Why So Many Cookies?
How are so many cookies used? The cookies represent at least three truths of the Christian life:
1 God's unending grace. Cookies are everywhere in the prison. They are a physical symbol of God's grace, available to all believers (i.e. agape love)
2 The power of Christian Community. All Kairos cookies are home-baked, demonstrating that real people on the outside can see the inmates through the eyes of agape love and have prayed for the inmates while baking the cookies.
3 Availability of forgiveness. You can imagine that God's forgiveness and self-forgiveness are difficult to accept in a prison. On Saturday evening, each Kairos participant is asked to take a bag of cookies to whomever in that institution he/she considers his/her worst enemy and ask for, or grant, forgiveness.
Get Involved!Be a team member.
Kairos volunteers come from all walks and strata of life. They all share a desire to follow Christ.
Be a Prayer Partner.
All Kairos activities are covered with prayer. You can be a part of that effort.
Be a Support Volunteer.
Each Kairos retreat weekend has opportunities for outside support, such as baking cookies, writing letters of support, or preparing meals.
Be a Ministry Financial Booster.
All Kairos activities are funded by donations. If you would like to support this ministry by your donation, make your check payable to: Kairos
What is Kairos?
Kairos is an ecumenical Christian ministry designed for use in men's and women's correctional institutions. The ministry is conducted, in cooperation with chaplains of correctional institutions, by teams of laity and clergy who are qualified by their experiences in Christian renewal movements.
The purpose of Kairos is to help build and nurture strong Christian communities among the residents of correctional institutions. The Kairos experience for residents starts with a 3-day short course in Christianity. This weekend involves 42 inmates selected by the Chaplain and a team of 55 lay and clergy persons. The weekend is modeled after renewal weekends like Catholic Cursillo, Cum Christo, Emmaus Walk and Via De Christo.
After a Kairos weekend, residents continue their faith walk by participating in small Prayer and Share Groups. These groups meet weekly to share their lives on a deep spiritual level and to pray for one another. Kairos participants also attend monthly reunions (Saturdays) in the institution with Kairos volunteers. Kairos volunteers conduct two spiritual retreats per year for residents who have made a Kairos weekend.
“… I was in prison and you visited me.”Matthew 25:36
For Information:
Contact: ______(___) (___)-____ Home
Or (___) -___-____ Work
See: Kairos of Texas web site
http://www/ kairosoftexas.org
Website for Kairos National Prison Ministry:
http://www/ kairosprisonministry.org
Carol Vance website
http://www.carolvancekairos.org/
Would You Bake Cookies
And Pray
For Kairos Prison Ministry Christian Renewal Weekends?
2,500 Dozen CookiesAre Needed
Before
______
(details inside)
Kairos Cookie Information Our Goal: 2500 dozen!!!!
(Don’t faint at the quantity. Know that many churches are involved. Do what you are comfortable with.)
The purpose of Kairos is to build strong Christian communities inside prison walls. It begins with a 3 day intense course in Christianity and continues with small share and prayer groups among the residents of the institution. Cookies are distributed to every resident and staff member during the 3 day weekend. These homemade cookies are a tangible and vital expression of Christ’s love to those who seldom encounter either love or concern in the course of their daily lives. Your loving sacrifice can shine His grace into the darkest corners of the prison.
Remember: PRAY for the Kairos weekend participants as you bake and package your cookies, asking God to use the “agape love” cookies and the team as instruments for His love, forgiveness, healing, Christian renewal, and evangelism.
Important Specifications: (hint: if you use CRISCO (not butter), the cookies will be less likely to break)
1. Bake ONLY sturdy Chocolate chip, Peanut butter, Oatmeal, Ginger, Molasses & Sugar cookies. (Chocolate chip are the favorite!!!)
2. DO NOT add fruit, nuts, or coatings of ANY KIND to the cookies. No decorations please (not even sugar), just bake plain cookies.
3. Size: 2 – 2 ½ inch in diameter. Thin, crisp cookies break easily and cannot be used.
4. Allow cookies to COOL COMPLETELY BEFORE BAGGING. Warm cookies will stick together and cannot be used.
5. Bag cookies in zip lock freezer bags (qt size)(don’t use ones with the easy zipper slide close) ONE DOZEN PER BAG. Label each bag with the type of cookie in it. (Or if it’s all one kind – please put the type on the bag or box containing all that type.)
6. Pack the Ziploc bags in the sacks provided and bring to your Kairos Contact person or to your Church.
7. Freeze all cookies if they cannot be taken to the Kairos cookie coordinator quickly. (within 2-3 days)
PLEASE FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS IN ORDER TO AVOID WASTE OR REJECTION BY THE PRISON.
Kairos Carol Vance unit Contact person: ______GOD BLESS YOU!!!!