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KAIROS, means God's special time in Greek.
A Kairos team assembled in the gym of this prison. The Warden and the Chaplin choose 42 inmates to attend a three and one-half day short course in Christianity with an ecumenical outside team of Christians..
There are two sessions each year or a total of 84 prisoners who attend the two weekends.
Teams members who have been inside the prison teaching are expected to visit the inside community one reunioin Saturday a month.
This particular prison has around 225 Kairos members; once the members have been faithful to Kairos for two years or more, the recidivism is reduced by 75-85%.
National & Georgia Websites
A recent PIC of the Dooly State Prison Kairos Team:
In front of the trailer after the 4 day weekend in Unadilla, GA.
The purpose of the information that follows is to find and recruit clergy and team members, who are interested in doing God's work for the Kairos Ministry in Central Georgia at Dooly State Prison in Unadilla, Georgia. This page will answer a few basic questions about this ministry; however, the real work is: joining our group and ministering to the prisoners through Kairos.
Where?
Dooly State Prison is the facility that we serve. It is located in Unadilla, Georgia. Our team members are spread out from Forsyth to Cordele, north to south; and in many cities to the east and west between those points.
Our Kairos Ministry
What Do We Do?
Twice a year our group conducts two Kairos Weekends inside Dooly State Prison. A weekend consists of teaching, praying and showing the 42 inmates selected by the prison warden about Christ's love.
During the instruction part of the program each teaching table (named for one of the disciples) has a clergy, two lay people and six inmates. This is where we get to know the inmates and conduct part of our ministry, listen, listen; love, love.
During the course of Thursday(1/2 day), Friday, Saturday and Sunday(3/4 of a day) the Kairos Team carries out an organized program of teaching and prayer. Inorder to conduct a Kairos Weekend it takes 25-30 volunteers working together with God's Holy Spirit to accomplish our mission.
In addition to the two weekend encounters each Kairos team member promises to attend a monthly reunion which is conducted inside the prison. The comittment also includes: several preparatory training and prayer meetings prior to each weekend inside the prison; these meetings usually equal the time spent inside the prison during the weeks leading up to the date of the Kairos Weekend inside.
Where do we recruit new Kairos team members?
In order for the movement to survive it is recommended that after each weekend inside the prison that the new leader of the next "inside-weekend" and everyone on the previous team begin recruiting new clergy and members. We need to recruit at least 25% more members twice a year.
Sources for recruiting:
- Walk to Emmaus graduates
- Cursillo graduates
- Trés Dias graduates
- Episcopal Cursillo graduates
- Presbyterian Cursillo garduates
- Lutheran Via De Cristo graduates
- From our respective churches (no more than 25% of the team can be made up of members who have not been on a spiritual weekend
For Information about joining Kairos leave a message in the Prayer Request section indicating you are interested in Kairos, and Charlie Courtois will contact you.
The foundation meetings for the Spring weekend will probably begin in February and March, 2010. As the schedule is set the information will be posted here.
This is what the Bible says in:
"When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill and in prison, and visit you? And the king will say to them in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for me of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.' "
Who Are the Kairos' Members?
Christians of all denominations makeup Kairos. The ecumenical and inter-denominational nature of the Kairos Ministry offers spiritual and practical advantages, but imposes important limitations. Ministering within an ecumenical or inter-denominational setting requires sacrifices as team members learn to respect the personal spiritual practices of others. The basic elements of faith agreed on by all Christians are presented and all areas of controversy are avoided.
SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT KAIROS WEEKEND
God is at work inside the darkness of the prison! And now, He is assembling a team of servants for the Kairos #22 at Dooly State Prison that will run from:
Kairos Inside Weekend, April 8-11, Thu 2 P.M. – Sun 4 P.M. KAIROS #22 weekend Dooly Campgrounds and Dooly State Prison (DSP) Spring Walk
Rector: Bob Sangster
Telephone: (229) 322-3732
Foundation Meetings & Schedule for 2010 Spring Walk as follows:
| Date | Time | Location |
| February 6, 2010 | 8:30 am until 1:30 pm | Pinecrest Baptist Church, Cordele, GA |
| February 20, 2010 | 8:30 am until 1:30 pm | Pinecrest Baptist Church, Cordele, GA |
| March 6, 2010 | 8:30 am until 1:30 pm | Pinecrest Baptist Church, Cordele, GA |
| March 20, 2010 | 8:30 am until 1:30 pm | Pinecrest Baptist Church, Cordele, GA |
| April 2nd and 3rd, 2010 | 6:00 pm Friday through 1:30 pm Saturday | Dooly Campground Vienna, GA |
| April 8th through 11th, 2010 | 2:00 pm Thursday through 4:00 pm Sunday | Dooly Campground/ Dooly State Prison |
The basis of the Kairos ministry is very simple to do; it requires little or no thought. The team which is usually from 25-40 men participate in 35-45 hours of outside preparation time in prayer and formation for the inside mission of teaching, listening, and loving.
KAIROS MISSON
- To listen, listen, love, love
Many of these prisoners have never had anyone truly listen to them in their whole life. This is the first major lesson to learn. When some one is listened to they immediately forget about being defensive.
Learning to listen is hard, and it is also an art.
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