For information on the West Tennessee State
Penitentiary Kairos program, email
Bob Sauter .
What is
Kairos?
Kairos
Prison Ministry is a ministry by persons drawn from a
broad range of denominational churches. Memphis area activities
are financially supported by the Memphis Emmaus community and by
individual members of the Emmaus Community who offer their time,
money and energy as team members for the Kairos weekends held at
the West Tennessee State Prison in Henning, Tennessee.
The purpose of Kairos is to
establish strong Christian communities among the populations of
correctional institutions. This is done through the
impact of small, 3-to- 5 person share and prayer groups of
leaders in the institutions. These groups meet weekly to share
their lives on a deep spiritual level and to pray for one
another, for other residents and staff in the institutions.
These groups are formed after a weekend similar to the Emmaus
weekend, only held within prison walls.
For three days 42 inmate Residents will
gather at tables for a short course in Christianity. Each of the
seven tables is guided by three kairos team members, two lay
persons and one clergy. Each nine person group soon takes on the
characteristics of a sharing family. For many prisoners this
will be their first experience in a loving family.
The objective of
Kairos is to change the correctional environment by changing the
strong negative leaders, who as new apostles of Jesus Christ
change all areas of human activity in the prison.
Kairos is a
ministry of the church ... a ministry of the apostles
whom Jesus, the Christ, has called into community and sent forth
into the environment of the correctional institution. Kairos has
been called an example of the early church in existence
today.
Does Kairos really
have an impact? Recent studies in Florida indicate that
for each inmate that participates in a Kairos weekend and has no
further contact, recidivism is reduced by one-third. If an
inmate continues to participate in Kairos activities after the
weekend, recidivism is reduced by fifty-seven percent.
Torch,
is the version of the Chysalis/Emmaus weekend for young
prisoners, ages 15-21 (generally). The young men on this walk
are in great need to hear the Gospel and to feel the love of
Jesus.
Top
WTSP Kairos Volunteers
If you have an interest in any
of the following volunteer positions, please reply:
Cookie Liaison
- Responsible for developing a database of churches and
Kairos contacts at each of those churches who will help
support our cookie ministry. Our cookie ministry needs to
be 100% supported by the community at large rather than
baked by team members. We need to reduce the burden on team
members and reach out to the community and make them aware
of our ministry. This is an important position and we are
in need of someone willing to commit at least a year to
helping us get on track with our cookie ministry.
Videographer -
do you have a video camera? If so, we need to record and
archive our Kairos closings. Would be good to have a tape
to bring back in for the men to look at after the weekend.
Kitchen Liaison
- Community coordinator helps train kitchen team on how to
have an effective kitchen. We will provide you and the
kitchen team with a kitchen manual. You do not have to work
the kitchens during weekends ... just make sure the kitchen
crews are well trained. We are looking for continuity in
our kitchen teams.
Sponsorship -
You will train a team member selected by the Lay Rector on
how to promote the "sponsorship" fundraiser. It's not a
"sales" position but, rather, a way of promoting Kairos to
the community. Some community members will support Kairos
with their baked cookies. Others can support Kairos with
the 72-Hour prayer chain. Others may be gifted financially
and can help support Kairos by funding the cost of sending
an inmate through a weekend. Right now, our costs approach
$9,000 to do a Kairos men's weekend. Rather than burden the
team with high team fees, we can raise funds from the
community through inmate sponsorships. Our last team
experienced a first-ever postive cash flow through this
fundraiser. The position does not take a great deal of
time. Responsibilities will be to train a team member and
then follow-up with sponsorees with a thank you letter after
the weekend.
Historian - We
need someone to create a picture book history of teams and
weekends. If you are creative in this area, let us know.
We need you!
Set Up / Tear Down
- Your responsibility is to help coordinate a work
crew of volunteers to assist in setting up and tearing down
during a Kairos men's weekend. This is especially important
for tear down as the team is tired and ready to return
home. Right now, the team is burdened with this
responsibility. Our desire is to help relieve the team of
this burden with outside help.
Database - We
need someone gifted in MS Access or Excel to help us create
and maintain a database of volunteers who have served on
various weekends, talks given, postions served, etc. Also,
we need to keep track of inmates who have been through a
Kairos weekend. We're falling down in this area and it
would be very helpful for you to come to our rescue!
Thanks to all who have an
interest in serving. We really do need your help. Other
positions may become available too. So if you have some
ideas, be sure to share them with us.
Top
