"...I was in prison and you visited me." Matthew 25:36Studies show that correctional institution residents who are active in Kairos are significantly less likely to return to prison after serving their time. Why? Because it’s more than a ministry. It’s a relationship.
Please consider joining me in participating with God through
KAIROS PRISON MINISTRY
Have you ever felt hopeless? Imagine that feeling and being in prison.
Kairos is a Greek term that means God’s Special Time. The purpose of the Kairos ministry is to help grow and nurture strong Christian communities within state and federal adult correctional institutions. During a Kairos weekend and subsequent follow-up spiritual growth activities facilitated by Kairos volunteers and prison chaplains, residents are challenged to accept God’s call to a life of Christian witness and service to one another and to staff during their stay in the institution and beyond.
Here are some ways you can participate with God in restoring hope in the lives of the residents at the Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW):
1) Prayer Vigil
2) Green Agape
3) Agape Cookies (Columbus/Marysville vicinity)
4) Kitchen Team (only those who have attended a renewal weekend)
Prayer Vigil
Prayer is primary in the success of Kairos. John 6:44 tells us that no one can come to Christ unless the Father draws him. The Father alone knows who will attend and what they will hear. Our desire is to seek God’s guidance so that we may be a physical representation of the work he is already doing in those around us. The prayer is for the residents to be receptive and for the volunteers to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Many people are already praying for Kairos #25. Several of those people are the volunteers that will be in the midst of what God is doing May 18-21.
We are asking for prayer support for the 72+ hours in which the Kairos team will be interacting with the residents. Some team members have never been in a prison. Some of the residents have never heard the truth of Jesus Christ. Your prayers will provide the peace that calms and guards hearts.
If you would like to commit to one or more hours of prayer from Thursday May 18, 10am through Sunday, May 21, 9pm, email me with your name, date and time you will be praying. Be sure to write down the time/date so you don’t forget this vital support. A construction paper chain will be created with the first name of each person praying. This prayer chain will be displayed as a visual reminder that many people on the outside truly care about the residents.
Green Agape
A Kairos weekend for 42 residents costs approximately $5,000 for food and materials. Team members contribute $25 each to cover their costs for the weekend and $10 for a Program Manual.
Your financial agape will be used by God to change lives in immeasurable ways. Donations of any amount are appreciated. You or your group can cover the expense of one resident with a donation of $125.
The residents are seated at tables with three volunteers. To emphasize the importance of unity, tables are recognized as “families” and given a name. (i.e. Family of Ruth). Your group or church may sponsor a Family for $725.
Checks should be made payable to “Kairos Prison Ministry of
View more info at http://snipurl.com/GreenAgape.
Agape Cookies
John 13:35 teaches us that our love for each other reveals our devotion to God. Simply by baking cookies you show God’s unconditional love. Renewal weekends include a flooding of small gifts called “Agape.” These gifts remind participants that God’s abundant love is not dependent on who we are. Cookies are used in Kairos as the prison environment does not allow for the variety of gifts.
Each team member for Kairos #25 is asked to collect 130 dozen cookies. That’s roughly 8,000 dozen cookies! Please sign up to bake two dozen or more cookies. You would be amazed at the impact your cookies have on the ORW residents. Please read the Cookie Brochure for more information on how the cookies are used and guidelines for baking the cookies. One additional note: cookies should be stacked in zip lock baggies like a sleeve of cookies to prevent breaking – do not lay flat.
If you are in the Marysville/Columbus Ohio vicinity, contact me for a drop off location for the cookies. Several churches will be collecting cookies.
Kitchen Team
If you are female and have experienced a renewal weekend such as Catholic Cursillo, Cum Christo, Emmaus Walk, or Via De Christo; please consider volunteering for Kairos #25 Kitchen Team. Kairos guidelines have recently changed which require the kitchen team for ORW to be made up of women only. This team was in place with seven men. If you would like to get a taste of Kairos, please email Tess at mpuglielli@aol.com about volunteering in this way.
For more information on Kairos Prison Ministry of
This information is compiled from http://www.kairosohio.org/ but is not official Kairos material.
Kairos Prison Ministry of Ohio is a member of the International Network of Prison Ministries
1 comment:
I am from Suncoast Emmaus in Florida and will be happy to pray for any Kairos Weekend that you have.
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