CONNALLY #30 MEETING DATES ARE SET! The dates for Kairos #30 team meetings this spring  have been have been set. Please mark your calendar now with these dates..                 Meeting #1-  FEBRUARY 17                                    This is a special meeting in both time and location.It will be held in Fredericksburg at Bethany Lutheran Church. The date and location in Fredericksburg was chosen as it coincides with a TDCJ course mandatory to go into a Texas prison will be in Fredericksburg on that date.  It provides the opportunity for new members to qualify for Kairos# 30  and any current team members to renew the 2 year update requirement by TDCJ. The TDJC course will be held in St. Mary Catholic Church. It is scheduled to go from 8:30am - 12:30pm but frequently is as short as 2 -3 hours.                                   The formal team meeting will be held following the course.  It is an opportunity to renew our team fellowship and a warm introduction for any new members attending the TDCJ course. Lunch will be  served and barbecue is on the menu.  Should be fun!  Consider bringing your spouse as there is a lot to do while we are in the meeting. We have the meeting room reserved from 11-4 on February 17 but are not exactly sure when it will start - depends on the TDCJ Training.  Lunch will be provided.                              ALL SUBSEQUENT TEAM MEETINGS WILL BE  IN SAN ANTONIO AT UNIVERSITY METHODIST CHURCH 9am - 3pm                 Meeting #2 - March 3                 Meeting #3 - March 17                 Meeting #4 - March 31                 Meeting #5 - April   14                 Connally Kairos #30  April 18 - 21                 I wish everyone a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!!  God’s Peace and Love be with  you,                 Ralph Greenlee

What is a Reunion?

We held a Kairos Reunion in the Connally Unit yesterday; if you've never been to one, let me tell you what they are like.

We go through security about 10:00 AM on third Saturdays.  The chaplain meets us somewhere in the process of getting in - sometimes we are in the chapel, sometimes in the 7 Gym.  Lately it has been 7 Gym because the chapel hosts 4 worship services on Saturdays.  The facility is ok except that the acoustics are terrible.  There are chairs and bathrooms, and if you need to work out, a weight machine.

We are getting 65 brothers in white at present because that is the number authorized by the warden.  Some will have not been in a while, others are at every Kairos event they can get to.  The Reunion is organized by the inside Kairos community using the Red Manual program guide.  The music is usually led by an inside band, and the leadership is passed to a different inside Kairos member each month.  We start with prayer and share groups, then some singing, then testimony of inside Kairos members, the reading of scripture, and more singing.  We have been bringing in cookies, punch, and coffee.  At about noon the free world Kairos team members are invited to eat lunch in the Officer's Dining Room.  Last weekend there were no other dining rooms operating, so the brothers in white were given johnnys. 

The outside team is invited to make a presentation as a part of the program.  Last Saturday the presentation was by Rev Bruce Bowman, but the presentations aren't always as well developed as his. 

We leave after count clears, somewhere between 2 and 2:30 PM.  To come you must be a TDCJ trained volunteer and on our team list.

Kairos 27 dates

This is Charles Gremminger. I am serving as the lead for Kairos 27. The training dates for K27 are as follows:

Feb 20th: March 5th, 19th; April 2nd, 16th, and 27th.  The dates for  Kairos 27 are April 27th - 30th.  the training sessions are form 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  However we do typically end a little early.  The last training is held the morning of the 27th and is in Karnes City.  All sessions, except the 27th,  are held at University UMC in San Antonio

Kairos Monthly Reunions inside Connally

We have a reunion with the brothers in white on each third Saturday unless there is a problem with the schedule at Connally, for example, a lockdown.  We usually take in coffee, punch, and cookies (store-bought) and go from 10-2.  Volunteers have the opportunity to eat lunch in the Officers Dining Hall.  The program, including music, is provided by inmates.  There is usually an opportunity for a free world team member to present a talk.  These events are not scripted and are run by the brothers in their entirety.  They are very excited to be able to have reunions.  We will soon start back up with Retreats, as outlined in the Red Manual.  Retreats are put on by the free world team members, and are done quarterly.  We have only been doing reunions for a year, after many years of not holding them because of staffing problems with the prison.  The only requirement for inmates to attend is prior participation in a Kairos weekend, so we have men from other faiths in reunions. Kairos weekends bring new people into the community; weekly prayer and share and reunions/retreats nurture that community.

If you have a  friend who is interested in coming to the Reunion to see what Kairos is about in real time, let me know.  They must be TDCJ Volunteer approved and trained and added to our team list, and I expect the team member who takes the new person inside will stay by his side in case he freaks out.

Here is what Danny wrote about last Saturday's reunion.

While conducting the first team meeting for #26, two other volunteers, Jack & Danny joined 55 men at the prison for their monthly reunion.  As usual, it was very well organized and lead by Kairos graduate Mr. Matthew.  Theme of the reunion was discipline and Jack, gave a rousing talk on this subject which was very well received by the attendees.  Eight or ten of the men were called upon for testimonials as to what they got out of the Kairos program.  These are always amazing as more than one of the presenters talked about how they have taken the learning to their families during visitations and writing correspondence and they can see how it is helping their families, too.  I shared with one of the big burly fellows who gave one of these talks about recognizing what he is doing.  I let him know that was discipleship at it best, as he learned, practiced and taught others and this is the way the wave goes.  As always, the inside music team did a magnificent job with setting the pace and atmosphere.  They had me wishing I could get them up to one of our contemporary services at church.

 

All in all, Saturday was a great day for Connally Kairos.

Video on Racism in America

https://youtu.be/lLgIIjnpZyU

Comments?  Use the comment feature, lets hear what you have to say about this.

Kairos 26 Schedule

Team Meetings for Connally 26:  Aug 22, Sept 12, Sept 26, Oct 17, Oct 28.  Generally 9-3, University United Methodist Church, San Antonio, Texas.

Connally Kairos 26: 

Oct 28 12PM to 5 PM

Oct 29 7AM to 6:30 PM

Oct 30 7 AM to 6:30 PM

Oct 31 7 AM to 5:00 PM.

Leader:  Skipper Lister  skipperlister@gmail.com 

Observing Leader:  Charles Greminger

Advising Leader:  Ric Lanvatter

Advisory Council Chair:  Robert Deming rcdeming@gmail.com 

Reunions Back on 3rd Saturday

During 2015 we are planning to be inside Connally each third Saturday (unless it conflicts with a Kairos Weekend) for a Reunion or a Retreat. If you have served on an inside team at Connally you may be eligible to join us.  We plan on gathering at the gate at 9:45 and going in at 10, out at 2.  Retreats may be two hours longer because of the more robust schedule.

If you want to join us, contact Connally Kairos at connallykairos@gmail.com

Robert Deming
AC Chair, Connally
830-992-5676