Welcome friend, we hope and pray all is well with you and your soul. May you be blessed, encouraged, and motivated in the reading of this month’s update. |
| Upcoming Kairos Events 9/12 (Saturday) Hospital Workers Appreciation Event Come out and support us as we make an appreciation video for all the folks who take care of us in the hospitals. We will have poster paper and markers so you can make a sign. All you need to bring is yourself. Come say hello to your Kairos brothers and sisters while supporting a great cause. Wear your Kairos shirts if you have one. The total time should be 30mins or less.Location: Sonrise Church in Santee Time: 1:00pm For more information, contact Stephen Riker at riker.stephen80@gmail.com 9/30 (Wednesday) RJD Staff Appreciation Event We have a unique opportunity to bless the staff at RJ Donovan with a simple act of kindness and appreciation by volunteering for a Staff Appreciation Event. Kairos has pledged to provide 30 volunteers, 15 for each shift change at RJD. While each volunteer is encouraged to make a handmade poster (standard size – 22” by 28”) with words of encouragement, appreciation and thankfulness, it is not required, your presence is more important.Morning shift change is from 5:00AM to 9:00AM. Afternoon shift change is from 1:00PM to 3:00PM. If you wish to volunteer for the event, contact Steve Spooner at sv4grls@cox.net |
| What’s Happening Now Since volunteers are currently unable to enter the prison, we as a Kairos community are pleased to announce we have been conducting weekly Virtual Prayer and Share groupings amongst ourselves. If you are not actively participating in one of these groups, we highly encourage you to do so. They are a wonderful way to stay connected to the Kairos community and maintain positive spiritual momentum. You can signup and see the schedule of these groups HERE. |
| Chaplain’s Corner |
 Dear Fellow Laborers in the Lord’s Vineyard, It has been a long time, since I have seen or heard from many of you or even had the opportunity to share greetings with you, due to the current Covid-19 pandemic. When I think of you, I am reminded of the words Jesus in Matt. 25:34-40, who by serving others in need, simultaneously served Christ Himself. Such selfless ministry comes so naturally to many of you as you served us so freely before the closures due to this unparalleled public health crisis. On behalf of the Administration, the Staff, and the Inmates at RJD, I thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for us in these unprecedented times. Both the Men in Blue (MiB) and I have felt your continued intercession. Know you prayers and support have been welcomed and deeply appreciated, especially in light of the recent unrest and staff assaults that occurred on Facility B on August 16. Please continue to pray for all the staff that were injured and for the inmates that the peace of Christ would prevail in all our hearts. The Lord has not been idle in this season, as the work of the Kingdom continues even as it has morphed into new forms. Many of the men, whom you mentored, are now answering the call to “be the Church” in the midst of this dark and challenging time. They have been sharing their faith in Jesus Christ, even as they have increasingly provided the hope they have in Him with others in their buildings. We are seeing an unprecedented openness to the Good News of Jesus. The faithful here have not only begun to share the Gospel but have sought opportunity to pray with other men who have a need for the solace only Christ can give. Similarly, I have been handing out the congregant letters and shared discipleship materials that are being sent. This has blessed many of the MiB by reminding them they are not alone! Moreover, by God’s grace, not only have I been able to lead six inmates to the Lord, but have helped a number of others renew their baptismal commitments to the Lord and have prayed for scores who were in need of comfort and reassurance. The light and love of Christ shines brightly in spite of our present difficulties and numerous earthly obstacles, reminding us that where two or three gather that Jesus, our Lord, is there in our midst. Indeed, God is good all the time! Please continue to keep all of us in your prayers and feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or wish to assist from the outside until things reopen. Until then may the Lord, bless and keep all of you in His gracious care and unparalleled peace. Faithfully, Chaplain Martin Russell.Martin@cdcr.ca.gov |
 Abide Video Project: We have completed our production of a three part video series around the the theme “Abide in Christ.” Sometime this month you will be provided with a link to view these videos, which will be shown on the institutional television at RJD, with the additional potential to be shown throughout institutions across our nation. Future Video Projects: We have plans to start producing video testimonies and short messages to send to the institutions to encourage the men. Stay tuned for more information as to how to become involved. |
 While we diligently remain in prayer for all of our 2020 Prayer Focus Points, each month we will select one that we want to be intentional as a community to pray for. Seeking to use this gift of time well, let us unite our forces and pray that we would Learn what it means to have Greater Trust in the LORD. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Pro. 3:5-6). |
| Monthly Spiritual Reflection |
 The Lord takes pleasure in His people! (Psalm 149:4) Do our actions bring a smile to God? Do we feel God’s pleasure in what we are about? We were created for a purpose, to glorify God! So, He could delight in us. We are at our best when we are doing His work in community, going beyond ourselves. God made us for His purpose and brought us into the Kairos community to pray, Abide, and do His will together! When we are abiding and living for God we are at our best! While we work for His glory, we feel joy and know His pleasure in all we do. And, it is very good indeed! God is committed to us and has made a covenant with us. God said, “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” He is loyal and unchanging…we can trust Him! But have we surrendered all to Christ? Do we trust Him with the most important people or things in our lives? Or, do we covet that which we do not want God to have because we are not sure what God will do with them/it? God’s plan for our lives is better than anything we can vision or even imagine. He gave us life and His Son to redeem us and He wants us to spend eternity with Him. God gave us free will to choose between eternal life and eternal death. Whom will you serve today? “As for me and my household we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Let your life’s work be to the glory of God! This fall our Kairos community is looking through Prayer and Abiding in Christ to refresh, renew, and re-energize our living in Kairos community together by faith, following Jesus Christ on His WAY! Pray as to where The Lord is leading you to be apart of our larger Kairos community! Bring friends, neighbors and/or co-workers to join us at one of our future Abiding events! Be set on Fire for the joy of The Lord! Pray for your part in a bountiful harvest! Let us open ourselves to the Holy Spirit that through us God will build the body of Christ within our community. In doing so, we will feel God’s pleasure and know His joy as we step out in faith while bringing glory to God in all that we do! Let us choose God’s will with boldness and courage as we fulfill our mission and the Great Commission with our neighbors, friends and coworkers! Let us open our hearts to the Holy Spirit and as a Kairos community commit ourselves to our purpose of Kingdom Building for the sake of the men in RJD! As C. S. Lewis said, “We have a choice: either we can choose God’s Will and say Thy will be done or God will say to us OK have it your way.” May we be a people whose life’s posture reflects, “Thy will be done!” Godspeed, Fr. Larry |
| Orientation/Clearances The institution is not processing volunteer clearances at this time. While we understand many volunteer’s clearances are expiring, there is nothing we can do until the institution reopens their doors. Please keep this in prayer. |
| Kairos International Update KPMI is looking to put together some Kairos Graduate videos; testimonies of men and women that were inside, who are now out and are able to share of their success. These videos ought to be 2-4 minutes long and share stories of hope and how they are doing now e.g. success in work, family, church or whatever they want to share. KPMI will offer these videos to prisons to encourage current inmates, and for other various promotional/sharing of Kairos in the future. If you would like to participate in this project, please contact Aaron at: AaronGButtery@gmail.com Click HERE if you would like to subscribe to KPMI’s E-News. |
| Prayers for Our Community Drew Strother: Prayers of healing and comfort for his wife Jaye, who is battling breast cancer. Mike Russell: His wife Mary, has undergone her final chemotherapy treatment in her ongoing battle against stage 4 cancer. Pray the treatment has successfully eliminated her cancer. Elliott Nichols: His son Ryan has COVID. Pray for Ryan’s recovery and that no others have been infected from his contact with them. Scott Hauser: His cousin, Carol Ann, was diagnosed with cancer and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Additionally, his former spouse, Nancy, has what seems to be a familial aortic medical condition that causes breathing difficulty. Dan Palm: Continued prayers for healing an pain relief from his surgery. Brian De Pierre: Continued prayers for healing, strength and pain relief from the cancer which has spread to his bones. Have a prayer request? Send it to spirit@kairosofsandiego.org for our team of faithful Prayer Warriors. Like to join our Prayer Warrior team? Message us at the same email. Know that you are in our prayers. May you be blessed this month as you seek and abide in Him. Trusting & Abiding with you, Kairos of San Diego Advisory Counsel |