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Cookies for Prisoners

Kairos Ministry brings gospel and cookies to prison inmates.

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By Britt Combs | The McDowell News

Published: October 29, 2008

When a person is convicted of a serious crime and incarcerated, his chance of returning to a clean, productive and peaceful life as a contributing member of society is limited. Many doors close permanently.
Kairos Prison Ministry works to change that. They open a door of hope, opportunity and redemption to even the most egregious offenders.
Kairos is a non-denominational ministry born in Florida in the 1970s. A weekend event at Raiford Correctional Institution has since snowballed into a worldwide movement, with more than 20,000 volunteers participating in 33 states and abroad.
The group will hold their first event in McDowell from Thursday, Nov. 6 to Sunday, Nov. 9.
Team leader Chris Callahan, a Rutherfordton lawyer and minister, said he is excited about the growth of Kairos and about bringing it to the Marion Correctional Institution.
The event will "bring men who are dedicated to Christ face to face with men convicted of violent crimes," he said, "offering them friendship, home-cooked meals, homemade cookies and much more.
"We take 42 inmates at a time and disciple them for four days," he said, "and we keep coming back. After several years, a substantial number of prisoners have been through the program."
Callahan said he has seen whole prisons transformed into communities of believers.
"Pastor Jim Brewer and Glenwood Baptist Church has partnered with Kairos as the host church," Callahan added. The church will contribute "the use of their kitchen and facilities as an operational base for this upcoming weekend."
Callahan said Kairos changed his life seven years ago.
"I have been active in Kairos since 2001," he explained, "and back then there was no Kairos Prison Ministry West of Raleigh's Central Prison.
"I had no idea when I signed up to do one of these weekends that I would find Christ … that I would find joy, peace and love right in the middle of incarcerated felons, and that, by Sunday, I would participate in some of the best praise and worship as I've ever experienced in any church on the outside," he said.
A big part of breaking the ice with the prisoners is the Kairos tradition of giving cookies.
"Each inmate and (prison) staff member will get their personal dozen cookies each day," of the event, he said. That's where the group needs community support.
Folks are asked to bake cookies to contribute. "Acceptable cookies are oatmeal, peanut butter, molasses, chocolate chip, ginger and sugar," he said. Due to prison security requirements, as well as safety, the cookies should be 2 to 3 inches in diameter and should not be coated in any way.
Callahan added that a prayer should be included in the recipe, "but please no nuts or fruits," he said. "Some inmates are allergic to nuts, and fruit can ferment."
Financial support is also welcome. He said the group will spend about $8,500 on the event.
He hopes folks will also volunteer as prayer partners who will participate in an hour-by-hour prayer schedule.
"We've been asked to come to the Mountain View Correctional Institution in Spruce Pine next," he concluded. "We're hoping to add a lot of new volunteers from Marion to help make that possible."
For more information about cookies or to arrange to drop off cookies, call Tracey Pendley of Glenwood Baptist Church at 712-8559.