“It’s kind of like the Army. It’s more than just a job.”
That’s what the Rev. Nancy Oliver said about her ministry to inmates of the Brevard County Jail, an extension of her calling to bless those whom Jesus called “the least of these” (Matt. 25:40).
When the Pulse nightclub tragedy occurred, she stood by at the receiving hospital to comfort families waiting for news. She and her husband have adopted 13 special needs children and taken in over 300 foster children. Since 2023, she has also run a club for developmentally disabled adults, including five with Down syndrome and others on the autism spectrum. And for more than a decade, the deacon at St. Mark’s, Cocoa, has served hundreds of inmates in the jail, first as a volunteer and then as a full-time chaplain.
Deacon Nancy Oliver conducting Bible study. | Photo Credit: Erik Guzman
Every month, Oliver counsels 60 to 80 inmates, primarily women, and supervises 70 volunteers who teach Bible studies. She also teaches inmates and, under special circumstances, brings them the Eucharist.
Although many people might hesitate to take their ministry behind bars, Oliver, who calls herself a “domestic missionary,” said she’s never had any fear. If an inmate tried to attack her with no deputies in sight, “Twenty people would jump up and protect me,” she said.
“They love me because I love them.”
Despite her passion, Oliver realizes serving behind bars is not something most priests and deacons are able to do or would even be comfortable doing. For those in that situation, she suggested partnering with her ministry as her church and others in the Diocese of Central Florida have already done. “I’ll go for you,” she said.
She currently receives much-needed support from congregations such as Holy Apostles, Satellite Beach, and St. Peter the Fisherman, New Smyrna, as well as her home church, St. Mark’s, where she serves as deacon, preaches and teaches sign language.
Support from others does more than benefit her personally; it offers a new chance for inmates who are leaving the jail. One group from St. Mark’s provides a discretionary fund that helps Oliver bless newly released prisoners.
“On any given day, people are getting out of jail and can’t get home,” she said. “So I buy around $200 worth of bus passes about every six weeks, funded by some very nice donors.”
Deacon Nancy Oliver laughs and loves with her Bible study students. | Photo Credit: Erik Guzman
And her ministry goes beyond the inmates. When a beloved deputy suddenly died, Oliver arrived at the jail at 5:45 a.m. on a Saturday to minister to everyone touched by the tragedy.
“I spent five hours going pod to pod, talking to deputies and corrections techs, who are in charge of watching cameras and pressing buttons to open or close doors,” she said.
Oliver’s background givers her a special compassion for inmates, especially those with mental disabilities. Some of them, unable to read or write, have nowhere to turn when they are set free.
“People in jail are a microcosm of our society,” she said. “They’re not just the ‘bad people.’ They are just people. They are all sinners, just like we are all sinners.”
Oliver is available to speak at churches to share stories of her work and represent the Good News Jail and Prison Ministry, of which she is a part. Those interested in learning more may contact her at Nancyoliver@goodnewsjail.org or 321-863-6876.