Our Focus: Kairos Inside

Kairos Prison Ministry includes three distinct programs –

Kairos Inside, Kairos Outside, and Kairos Torch – each serving

individuals and families affected by incarceration in different ways.

 

Here at Joshua Methodist Church, our current involvement focuses primarily on

Kairos Inside, and we invite you to learn more about this ministry and the many

ways you can be a part of it.

 

You can also learn more about Kairos Outside and Kairos Torch at the

bottom of this page.

 

Kairos Inside

Kairos Inside brings together incarcerated men or women for a 3½-day Weekend led

by a team of same-gender Kairos volunteers. The Weekend includes a series of talks,

small-group discussions, chapel meditations, prayer, and fellowship, all designed to

help build a Christian community within the institution.

 

The ministry continues long after the Weekend is over. Participants are encouraged to

gather regularly for prayer, fellowship, accountability, and spiritual growth. Kairos

volunteers also return for monthly Reunions with the Kairos community. This

continuing support is an important part of the ministry, helping relationships and

Christian community established during the Weekend continue to grow within the

prison environment.

 

How Can I Participate?

There are many ways to be part of Kairos Inside. You don’t have to go inside a prison

to make a difference.

 

Support the Weekend

A great deal happens behind the scenes to make each Kairos Weekend possible.

Support volunteers can help prepare meals, assist with fundraising, organize supplies,

and meet other needs of the Weekend team.

 

Create Agape

Agape is a tangible expression of Christian love and encouragement given to the

participants during the Weekend.

 

Agape can include artwork displayed throughout the community room, signed

placemats, posters, and other expressions of encouragement. Children can participate

by creating placemats and posters using first names only.

 

Each piece is a reminder that someone outside the prison is thinking about them, praying for them,

and sharing the love of Christ with them.

 

Bake Cookies

Yes, cookies really are an important part of Kairos!

 

A single Kairos Weekend may require thousands of homemade cookies—sometimes

20,000 or more. These cookies are shared as a simple expression of

Christian love, kindness, and hospitality.

Whether you bake a few dozen or several dozen, every batch contributes to the Weekend.

 

Serve on a Kairos Team

Kairos team members come from many different churches and walks of life with a

shared desire to serve Christ and those who are incarcerated.

 

Team members receive training and work together throughout the Weekend through

prayer, talks, discussions, worship, fellowship, and Christian witness.

 

 

Attend the Celebration

Members of the outside Christian community may have the opportunity to attend the

Sunday afternoon Celebration Ceremony inside the institution.

 

The Celebration is an opportunity to hear participants share what they experienced

during the Weekend and how God has been working in their lives.

 

Interested in attending the Celebration?

 

Complete the Kairos Closing Ceremony application to begin the process.

 

[Kairos Closing Ceremony Application]

 

 

Every Part Matters

 

Whether you pray, bake cookies, create Agape, provide behind-the-scenes

support, attend the Celebration, or serve on a Kairos team, you can play a part

in this ministry.

 

Together, these acts of service help Kairos Inside continue sharing the love, hope, and

forgiveness of Jesus Christ with those behind prison walls.

 

Kairos Outside & Kairos Torch

 

Kairos Outside is a special weekend retreat designed to support the female

relatives/friends of men and women who are or have been incarcerated, or women who were

unable to attend Kairos Inside while in prison, followed by a continuing ministry. Learn the Details…

 

Kairos Torch offers an initial weekend, followed by a long-term mentoring process

that encourages young men and women to move towards making better life choices. Learn the Details…