The first new building in years is going up at Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman in Sunflower County.

Groundbreaking ceremonies were held today at Mississippi�s oldest prison but not for a new cellblock.� For the first time in the prison�s 120-year history, a church is being built�inside�prison walls with private funds and inmate labor.� The nonprofit Mississippi Prison Chapel Foundation is providing construction money.

The nondenominational, 6,000-square-foot sanctuary will be constructed at Unit 30 and hold 250 people.� Services will be conducted by inmate pastors and attendance is voluntary.

The church is part of MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain�s �Moral Rehabilitation� initiative, a 20-year-old program to instill values along with vocational education.

MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain said,��This is tantamount, very important to real, true rehabilitation with skills and trades and equipped to get a job.� With morality in your heart, you�ll be a successful citizen.�

17-year inmate Henry Dennis said, �It gives us inmates hope, something to look forward to.� A lot of us come in here thinking all of us has been forgotten, that everybody did away with us.� So this is hope for us, new life for us, and this is a symbol of that.� With the church being here, it brings that.�

Parchman�s inmate carpenters have their work cut out for them.� They�ve got 70 days to finish construction.� Commissioner Cain has challenged them to open for Easter morning.

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