Kairos Prison Ministry

BY: REV. KAY LANCASTER Associate Pastor of Discipleship

The mission of Kairos Prison Ministry is to share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women, and youth, as well as their families, to become loving and productive citizens of their communities.

Kairos is an international ministry, and our church supports two units in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice system: the men’s Allred Unit in Iowa Park and the women’s Mountain View Unit in Gatesville. The team of Kairos volunteers receives special training prior to entering the unit. The Kairos weekend is a 3 ½ day short course on Christianity. It is an opportunity to make disciples and to help disciples grow in their knowledge of Jesus Christ and the redemption that he offers.

HOW CAN YOU BE A PART OF THIS MINISTRY?

1. Financial contributions are made by our church’s budgeted funds and by our Amazing Grace Class. Additional contributions from individuals or classes are also appreciated.

2. Signing prayer chains and promising to pray for the participants during the weekend. The chains are put together to show the participants how many people are praying for them.

3. Children make placemats to share Christ’s love in Sunday school and at Kids in Mission.

4. Baking homemade cookies—a special treat for the incarcerated.

5. Volunteering to serve on a Kairos Ministry Team.

There are opportunities to serve on either the support team or the inside team. The support team prepares meals and other items for the participants during the weekend. The inside team goes into the prison to share the love and grace of Christ. (women in the women’s unit and men in the men’s unit).

KAIROS WEEKENDS

During a weekend on the inside of the unit, the gym is converted into 3 spaces—a dining area, a conference room and a chapel. There are 42 participants seated six to a table with three volunteers at each table. The participants hear ten talks given by volunteers, they discuss the talks and then make posters which illustrate the main idea of the talks. They also sing, worship, and eat specially prepared food which includes lots of cookies and fresh fruit between the meals. The program is nondenominational and focuses on the love of Christ. The motto of the volunteers is to Listen, Listen, Love, Love.

At the end of the Kairos Weekend, on Sunday afternoon, there is a Closing Ceremony in the gym during which participants receive a cross. Then they go for a final worship during which visitors are welcome to attend if they have completed paperwork and been approved. During this time visitors will hear participants tell of the condition in which they came to Kairos and in what condition they are leaving. Words often used to express these conditions are coming in broken, lonely, scared, untrusting, cold, and spiritually dry. They describe leaving healed, redeemed, loved, a child of God, trusting, having a new family of faithful brothers/sisters.

HOW IS KAIROS DIFFERENT?

How is Kairos different from other prison ministries? Volunteers commit to the continuing ministry of Kairos. They return to the unit the Saturday following a weekend for an “Instructional” which teaches the participants how to conduct prayer and share groups - similar to Emmaus reunion groups. Volunteers also return to the unit for monthly reunions. These reunions include singing, sharing testimonials, worship, scripture readings, and a time of small group discussion and prayer. All of these activities are led by the participants. In addition, volunteers will return to facilitate the prayer and share groups that were formed during the “Instructional”.

Volunteers go into the prison hoping to be a blessing to the participants. However, by serving in the Kairos Prison Ministry, the volunteers receive many more blessings than they give. Our Kairos volunteers would love for you to consider being a part of bringing the love of Christ into the darkness of prison. If you would like to know more about this ministry, you can contact Rev. Ramiro Rodriguez or Rev. Kay Lancaster in the church office.

In Matthew 25: 35-36, Jesus describes the responsibilities of the faithful: “for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”