Kairos of Maine Outside
What is Kairos Outside?
Kairos Outside is a pastoral ministry designed to support the relatives/friends of men and women who are or have been incarcerated in the country’s state or federal correctional facilities, as well as county jails and youthful offender programs. By providing a safe environment during a weekend with Christian people and opportunities to interact with other women in similar situations, support becomes a beacon of light in the dark world these women live in.
Why does the ministry exist?
We believe spouses, parents, siblings, relatives, and friends of the incarcerated
often “do time” right along with those incarcerated. We want to let them
know they are not alone and there is a Christian community who cares about
them and their needs – particularly unconditional love and support.
This support is demonstrated in a safe environment with Christian people
over a 2-˝ day weekend retreat. During this weekend, our Guests have a chance
to interact with other women who are in similar situations, and learn how
to form small support groups, thereby giving them strength to press forward
in their life journey. Purpose Statement
The purpose of Kairos Outside is to demonstrate God’s grace and love through
Christian support for women who have relatives/friends who are or who have
been incarcerated.
Goals
The goals of Kairos Outside are:
- To provide a safe place;
- To offer unconditional love and acceptance in a Christian setting;
- To encourage the sharing of one’s life journey;
- To create an opportunity for a relationship with God;
- To foster spiritual growth; and
- To promote participation in support groups.
The Origin of Kairos Outside
Kairos Outside began in 1989 as an idea from Chaplain Earl Smith at San Quentin State Correctional Facility in California. After the first Kairos Prison Ministry weekend, he felt, along with others involved in this ministry, those who became involved in the Kairos Program were now open to family unity, more so than ever before.
James Rowland, then Director for the Department of Corrections for California, often said, “Three things will keep an inmate from coming back to prison: The first is some type of spiritual awakening while in prison, the second is support by their family during and after incarceration, and the third is a skill to find a job on the outside after release.” Jo Chapman, a Kairos volunteer from California, took his idea and developed Kairos Outside.
The Kairos Prison Ministry is an excellent vehicle to provide for a spiritual experience on the inside, while Kairos Outside is designed to bolster the relatives/friends who are supporting those incarcerated persons. The women on the outside, in many ways, have to be stronger than those on the inside to survive in today’s world.
Kairos Outside is a blend of the movement on the street, Cursillo, which years ago spawned the Kairos Prison Ministry that has spread into many of our nation’s correctional institutions. The presenting members are all involved in either Cursillo, Walk to Emmaus, Tres Dias, Via de Cristo, etc., also known as “Street Weekends” and / or the Kairos Prison Ministry International. More importantly, they are concerned and committed Christians who believe in these women and want to encourage them on their life journey.
There are two Greek words for time. One of them, which we are all familiar with, is “kronos” meaning linear time: hours, days, weeks, etc. The other is “kairos” used in the sense of a time set by God for a particular occurrence. “Kairos” was found to be a word of very special significance in the correctional institution environment where the word “time” carries many special connotations. We have found the word “Kairos” also has some very special meaning for relatives/friends of those inside.
Where was the first Kairos Outside Weekend held?
Jo Chapman, founder of Kairos Outside, felt God was calling her to a ministry for those women, and so after much prayer, planning, and preparation, the first Weekend was held in the Spring of 1990 at St. Vincent’s in Marinwood, California.
