Winona Lake Woman Uses Musical Talent In Jail Ministry
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Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
WINONA LAKE - Wednesday evening, songs and prayers could be heard echoing from the walls of the Kosciusko County Jail chapel.
The singing voices came from the jail's male and female inmates, who were participating in a twice-weekly jail ministry service led by Jail Ministry Music Director Peggy Owens.
Owens, a Winona Lake resident, has volunteered to play the keyboard and serve as the jail ministry's music director for the past nine years.During the service, the inmates gave testimonies, heard scripture messages and made song requests for Owens to play while they sang along.
Two male inmates took turns during the service playing the guitar, accompanying Owens' keyboard playing.
Inmates requested songs for Owens to play such as "Amazing Grace," "This Little Light of Mine" and "Jesus Loves Me."
Owens, 64, said she couldn't see herself doing anything else other than using her music to minister to the inmates.
She attended an outreach seminar in Philadelphia nine years ago, where she and the other attendees were asked to consider how much time they were dedicating to ministering to others who did not know God.
"I spent my time at church singing in the choir, but I didn't feel at the time I was ministering and reaching out to those who needed God and didn't know him," Owens said.
She learned about the jail ministry through the ministry's chaplain, John Boren, who started the ministry in 1995.
"It's a privilege and joy to share my music with the inmates," Owens said.
"We all deal with sins, whether it be turning to food, drugs, money, television or alcohol for comfort," Owens said.
She said she encourages the inmates to listen to the words of the songs and apply them to their lives.
Owens plays her keyboard three days a week on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings during services at the Kosciusko County Jail. She also plays the keyboard during services Monday during the jail's work release ministry at the Work Release Center.
The services are separate for male and female inmates.
She also leads a Bible study Monday afternoons at the jail for the female inmates. The women learn about overcoming issues such as loneliness and forgiveness from sin.
The inmates also minister in their cell blocks by conducting their own Bible studies and prayer circles.
Owens said God has given her a gift of playing music by ear. Inmates will request a song and she can play the music without having to carry around music books or hymnals.
She said one of her favorite things about serving as music director is having the opportunity to talk with the inmates and get to know them and their life stories.
"The jail ministry has become my church where I come to worship with the inmates, and I call them my congregation," Owens said.
Paul Drazich, Warsaw, has been attending the ministry as a resident since February and reads Bible passages to the inmates.
"I believe God has called me to reach out to those who don't know him because that is something we as Christians are called to do," Drazich said.
Owens' ministry doesn't stop with her music, but continues by her writing letters to the inmates, adds their concerns to her growing prayer list and takes baked goods to the inmates.
After inmates are released from jail, she helps them find jobs, provides transportation and has opened her home after they are released from jail until they get back on their feet.
