Wednesday June 8 2022
The Rev Ian McInnes, minister at Glasgow: Dennistoun New, was presented with a Governor’s Award in Recognition of Outstanding Service by the Governor of the prison after 24 years with the team.
Ian joined the Prison Chaplaincy Team at Barlinnie on a part time basis in 1998 and over the years has worked closely with both inmates and staff at the prison. He said: “It was a privilege and an honour to serve as a chaplain, to be invited into the narrative of prisoners' lives at what can be an extremely vulnerable time for them and sometimes to be there for them when no-one else is, or so it may seem to them. In a sense prison chaplains have to be as Christ to the offender, to challenge yet not judge, to help them feel accepted by God when they repent though they may have done the unacceptable.
“Working with the Prison Officers was a great privilege too, getting involved in their lives was an honour: conducting weddings and baptising their children. Hearing of their cares, trials and joys too and sharing banter with them, often about football.
"We often forget about the Prison Officers as they diligently work behind the locked doors of a prison community, it can be extremely testing work for them at times and they should be commended and held in our prayers because they do a tremendous job.”
Ian says that he was “fair chuffed” to receive the award from the Governor and recalled his time at Barlinnie was not without humour: “We used to put on concerts for the prisoners and the Glasgow Wind Orchestra would always play the theme from The Great Escape as their closing number!”
Subscribe to Life and Work in digital or print or buy a single issue here
There are currently no comments on this post
All fields are required. Email address will not be published.
Life and Work
121 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 4YN
T: 0131 225 5722
E: magazine@lifeandwork.org
Scottish Charity Number SC011353
Copyright © The Church of Scotland, 2023. All Rights Reserved
Website by Adept
