850-8103.