Volunteer Focus: Pastoral Care
Many prison volunteers reach a point where they begin to sense a quiet question forming: Is there something more I could offer? Not more activity, or more programmes — but perhaps something deeper, more relational, more rooted in presence.
For Rock and Anita, that question led them into Pastoral Care in their local prison. Though their journeys into prison work began decades ago, both describe pastoral care not as a new task, but as a natural expression of a long-growing calling.
For Rock, the roots of that calling stretch back to scripture.
‘Isaiah 61 really drew me,’ he explains. ‘The one who binds up the broken-hearted.
Very quickly I realised that so many people in prison have experienced hard knocks and deep brokenness. That became my calling: to see the need through Christ’s eyes, to know that his heart is for them.’
Rock, an ordained minister who later served as a prison chaplain, speaks not first about programmes or roles, but about presence — both his own and God’s.
‘I realised I wasn’t taking Jesus into prison — he was already there, waiting. That sense of his presence is what still delights me: Jesus walking the corridors, meeting men, opening up their lives, bringing healing.’
It is a perspective that reframes prison ministry entirely. The volunteer is not the one bringing God into a difficult place, but rather joining in with what God is already doing.
Anita’s path into prison ministry followed a different emotional arc — one that many volunteers may recognise.
‘When people first mentioned prison ministry, my reaction was, “Definitely not!”’ she laughs. ‘But when I found myself there, I knew it was God’s idea — because it certainly wasn’t mine.”
Having first encountered Prison Fellowship through a prayer meeting after picking up a flyer at Spring Harvest in the 1990s, Anita describes her calling not as confidence, but as obedience mixed with honest dependence on God.
‘My prayer is always, “God, this is not my idea — it’s yours. You have to send your Holy Spirit and take over.” There are times I feel out of my depth, but he has never let me down.’
That sense of reliance is strikingly consistent with how both volunteers describe pastoral care itself. Far from requiring perfect answers or polished wisdom, the role is characterised by humility, patience, and attentiveness.
‘When I’m in prison, I actually feel energised,’ Anita reflects. ‘My faith gives me the confidence to be wherever God puts me — and that has mainly been in prison.’
At the heart of their work is something simple and profound: listening.
‘So many people we meet in prison have never truly been listened to. Often they carry a whole catalogue of bereavements — sometimes going back to childhood — without ever having the chance to process what’s happened.’
In their current pastoral care and bereavement support roles, conversations frequently move far beyond the topic initially planned.
‘A huge part of pastoral care is simply being there — someone who won’t judge, who will sit and listen,’ she explains. ‘They need to talk about what’s hurt them, and I just let them speak.”
For individuals whose lives may have been marked by instability, loss, or trauma, the experience of being heard without interruption or judgement can be deeply significant.
‘Many of them have never had someone listen to them,’ Anita observes. ‘They’ve just been told, “Go to your room,” or “Get out of the way.” Having someone who will sit and listen can be completely new.’
Rock echoes this emphasis, viewing pastoral care not as dramatic intervention but as faithful presence shaped by compassion.
‘From a Christian point of view, this is the best thing I’ve ever done,’ he says. ‘I love the sense of God’s presence in prison, and I still do.’
Pastoral care is not about having the right words at the right moment. It is about offering attention, respect, and space. It is about trusting that God is already at work in lives that may appear, at first glance, defined only by failure or regret.
For experienced volunteers wondering whether pastoral care might be a next step, Anita offers reassurance that will resonate with many.
‘There are still times I think, “Lord, I don’t know what I’m doing.” But that’s never been the point. God is faithful, and he equips us for the places he calls us to.’
For those who find themselves drawn to deeper conversations, to listening more than speaking, or to walking alongside others in seasons of grief or reflection, pastoral care may be a gentle invitation worth exploring.
If this resonates with you, we encourage you to prayerfully consider the role and take a look at the Pastoral Care volunteer role description on our website.
If you would like to explore this further, please speak with your group leader or contact Stephen Hawkins, our Operations Manager.
