Volunteering

  • 0

Curran Fromhold Correctional Facility, Philadelphia PA

Tags : 

Written By:  Charles Wagner, founder of Gramazin

Organization: Christian Life Prison and Recovery Ministry

Location: Curran Fromhold Correctional Facility, Philadelphia, PA

Date: January 26, 2016

Photo from www.popefrancisvisit.com

Photo from www.popefrancisvisit.com

Prison Worship Service Reflects Worship in Heaven

It was a room filled with drug dealers, kidnappers, assailants, thieves, lifers, the Holy Spirit, and goosebumps!

My word!  How many Christians have no idea what heaven will be like?

Sure.  Heaven is the place where God dwells.  Heaven is the place where Jesus Christ reigns.  The streets in heaven are paved with gold.  There will be no tears.

There also will be no pretention!  No artificiality!  No seeking to impress!  No worrying about your reputation!  We will worship Christ in heaven without a single thought of how we look in other people’s eyes!

read more


  • 0

God’s work in the life of a bank robber

Tags : 

Charles Wagner, founder of Gramazin, and his 24-year-old son Chad, co-founder, visited a convicted “bank robber” at a state penitentiary in western Pennsylvania on March 21, 2015.

Read the first article in this two-part series.

somerset-570x350“Peter” greeted us with a bright smile and a strong handshake.  His nicely groomed appearance was that of a professional and he had a countenance of confidence.

After he embraced his father, who had just made his 153rd trip across Pennsylvania to visit his son, Peter led us to a table in the large room where the number of prisoners being visited by friends and family may have been outnumbered by the number of cameras.  Chad and I proceeded to ask Peter questions about his troubled youth, his adult crimes, his arrest, and life in person.  His answers reflected a man who is transparent and candid, unafraid of speaking the truth about the mistakes he has made in life.

read more


  • 0

Christians, 5 reasons you shouldn’t visit bank robbers!

Tags : 

Charles Wagner, founder of Gramazin, and his 24-year-old son Chad, co-founder, visited a convicted “bank robber” at a state penitentiary in western Pennsylvania on March 21, 2015.

Read the second article in this two-part series.

IMG_1611A young man, who we will call “Peter”, owes his drug dealer $ 8,000. A gun is put to his head – “Give me my money or you are dead!” In fear for his life, desperate for money and the drugs he is addicted to, Peter robs four banks and a drug store in Bucks County Pennsylvania. One morning a few weeks later, the FBI and the local police arrest him at the home of his girlfriend’s parents. He is sentenced to a minimum of 5 years at a state penitentiary in western Pennsylvania.

read more


  • 1

Reflections After Working on a Farm for Chester County Foodbank

Tags : 

Chad and I spent three hours removing the stalks from thousands of onions at Pete’s Produce Farm in West Chester, PA, volunteering our time for the Chester County Food Bank. The thousands of onions we processed yesterday will tweak the taste buds of hungry families throughout the county. It was a pleasure serving alongside six other adults and two elementary age twin boys.

  • 0

An Evening at Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility in Philadelphia, PA

Tags : 

You are a visitor at a church, a first time attendee at a worship service. A regular attender walks up to you with a bright warm smile and offers you a handshake. “Wow. That’s different” you say to yourself, accustomed to the usual chilly reception in far too many of our churches. Another regular attender walks up and offers you a cheerful smile and a firm handshake. He might even give you a hug.

  • 0

A Love Found Within Prison Walls, Philadelphia PA

Tags : 

I had few expectations for tonight (the night my father and I were scheduled to attend a Worship Service, inside a prison in Philadelphia) – mainly because I hadn’t a clue to even dream up what my expectations should have been. I haven’t been to jail before, and I’ve been fortunate enough to never have any of my friends go there. To me, jail is what I’ve seen on television; what I’ve watched in movies. Not the experience I actually had a few hours ago.

  • 1

New Life Furniture Touches Lives in Cincinnati, OH

Tags : 

Truthfully, the success of New Life Furniture flows from Holly Young, the Executive Director. She is a woman of deep faith, profound courage, genuine warmth and compassion, and a healthy obsession to detail. The woman is a walking ambassador to what it means to love others and treat them with dignity, regardless of their circumstance.

  • 0

Home Is Truly Where Your Heart Lies, Cincinnati OH

Tags : 

For anyone who travels, or embarks on an adventure far from home, it’s inevitable to feel lost in foreign land. Every time I’ve left Eastern Pennsylvania with my father, to serve others through Gramazin, I can’t help but take a long look at all the unfamiliar settings which are presented to me. In my hometown, there’s a certain feeling I receive when I drive down the road, or observe customers at a local store.

  • 1

Miriams Kitchen Feeds the Homeless in Washington DC

Tags : 

When Chad and I entered the kitchen area, we saw a wall of colorful photos, including photos of a visit to Miriam's Kitchen by First Lady Michelle Obama. Clearly a charity that enjoys a visit by the First Lady of the United States is an organization that has an outstanding reputation. It was truly an honor to support such a great team by volunteering for a few hours.

  • 1

Volunteering With the Atlantic City Rescue Mission

Tags : 

The windows were opened, revealing a long line of about 75 men in crisis waiting quietly and patiently for their lunch. While the ladies got right to work serving the first people in line, I briefly was mesmorized by the faces and demeanor of these men. Quite a few looked like educated business professionals. They were appreciative of the meal they were receiving. They were polite and quite a few joked pleasantly with the servers.