Contact Us
Stepping Out
Ministries
PO Box 12277
Salem, Oregon 97309
Phone: 503-363-2805
Fax: 503-585-1269
E-mail:
somoffice@comcast.net
Rev. Steve & Tammie Silver
Executive Directors
Jose Chavez
Operations Director
Teresa Hanes
Administrative Director
Teresa’s History
I have been involved in a wide variety of ministries
since my teen years. Besides being involved in churches; teaching,
office work, committees, etc., I’ve worked over 26 years in para-church
organizations. But I never really found my passion for ministry until I
went into prison.
In 1986 I became a Prison Fellowship volunteer after hearing Chuck
Colson on a radio program. I started as a pen-pal, then a chapel
volunteer, a volunteer at the Prison Fellowship office and an in-prison
seminar facilitator.
The thing that grabbed me was that I was surrounded by people who, for
the most part, realized they didn’t have control over their lives and
they wanted help and support. They
may have had mixed motives for being in the chapel, but it gave us
opportunities to share faith and friendship. This congregation didn’t
act like they had it all together while wearing their Sunday best; they
knew they were sinners. And I had a wonderful time sharing that they
were no different than us, except that their sins were felonies. The
gospel is indeed good news for those who have gone down the road they
have.
I met Steve Silver through PF and saw him at the PF office and various
events. Someone suggested to him that he ask me to help set up his
office when it was at the jail complex, and he has kept me on. I go to
OSCI each week to help sort and copy transition materials and talk with
prisoners about transition and about Stepping Out Ministries. Although I
am computer challenged, I have been encouraged to overcome and have been
welcomed as part of the SOM team. It is a blessing to meet and work with
other believers who have a heart for the lost and who are willing to get
into the trenches to meet both spiritual and physical needs. I’d like to
think we are the sheep mentioned in Matthew 25.
Teresa Hanes