Agape Leader for Weekends
Best Practices for Kairos Ministers
Clergical Responsibilities
Cooks
Dollar Prayer
Door Man
Family Leader and Assistant Leader Responsibilities
Inside Council Responsibilities
Inside Team Weekend Responsibilities
Meetings (How to Improve Them)
Music Team
Prayer Chapel Team Leader
Weekend Coordinator’s Check List

Agape Leader for Kairos Weekends

1) Check out http://www.mykairos.org/kalendar.html and register.  Once the agape leader is listed he will begin receiving Agape Posters.  See the top banner at Kairos Calendar.

2) Here is a library of poster formats:  http://www.agape.mykairos.org/General/

3)  List of Agape Leader Responsibilities = http://kairos-wci.org/forms/Agape%20Leader.doc

Agape Coordinator’s Responsibilities:

– distribute agape supplies at team meetings

– explain importance of agape during team meetings

– with the assistance of 2 team members appointed by the Weekend leader, collect “green agape” during team meetings

– collect finished agape material and present to coordinator for transportation inside the prison

– coordinate with “You Are Not Alone” speaker for first time agape presentation

– hang agape during Weekend

– time permitting, have agape letter bags decorated by Sunday School Children

– utilizing chapel workers, prepare prayer chain

– collect agape letters on Friday evening

– transport agape letters to chapel Saturday morning

– set up agape letter bags and insert agape letters

– place agape letter bags on trays segregated by family

Best Practices for Kairos Ministers

• • • Encourage others in your church and outside the church to become Kairos volunteers.

During team meetings

• • • Familiarize yourself with Ezra devotions and ask the weekend leader for time to present them during team meetings (use other clergy too).
    • Work with the Chapel leader to organize a variety of prayer sessions for team meetings.
    • Avail clergy for special team member prayer sessions.

During the weekend

• • • Lead your table members in prayer for the residents at your table.
    • Avail yourself to table residents and others for personal prayer.
    • Ensure you remain at the prison for the entire weekend.
    • Like the table leader and asst table leader, keep the table conversation moving, asst summary discussion and poster development and encourage table members to participate.
    • “Feel out” table members for where they stand with the Lord, not in a pushy way, but one that can encourage them to think about their relationship with God.
    • Be a catalyst in conversation, make sure no one dominates table interaction.
    • Work with the table leader and asst table leader to have a plan for how interaction will happen in prayer chapel.
    • Encourage table residents to fill out prayer requests to send to the prayer chapel.

Clergical Responsibilities

(split among clergy and others)

• • • Help the leader concentrate on Spiritual Formation of the team – split up the responsibilities between preachers and other willing team members
    • Explain the need for prayer to overcome Satan during team meetings and the time leading up to the weekend
    • Capture weekly team meeting prayers and forward to all team members
    • Obtain Devotions out of Ezra and lead them for each team meeting
    • Lead the final prayer meeting before going into the facility
    • Organize and Lead “a time of prayer” at each team meeting – use different formats
    • At the prison, encourage family team members to pray for their tables before residents get to the community room
    • Lead prayers in each prayer chapel to open them on hallow ground
    • Lead prayer sessions (or appoint others) at closing team meeting at Bethany (each day)

Cooks at Bethany — The Best Food Ever!

• • • • No drama
      • Health for all
      • Good Weather
      • No prison issues

The Dollar Prayer
1 – Go to the bank and got a stack of dollar bills.

2 – Have a short devotion on praying for others.

3 – Pass them out, then have each member write their name on a single bill.

4 – Ask everyone to exchange dollar bills with another person, then meet with that person and ask for his/her prayer requests.

5 – Put the dollar bill in your wallet, money clip, etc, and every time you see it pray for your prayer partner. It’s just a symbolic way for empathizing the importance of ongoing prayer for others ….. and tied to the introductory devotion.

6 – During the ongoing team meetings, periodically team prayer partners together for additional requests, and see how they are doing, etc.

— Glenn Rannick

Door Man Responsibilities

• • • Be the first person to greet anyone at the door, understand what they want and if their wishes should be granted. Often it is other residents looking to con someone for food. Don’t get sucked in. In fact, you need to be “THE ENFORCER”.
    • Establish yourself as the “GO TO” person for any of the TOUGH STUFF. Don’t expect the leaders, table volunteers or even the Inside Team to do the dirty work. This needs to begin on Thursday night as residents just walk in and sit down and want cookies, etc.
    • Thank the Inside team for all their hard set up work on Thursday, praise them early and often – be a tough guy but be an encourager too.
    • Review Food policy with Inside team members on Thursday before going to the facility – Food policy is NO FOOD LEAVES THE CONFERENCE ROOM AT ANY TIME.
    • Explain the need for the Inside team to keep conversations to a minimum especially during talks and meditations.
    • It’s a good idea for the Door man to be the “Early Bird” to be at the prison by 6:15 AM – good time to establish rapport with the Inside team and develop trust.
    • Explain to all shift servers that no food will be allowed out of the gym – there will be two new teams every day and the message needs to be repeated each time.
    • Explain that drinks should wait until after the formal talks and summaries – serve drinks during poster time.
    • Be supportive to help runners, leadership team, and prayer team.
    • You are not only the enforcer, but the utility infielder that wears many hats.
    • This is a key position on the team, it will be very obvious if it goes well or not.

Family Leader and Assistant Leader Responsibilities

The family table is composed of nine people.  There are six residents and three free world people at each table.  The free world people consist of a Family Leader, Family Assistant Leader and Clergy.  The family is arranged where there is a free world person between every two residents. This enables each resident to be next to a free world person and each free world person to talk directly to two residents.  The typical flow of events is that there will be a talk, discussion, and the drawing of a poster. After this there will either be a break, music, or a meal. You are trying to create a family among the residents at your table during the weekend so always talk in terms of a family, not a table. 

• • • There should be at least one experienced family worker at the table. 
    • The assistant family leader responsibilities are the same, but he assists the leader in carrying out the responsibilities below. 
    • Make sure that no food leaves the table. 
    • Duties and responsibilities:
    1. 1. Primary duty is to lead and direct the residents through the materials presented on the weekend.
       2. A servant’s heart and attitude is essential.
       3. You are acting as Jesus” apostle, so frequently ask Him for help and guidance, i.e. pray alone and together as family workers.  

How should a family worker act?

Be mature in demeanor and attitude.  Immaturity, pranksters or class clowns have no place within the family.  If you see it, squelch it! There are lots of other opportunities for fun.  Family discussions are serious.

• • 1. 1. Set the example by taking plenty of notes, singing, and being engaged.
       2. Carefully observe the residents at the table.  Watch for signs of writing problems. Offer to copy notes for anyone who might have a literacy or physical problem.
       3. Look for problems a resident may have with the English language and report it to the leaders for assistance.
       4. Do not engage in theological or denominational discussions.  We are there to deliver the simple nondenominational message of salvation in Christ. 

The family discussion at the table is the most important dynamic of the weekend:

• • 1. 1. Everyone has a chance to share.
       2. The most frequent mistake of a family worker is talking too much or a clergy preaching too much.
       3. Your job is to listen, listen, and listen some more! 
       4. On Friday especially, let the residents express themselves.  If no one begins the discussion, the family leader should open with a question.
       5. By the end of the weekend the residents should be doing 90% of the talking
       6. Be alert and aware of what is being said during the discussions and by whom.  Hints regarding the need for counseling or the need for spiritual direction might occur during the discussion time.
       7. Be thinking about the best time for your family to go to the prayer room.
       8. Be open and honest about yourself.  Show concern, compassion and vulnerability.
       9. Direct your concerns to the family leader who will direct them to the team leadership.  ONLY THE CLERGY ARE TO DO COUNCELING OR SPIRITUAL DIRECTION.
       10. If the clergy at your family is not an ordained clergy, caution the residents about not revealing confidential information to him since he is not bound by the legal confidentiality rules.

During the poster time make sure that the residents are the ones who design and illustrate the main idea of the talk.  A family worker can help them get started but should not participate unless none of the residents respond to the task. 

NEVER, leave the table without at least one family worker is in attendance. 

Except for real emergencies, no one should leave the table for any reason during talks or discussions. 

An overzealous talker may be handled by asking a question directly to a quieter person. Asking questions like “What do you think?” or “Is that your experience?”. 

On Sunday, both the residents and the team are tired.

• • 1. 1. Remain focused and alert.
       2. No yawning or complaining.
       3. Sunday morning talks deserve the same enthusiasm and attention as the others. 

Each night read the schedule for the next day and re-read in the manual how the experiential pieces are to go, i.e. prayer circle, prayer room visit, etc. Always ask the team leadership if you are unsure how anything is to proceed. 

When in doubt about anything, read your manual or consult the team leadership.

The Ten Commandments for Family Workers:

• • 1. SPEAK TO THE RESIDENTS – There is nothing as nice as a cheerful word of greeting. 
    2. SMILE AT THE RESIDENTS – It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile. 
    3. CALL THE RESIDENTS BY NAME – The sweetest music to anyone’s ears is the sound of his own name. 
    4. BE FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL – Make a friend, be a friend, lead a friend to Christ. 
    5. BE CORDIAL – Speak and act as if everything you do were genuine pleasure. 
    6. BE GENUINELY INTERESTED IN EACH PERSON – You can like nearly everybody if you try.
    7. BE GENEROUS WITH PRAISE – Be cautious with criticism.
    8. BE CONSIDERATE OF THE FEELINGS OF OTHERS – It will be appreciated.  Have empathy
    9. BE THOUGHTFUL OF THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS – There are three sides to a controversy – yours, the other person’s, and the right one.
    10. BE ALERT TO GIVE SERVICE – What counts in life is what we do for others.

Inside Council Guidelines

• • • With the desire to encourage opportunities for new men serving on the Inside Kairos Team and to encourage better communications between the NECX Inside team and the NECX Advisory Council we submit the following changes:
    • New Inside Council members will be recommended for service by the inside Council and approved by the Prison Chaplin and the NECX Advisory Council
    • The inside Council will consist of 12 members maximum, serving for a three-year term.
    • After the Spring Weekend each year, 4 people roll off the inside Council while adding 4 new people.
    • The inside Council Leader ill serve for one year. The new leader will be chosen by the inside Council and approved by the Prison Chaplin and the NECX Advisory Council
    • Inside Council members will serve for three years. There will be a two-year waiting period before serving again.
    • The inside Council should have a quarterly meeting with members from the NECX Advisory Council approximately one month before the next scheduled Kairos event held within NECX.

Suggested members for meeting:

From the NECX Advisory Council:

• • • Prison Liaison
    • Continuing Ministry Coordinator
    • Leader of the next event

From the Prison:

• • • Prison Chaplin
    • Three NECX Inside Council members
    • The present NECX Inside Team members will suggest 4 new members for service and 4 present members to roll off.  Initially, 4 of the remaining members will be designated as serving for two years.  Four of the remaining members will be designated as serving for one year.

Inside Team Responsibilities

These responsibilities were developed by the inside team themselves and all I have done is transcribed them from the original written format to an electronic format.  There are no responsibilities written for the leader and assistant leader, as I assume that their responsibility is to oversee the other ten people.

List of the inside team roles:

1)  Leader

2)  Assistant Leader

3)  Day Servers

4)  Drinks

5)  Drinks

6)  Inventory

7)  Out Count

8)  Artist

9)  Rockman

10)  Food

11)  Deserts/Cookies

12)  Floater/Ice

13) – Day Servers

You are in charge of the day servers.  Four to five inmates who participated in the last walk will work each shift.  There is a morning shift and an afternoon shift.  You are to meet with these servers before each shift in the chapel.  There you will explain to them what their job duties are and what is expected of them.  They are here to serve, not see what they can get.  Servers will remain in the barber shop area when they are not working. It is essential to know that we are not to be heard or seen while the talks are going on.  Once again, we are here to serve, no one sits down to eat until all participants have been fed.  They can eat cookies while they are there.  This is not an opportunity to see how many cookies they can take back with them.  They will be given one dozen cookies at the end of their shift to take back with them. You will let them know when it is time to serve and when they need to return to the barber shop area.  No servers are allowed behind the curtain area.  We have drink servants that will keep the pitchers full and food servers to prepare the plates.  If they need cookies for the tables we have servants to get them for them.  You need to pray with them before returning to the gym for service.

4 & 5 – Drinks

We have two drink servants.  Your job is to keep the drink containers full.  After each time that we get done serving, check the containers and if they are lower than ½ full – refill them.  Make sure that they are completely full before each meal.  When you need to make drinks, ask the inventory clerk for what you need.  Your job is to keep the pitchers full during serving times.  No day servers are allowed on your side of the table.  Make sure that there is coffee at all times.  When one pot gets empty, immediately wash it out and start another.  There should be coffee brewing at all times.  At the end of each day, make sure your area is clean and all pitchers have been washed out and ready for the next day.

6 – Inventory

Your job is to check the inventory list with everything that comes in.  You are responsible for everything in the inventory room throughout the weekend.  No one is allowed back there except you and the two leaders.  If anyone needs anything, they are to come ask you and you get it for them.  Write down and keep track of everything that goes out.  For no reason are you to leave this area unless you have one of the leaders sit in for you.  At the end of the weekend, you are responsible for checking everything to make sure that is accounted for and ready to go to the “sally port”.  This includes everything on the inventory list.

7 – Out Count

Your job is to fill out the out count every day.  Collect all ID’s first thing in the morning.  Make sure no one has moved and you have their correct cell assignment.  You need to know who goes and gets meds at each call out.  There will be a sheet that has these inmates names on it.  You need to have their ID’s ready for them at each call out.  Make sure they return with their ID’s.  If the out count gets messed up, it is your fault.  You can actually be taken to unit 4 for interfering with the count, so make sure it’s right.  Write neatly so that it is legible and can be read.

If you mess up, start over, there can be no stray marks or corrections on the out count.  You have to have this ready before each count.

8 – Artist

Your job is to create posters for each talk.  Make name tags for each participant and outside volunteer.  It is ok to personalize the name tags for the outside volunteers only.  If the participants want theirs personalized, they can do it themselves.  There is also an appreciation card that will need to be made for the leader.

9 – Rockman

Your job is to keep the floors and bathrooms clean.  Keep your mop bucket available for spills.  You can utilize the day servers if needed.  Help pick up the trash after each meal.  When gray carts get full, take them to the intake and empty them.

10 – Food

You are the lead food server.  You will have a couple of others help you with the food serving, usually the floater and the artist.  When the food arrives, get everything lined out and let your helpers know what they will be serving.  Usually the man that brings the food in will give you instructions from the kitchen.  When we are done serving, make sure that all items brought in with the food are on the cart and ready to be returned to the kitchen.

11 – Deserts & Cookies

Your job is to serve the deserts during the meals.  When you have made all the deserts, put the utensils and containers back on the cart.  During serving times throughout the day, you are to keep the plates ready with cookies on them for the servers to put on the tables.

12 – Floater/Ice

Your job is just that.  You are to make sure that all positions are running smoothly and fill in where needed. Go and get ice from the kitchen as needed.

Keep in mind that these are merely your primary jobs.  We are all servants here and need to fill in where needed.  There is no such thing as “that’s not my job”.  Our job is to make the best experience for the 42 participants.  We are to serve when needed and be silent and out of sight the rest of the time.  We will be set up in the barber shop so when we are not working’ that’s where we need to be.  The only people who don’t stay in the barber shop are the inventory clerk and the out count clerk.  When the truck arrives on Thursday, we will all pitch in and set up.  The leader will direct everyone and let us know who needs to be setting up what.  The same thing on Sunday.  When the participants go to the chapel, we will tear down the weekend items and set up for closing in the gym.  Setting up and tearing down requires everyone’s cooperation and help, so that this can be done in a timely manner.

The Dollar Prayer

1 – Go to the bank and got a stack of dollar bills.

2 – Have a short devotion on praying for others.

3 – Pass them out, then have each member write their name on a single bill.

4 – Ask everyone to exchange dollar bills with another person, then meet with that person and ask for his/her prayer requests.

5 – Put the dollar bill in your wallet, money clip, etc, and every time you see it pray for your prayer partner. It’s just a symbolic way for empathizing the importance of ongoing prayer for others ….. and tied to the introductory devotion.

6 – During the ongoing team meetings, periodically team prayer partners together for additional requests, and see how they are doing, etc.

— Glenn Rannick

Music in Kairos

Music  plays  a critical  role  in team  formation.   Team  members  sing  songs  during  team  meetings, which not only contribute to the team spiritual bonding, but teach the team “standard”  or local Kairos community songs that will be used on the Kairos Weekend.

Just as in most churches, music also plays a central role in creating an environment where we become more  open  to  the  action  of the  Holy  Spirit.    Music  may  be  used  in  conjunction  with  “spiritual experiences”  to help create greater openness and sensitivity to the Spirit during team Meetings.   The use of music in spiritual experiences magnifies the impact of the experience as our hearts focus on the uplifting power of the Holy Spirit.

Music ministry  should give expression  to and support what the Holy Spirit is doing on the Kairos Weekend.    Along  with  other  parts  of the  Weekend,  it points  to  God  and  leads  people  into  the presence of the Lord.

Music Team

The Music Leader  should be a person with Kairos Weekend  experience,  who is prepared  to coordinate  song selections  with the Kairos Weekend  Leader and with the Weekend  schedule to assist in developing  the desired  mood.   The Music  Team  does not perform;  it leads the Participants  to a more  spiritual  climate,  using  music  to accomplish  this  development.  The Music  Leader  may  be  the  entire  Music  Team;  however,  it  is  beneficial  to  have  2  or  3 assistants.  Unless the team is blessed with more members than are needed for other positions, there is no need for a large Music Team.

Principles the Music Leader and Team should consider are:

• • • The Music Leader should be well versed in the techniques of managing music for the Weekend.  The  Music  Leader  starts  each  song,  controls  the  tempo,  repetition  of verses, choruses or lines and signals to the other Musicians and the community when a  song  is  about  to  end.     Starts  and  finishes  must  be  definite  and  clear  to  the community. The Music Leader must provide clear cues for the Musicians to follow.
    • The Music  Team  and  the  community  must  trust  the  Music  Leader  to make  good judgments,  by being  attentive  to the progress  of the Weekend  and support what  is happening with music.
    • The Music Team must be well rehearsed.  It is most difficult to help lead songs  with which  one  is  unfamiliar.    The  Music  Leader  must  know  lyrics,  tunes  and  chord structure  well.   Only when the Musicians  master  these  mechanics  can the music’s focus be where it must be, on praising God; that’s why a Music Team Retreat prior to the first team meeting may be a good idea.
    • On the  other  hand,  it  is  not  necessary  to memorize  every  song that  will be  sung.

Music at team formation meetings  will serve well as “rehearsal  time”,  if the Music Leader chooses the songs carefully. This “rehearsal  time” gives the Music Leader an opportunity   to  evaluate   each  musician’s  talent   and  balance  the  volume   of  the instruments.

PREPARATION Music In Kairos

• • • The Music Leader  should  be sensitive  to the spirit  in the room.  There  may be times when   it  is  most  important  not  to  interfere  with  music  just  because   it  is  on  the schedule.
    • Team formation  meetings  provide  time  for the  team  to  learn  songs  and  get  used  to singing  together.  If the  team  can  sing  and worship    together    effectively,   it   will   be much   easier   for  the  Participants  to  enter into the  singing  and  learn new  songs.   The Music   Leader    should   ask   the   Weekend Leader  for more rehearsal  time at team formation meetings,  when  concerned about the team’s familiarity with the music.

Music Leader

The Music  Leader  must be aware of the  temptation to “entertain” rather than “teach.”

• • • Cautious  wisdom    should   be   used   in   decisions    about   whether  to   use   electric instruments, such as electric  guitars,  keyboards, etc. because  of the tendency  to utilize such    instruments   for   performances.   A   balance    between    the   need   for   audio amplification  and  not   drawing   attention   to  the   skills   of the  musician  must  be achieved.
    • Music  without   instrumentation   can  be  very   effective.   The  Music   Leader   should identify the  songs  in the  schedule  where  singing  without  accompaniment might  be appropriate.
    • The   Music   Leader   should   encourage  physical    motion   with  appropriate   songs.

Clapping,   hand   motions   or  marching   may   get  Participants  that   are  not  singing involved.  Team  members  may  be  assigned  during  team  formation meetings to lead these  actions.  The technical  quality  of the music  is not nearly  as important  as participation.

• • • The Music  Leader  should  control  songs  requested by Participants or team  members.

The   Weekend  schedule   does   not   provide   a  lot  of  time   for  requests,  and   the performance of solos  should not be permitted. A trap to avoid  is  the temptation  to entertain and perform.

Music Selection

The ministry includes more songs than can be sung effectively in the time allotted during the Weekend.   Some repetition of songs is necessary to engender familiarity, which in turn makes it possible to focus on worship rather than struggling with melodies.  Guidance on selection of music follows:

• • • The team’s repertoire must  include the key songs.   The Kairos  Weekend  Leader  may request certain songs be used or a speaker may request a particular  song appropriate to a talk  or meditation.  This  list  should  be  identified early  in the  team  formation period.

PREPARATION Music In Kairos

• • • The Music Leader’s song  list  should  divide songs  into  categories,  such as generally light and peppy,  worship  and praise,  community  building  and  service.  The  Music Leader  should  keep  in mind  the  length  of songs  so they  can be  matched  to time available.
    • Song selection can set the tone for the next step in the schedule or it can punctuate or accent something already said or done. For example, if the community  is at a time in the Weekend when everyone is laughing  and talking, but a meditation  is coming up, music  can be used  to bring  the  group  into a more  meditative  frame  of mind.   An appropriate song may be sung just before the community goes into the chapel to calm their minds and draw their focus toward spiritual thoughts.   A song before each presentation  stops general conversation  and guides the Participants  into preparing for the next talk.
    • The progression of selected music for the entire Weekend is very important.   Start on Friday with songs from their youth or some that are not necessarily overtly religious, and work  in dancing  songs  or those with  motions  beginning  late  Friday  Afternoon and certainly by  Saturday.    The Music Leader  should also begin to slowly work  in more powerful worship and praise songs.

Spiritual Discernment in Music:

The main role of the Music Leader is to sense what is going on at any given point during the Weekend, choose appropriate music and play it at the right time.

The Music Leader must be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  John 15:9 says, 9 Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you;  abide  in My  love.

Jesus,  in his ministry,  did what he saw the Father doing.During the Kairos Weekend the Music Leader must be aware of what the Holy Spirit is doing, be sensitive  to the ways the community  responds  to music, and whatever  the Music Leader sees the Holy Spirit doing, be prepared to do likewise in music.
Just as the Musician’s instrument responds by creating sounds  as directed,  so  should the Musician strive to be an instrument in the Lord’s hand  to do His will.   Musicians can use music to get the attention of the Participants and team members and restore the Community Room to a calm environment.  Gathering music is used to bring them together after a break.

There will be times when the music should be loud and energetic; and there are times when softer, acoustical, and more reverent music seems best.

Meetings (How to Improve Them)

• • • Go thru the Riverbanks in total. Review one per week. Have everyone read from their manuals
    • Go thru Team Dynamics (DVD comes with the EZRA Kit)
    • Go thru Spiritual Hierarchy (DVD comes with the EZRA Kit)
    • Do the exercise regarding tradition from training – Why do we cut off the ends of the ham? Relate to what we do
    • Spend an entire meeting on job descriptions – this has not been done well in our past. Make sure the new guys get all their questions answered
    • Walk thru the meaning of all four days – Thursday – getting to understand Kairos, Friday – understand Self, Sat – understand Christ, Sun – understand others
    • Show Videos:
    1. 1. 1. 1. Crucillo Roots (DVD comes with the EZRA Kit) Discuss our roots (in the manuel)
             2. PBS – A Kairos Weekend – mykairos.org
             3. Tommy Fisher – mykairos.org
             4. Cookies Save lives – mykairos.org
  • • Devotions from EZRA – we should stick with EZRA Devotions. They are better than just a “top of the head” devotion
    • Include the exercise for everyone to share their favorite verse and why it is a favorite
    • Do the Leaders Prayer exercise – believe it is EZRA
    • Pot Luck Dinners – Bring a friend – recruiting effort
    • Skits, plenty in EZRA – make up a few – ham-it-up
    • Ensure you do the hand-washing and team commissioning exercise
    • Review Continuing Ministries and expectations for: This stuff is the heart of Kairos (go over diagram on p37 in the manual
    • Prayer and Share
    • 1 Day Retreat
    • Reunions (Wed)
    • Meaningful Prayer exercises, varied and rich:
    1. 1. 1. 1. One on one
             2. By table
             3. All together
             4. Write prayer requests down and send out to the community
             5. Devote an entire meeting to prayer

Message from the Advisory Council:  Gentlemen, your team meetings are definitely a Spiritual Investment for your team. Please don’t shortcut this process.

Prayer Chapel Team Leader

Overview:

– Leads Prayer Chapel team overseeing the Prayer Room(s) during Kairos Weekends, and respective training sessions. Usually leads a team consisting of 2 other volunteers.

– Reports to the Kairos Weekend Lay Director.

– Previous helpful, Kairos experience: Table Leader, assistant Table Leader, member of Prayer Chapel team and/or Prayer Chapel Coordinator.

– Remain in a behind the scene fashion during the weekend.

Responsibilities during Team Meetings:

– Ensures team is in a prayerful mindset.

– Leads team in prayer at beginning of team meetings.

– Leads team in prayer for Kairos weekend: Kairos leaders, Residents, team members, Officers, prison admin, etc.

– Generates prayer requests and celebrations. At end of team meeting, provide to Lay Director (or distribute them yourselves to team members).

– Prays with speakers prior to, and after, practice talks.

– At close of team meetings, leads team in prayer circle, or use other formats – – Use creativity in formats – i.e. gather prayer requests from each person and lead the prayer, group volunteers by job (table leaders, prayer room, leadership, etc, pull groups of 4 or 5 together to pray for their specific requests, perhaps 1-on-1 too.

– Work with the Lay director to determine if he wants to have a separate team meeting devoted to only prayer

Responsibilities during the Kairos Weekend:

– Work with Residents to set up and take down the Prayer Room(s).

– Ensure everything required is ready, day one for each Prayer Room; Bible, music, electric candles, large crosses for the individual crosses, etc, etc.

– Create an environment that invites ongoing, continuous prayer; Residents, team members, officers, admin, etc, are all invited into the Prayer Room(s) thru out the weekend.

– Monitor bathroom area and woodshop area to ensure silence when people are in prayer rooms praying or consoling.

– Assist OL with setting up consoling sessions with clergy.

– Generate and remind volunteers and Residents daily to send prayer requests to the Prayer Chapel. The team will be in constant prayer thru out the weekend over the requests.

– Offer and encourage the inside team to visit the prayer room and provide consoling time with them.

– Crosses: ensure all Residents have a cross with name on it. Crosses to be kept together by family, and each Resident/cross will be individually prayed over, by the Prayer Chapel team.

– Families: the Prayer Chapel team will prayer for each family, ongoing.

– Speakers: Prayer Chapel team will pray with speakers prior to their respective talks. During the talk at least one member of the Prayer Chapel team will remain in the Prayer Room and pray for the speaker. After the talk, the Prayer Chapel team will pray with the speaker, and give him the opportunity to pray as well.

– Work closely with Prayer Chapel Coordinator on facilitating family visits.

– Families into Prayer Room: as families enter the Prayer Room, Prayer Chapel Leader should set the stage: holy ground, chance to prayer for each other. The Chapel team should then step aside, and let the Family leaders lead their respective families into the Prayer Room.

– When not involved in prayer for above reasons, interact with Kairos team and Residents on a regular basis: meals, Chapel, open mic, etc.

– Help prayer chapel coordinator set up for crossing ceremony and getting crosses and certificates in proper order to make event go smoothly.

– Assist inside team with tear down of prayer chapel(s) and accounting of all items.

– Assist Prayer Chapel Coordinator with set up for closing.

– At the end of the weekend, thank the Lord for another wonderful Kairos weekend!

Weekend Coordinator’s Check List

Click for Kairos Coordinator Check List Walk Updated 10-2016   .XLS file or
Copy of Kairos Coordinator Check List Walk Updated 10-2016 — PDF