Adams County, Indiana — Saturday marked a new milestone for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and its Jail Ministry program, as the jail held its first baptism ceremony.
“This milestone reflects our shared belief that accountability and redemption can go hand in hand,” said Adams County Sheriff Daniel Mawhorr, who oversaw the voluntary baptism of nine inmates, in a press release.
Along with jail staff, Project Connect, an Adams County-based nonprofit, assisted in facilitating the service. Project Connect aims to connect those in need with resources and organizations that can help.
“No matter what we do or how we do it, it all comes down to just wanting to be good neighbors,” said Project Connect Director Rob Parker. “We want to bring back to life that forgotten art of good neighboring.”
Parker stated that the partnership between the organization and the Adams County Sheriff’s Office began in early 2025, and that the idea for the baptism came from a community advocate.
“We brought it to the sheriff’s [office], and they were more than supportive and ready to do it, and so the rest is history,” Parker told me.
While the baptisms are the most recent result of the partnership, Parker says Project Connect has made many more partners through its relationship with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, allowing the organization to reach a larger audience.
Parker is also the director of Crossroads Community, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and recovery coaching.
“We do not want to do everything. Parker said, “We want to work with other people who are doing things really well.”
The Adams County Sheriff’s Office intends to continue its collaboration with Project Connect and other community leaders to “support rehabilitation, restoration, and safer communities.”
