Chaplain Spotlight

Greetings, South Texas District. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself, introduce you to Chaplaincy, and tell you about the facility I serve in. My name is Greg McClure. For the last 15 years, I have served as a nationally endorsed Assemblies of God Chaplain within the Federal Bureau of Prisons. I presently serve as Supervisory Chaplain at the Federal Detention Center located in downtown Houston, just a few blocks away from the Astros stadium.

To understand Chaplaincy is to know where it came from, how it began, and where it is today. Chaplaincy began with one act of compassion by a Roman Legionary Soldier who would later become a priest and then saint. That individual was St. Martin of Tours. The setting was the country of Gaul, modern day France, in the fourth century. This is how the story has been told. One day, St. Martin came upon a beggar along the road, shivering from the cold. Martin was so moved with compassion that he cut his cloak in half and gave one half to the beggar. Martin kept the other half of the cloak. The following night, Martin had a vision of Christ which appeared to him wrapped in the beggar’s half of the cloak. Martin was so moved by this encounter that he renounced his post as a soldier and joined the priesthood. Martin’s half of the cloak was kept and so revered that it was carried into battle by kings. The priest in charge of the cloak, who served as a custodian of sacred relics, was known by the Latin word cappellanus. This word comes from the word cappella which means a short cloak. Priests who were assigned as guardians of the sanctuary which housed the cappella were called chaplains, or keepers of the cloak. The places which housed the cappella became known as a chapel. Today, Chaplains are ministers who serve in settings outside of the local church. Our National Chaplaincy office describes it like this, “I am a Chaplain. This is my church.” At its very core, Chaplaincy is a compassion-based ministry rooted in the gospel of Matthew 25 where Jesus admonishes that what we’ve done for the least of these, we’ve done unto Him, including visiting those in prison. (Correctional Chaplains, Keepers of the Cloak, W. Thomas Beckner)

My current duty station is at a Federal Detention facility, what some might refer to as a high- rise prison. It is an administrative, multilevel facility, designed to meet the needs of adult male and female offenders appearing before the Federal Court in the Southern District of Texas. It contains eight different inmate housing units with two additional special housing or segregation units. My role as a Chaplain includes leading, providing, and facilitating ministry to almost 800 total inmates. Detention center ministry is unique, compared to other prisons, in that ministry takes place on each unit separately. Additionally, over half of our inmate population is Spanish speaking. As you might expect, this is a daunting task to provide required weekly worship services while at the same time, overcoming language barriers. While the challenge is great, so is the opportunity. Since we are a detention facility, anywhere between 3,000 – 5,000 inmates come through our facility in any given year. For those that are designated, those inmates will release and return home to their families. This provides opportunities to reach those under our care with the message of hope and reconciliation.

I’m very proud to announce that we’ve created partnerships with the Texas Louisiana Hispanic District of the Assemblies of God, and El Tabernaculo Asambleas, led by Pastor Jay and Dr. Melissa Alfaro. They have been instrumental in helping connect our facility to Spanish-speaking Pastors to volunteer and minister to our Spanishspeaking inmate population. I’m also very excited to announce that we’ve also created a partnership with the Adult & Teen Challenge of Texas (Houston Women’s Campus) located in Alvin, Texas under the direction of Rachel Wallace. This partnership provides a local resource for releasing female inmates who need addiction recovery and support to successfully reenter society.

Even with all the challenges that come from working in prison, God reminds me that it is His work, and I remain steadfast in that. South Texas, this is just the beginning. It is my hope and prayer that Pastors, Ministers, and churches across this District will partner with our facility. Opportunities to partner would include having your church come in for a service. Members of your church could also come. Other opportunities include serving as a volunteer. As long as I’m Chaplain at this facility, you are welcome to be a part of this wonderful ministry. I am a Chaplain. This is my Church!!

If you or your church is interested in coordinating Prison Ministry or are interested in volunteer opportunities, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Respectfully,

FDC Houston

Chaplain McClure713-221-5400 Ext. 6001 gdmcclure@bop.gov

Bio: Chaplain McClure is an Ordained Minister in the South Texas District, holds a Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages (Emphasis in Chaplain Ministry) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Science in Church Ministries from Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Prior to serving at FDC Houston, Chaplain McClure served as a Chaplain at FCI Texarkana (TX) and FCC Yazoo City (MS).