KAIROS, Prison Ministry topic in Lewes Aug. 21

Alec Thomson and George Rudgers will take an in-depth look into KAIROS Prison Ministry at the Summer Spirituality Series Thursday, Aug. 21. The weekly presentations are held in the parish hall of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 211 Mulberry St. in Lewes, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

KAIROS, Prison Ministry. What is it? Who does it serve? And why should one get involved? These are all questions that will be answered during the presentation. They will explore the history of KAIROS in the world, in the U.S. and in Delaware, and the spirituality of volunteering.

KAIROS Prison Ministry International Inc. is a Christian faith-based ministry which addresses the spiritual needs of incarcerated men, women, youth, and their families. By sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, KAIROS hopes to change hearts, transform lives and impact the world.

KARISO sprang from the Cursillo movement and is supported by volunteers from the 4th Day movements such as Cursillo, National Episcopal Cursillo, Presbyterian Cursillo, Lutheran Via de Cristo, The Upper Room’s Walk to Emmaus, and independently ecumenical Tres Dias as well as volunteers from independent and nondenominational churches. As a ministry, KAIROS embraces a diverse group of volunteers working together to fulfill Christ’s call to action in Matthew 25:36.

Thomson attended Cursillo in September 2010. He joined the newly forming KAIROS of Delaware in February 2012. He served in various roles in the first four KAIROS events at Sussex Correctional Institution in Georgetown and as the KAIROS Weekend Leader for KAIROS No. 3. He is now serving as financial secretary for KAIROS of Delaware. He also serves as Sussex Correctional Institution KAIROS Advisory Council chair.

Rudgers served in the Hudson Valley in New York and the Tres Dias community in the 1980s. He served on several KAIROS weekend events in the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, N.Y., in 2008. In 2011, he joined the newly forming KAIROS of Delaware. He served on the first four KAIROS Weekends at Sussex Correctional Institute and as the KAIROS Weekend leader for KAIROS No. 2. He now serves as financial secretary for Sussex Correctional Institution KAIROS Advisory Council.

Each Thursday night through Aug. 28, expert presenters will engage participants in the parish hall of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Fellowship and locally owned King's ice cream will follow each presentation. Organizers invite and encourage everyone to attend these free sessions, which are designed for reflection and dialogue. It is a chance to learn more about a fascinating topic and engage in subsequent discussion.

In addition to providing spiritual resources for those seeking greater understanding of their own religion, or learning about others, Seekers uses the net proceeds from their store to help those in need, including the Cape Henlopen Food Basket, Doctors without Borders, work in Haiti and Centro Infantil in San Miguel de Allende.

For hours, information, or a full listing of guest speakers, go to www.seekerslewes.com, or call 302-645-9916. To learn more about St. Peter's Episcopal Church and find worship service times, workshops, concerts and other ministries, go to www.stpeterslewes.org or call the office at 302-645-8479.