Images not showing? Click here to view in browser.

September 2026 | Issue 018

Volunteer News

Hello everyone.

In August we welcomed fourteen guests into our Kairos Outside communities. Seven guests attended the guest weekend at Tuross Heads on the NSW South Coast, another seven guests attended the Kairos Outside Guest weekend in Canberra.

We also welcomed eighteen graduates from the Goulburn short course into our Kairos Inside family. All the participants were greatly blessed.

On 28 to 30 August, we gathered for fellowship, fun and training for our National Conference at Rydges South Park in Adelaide. Almost all Regional Committees sent representatives to the conference. We were privileged to hear some amazing presentations from the guest speakers and four inspiring testimonies from South Australian graduates. We participated in a morning prayer service on Friday morning and a church service on Sunday morning. Both were incredibly moving. Our praise and worship team provided incredible music and worship.

We had opportunities for attendees to spend time getting to know each other, to make new friendships and renew old ones.  It was a privilege to witness the participation, collaboration and engagement of everyone. As one volunteer put it: 

"we came to listen and spend time with each other. We left feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and inspired. I can't wait to attend the next gathering."

Deepest thanks to the South Australian State Council and the conference team for your hospitality and for looking after us so well. We have a great photo below of all the attendees!  The KPMA Facebook page has also been updated with an album of photos that you can view - make sure you follow to stay updated.

In September we welcomed thirteen guests into our Kairos Outside communities in Queensland. The guest weekend was held in Tully and concluded on Sunday 20 September. Guests came from Brisbane, North Queensland and Airlie Beach. The team was led by Elena a past leader from KO Sydney. Team members came from Sydney, Brisbane, Mackay. Rockhampton, Hervey Bay, Townsville and Airlie Beach. I had the privilege to attend the closing ceremony accompanied by past Queensland State Council Chair Joan Comino. It was a joyous occasion.

The short course at Mannus Correctional Centre concluded on Friday 18 September. Seventeen men graduated. The team was supported by eight Correctional Officers, the acting Governor and a deliriously happy Chaplain. The participants were greatly blessed and encouraged. The team was ably led by Bruce James who summed up the outcome superbly "A good Kairos – I reckon". Our thoughts and prayers go out to the two team members who had to withdraw part way through the short course due to ill health.  See Team photo below.

As always, it is an honour to be able to work with you all as we continue to share the good news of Christ's love and forgiveness.  While at times, our efforts may seem fruitless as doors are closed or re-entry is delayed, Jesus asks us not to give up, to trust His Word, obey His voice and cast out our nets again. We have been chosen to bring others closer to Christ.

I pray that we will all have the courage to continue to serve faithfully and that Jesus will give us the grace to go deeper, trust more, obey completely and become true fishers of people.

"Follow me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men"

Peace and grace to you all.

Deb

Deborah Poulton

Chief Operating Officer

Kairos Prison Ministry Australia

coo@kairos.org.au

Training

Upcoming Advanced Kairos Training

Kairos Outside

• 23 – 25 October 2026 YWAM, 31 Church Street Tahlee NSW Hosted by KO Hunter. Contact Coraine Sopru. Register here.

Kairos Inside  

• 29-31 January 2027 - Golden Grove Healing Centre, 5 Forbes Street Newtown NSW. Contact Ken Moore. Register here. 
• 12- 14 February 2027- 41 Bollen Road Mount Barker South Australia hosted by Mobilong Regional Committee. Contact Lynne Brown. Register here

For further information contact your Kairos Inside Coordinator or check the Events Page for details and registration forms.

Kairos Inside and Kairos Outside Conference Sessions

At the conference in August sessions were presented on the changes to the Kairos Inside Program Manual and Continuing Ministry for Kairos Outside. Attached below are links to the two slide presentations which I hope you will find useful.

Encourage

A Christian School Bakes and Writes!

On Friday 11 September, 25 teachers and staff from Temple Christian College in Adelaide generously donated their time and resources on their Team Building Day for biscuit baking and letter writing for the KM39 Short Course in Mobilong Prison.

Over 2,000 biscuits were baked and many letters and cards of encouragement were written.

Support like this not only blesses but it enables Kairos to reach those in prison and we are very grateful that we can count on organisations such as Temple Christian College to partner with Kairos Mobilong. 

Hebrews 13 1-3 
"Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison if you were together with them in prison and those who are mistreated as if you yourself were suffering."

Thank you so much Temple Christian College 

Rory Sweeney

Chair KMRC
Mobilong Prison SA

This story will also appear on the News page of the website.

A Song from Kairos Outside North Queensland #12

This is our Kairos Moment

At the recent KO North Qld, the table of Hannah presented this as a table experience.  I hope you are blessed by it.

This is our Kairos moment

The Love was overwhelming

This is our Kairos moment

The love was so potent

People come with a basket of mess

Broken promises, pain at it's best

They filled our heart, our body, and soul

We found family, we became whole

Lay down your anger,

Lay down your blame

We all feel it, we're all the same

Hand over hurt, hand over fear

We can feel the Saviour near.

The love that radiates in this place,

Because we are filled with His mercy and Grace

Just claim it and just own it

Thank you Lord for this Kairos moment

Governance

New Regional Committee Handbook

The revised Regional Committee Handbook was released at our recent National Conference. I hope that the new format makes it easier for Regional Committees to use the documents as a guide and that it assists you in your day-to-day operation of your Regional Committees. You should all be in the process of preparing for your upcoming Annual General Meetings. Please take the time to work through roles and responsibility pages of the Handbook as well as the section on annual general meetings, nomination and election processes. 

You can download a copy of the Handbook from MyKairosOz 

Empowering You

Updated Resources

Journey and Region Awareness

The revised Journey Program handbook and the new Region Awareness and Promotions Pack were launched at our recent National Conference. Please take the time with your fellow Regional Committee members to familiarise yourselves with these documents. Please use the AGM guidelines as your committees prepare for upcoming Annual General Meetings.

They are linked above but you can download copies of both documents from MyKairosOz 

Policy

There were some concerns raised during one of the conference sessions on the requirement that team members should not sit in on the prayer and share discussion groups during the Journey program activities attended by short course graduates. The aim is for Kairos graduates to become independent and to build up the Christian community within the jail. (Refer to Plum Manual page 292.)

However, there may be situations where there are few or no Short Course graduates in attendance. In these cases, it is permissible for team members to participate in the discussions to model and teach attendees how to conduct prayer and share activities. Again, the aim is to help them become more able to do this when we are not there. (Our addendum to the licencing agreement with Kairos Prison Ministry International allows us some flexibility to adapt to the prison environment in which we are called to work in).

Please feel free to contact me to discuss this further.

Past Newsletters

Do you know a Kairos Volunteer who is not receiving this newsletter?  If so, ask them to contact Bruce at the KSO to be added to the mailing list - operations@kairos.org.au

Vision

A Community Spiritually Freed from the Effects of Imprisonment.  Reaching all Impacted by Incarceration, through the Love, Hope and Faith found in Jesus Christ.

Mission

The mission of the Kairos Prison Ministry is to share the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ to impact the hearts and lives of incarcerated men, women and youth, as well as their families, to become loving and productive citizens of their communities.

Donate today! Donations over $2 are tax deductible. 

www.kairos.org.au | info@kairos.org.au | PO Box 388, Seven Hills NSW 1730

ABN: 55 081 496 175 

You are receiving this email because you are a current Kairos Prison Ministry Australia Volunteer.  This newsletter is a vital communication tool to keep our Volunteers updated and will be sent to kairos.org.au email addresses. 

If you are receiving this email to your personal email address and wish to unsubscribe, please email the Kairos Support Office with your details and ask to be removed from the mailing list by replying to this email or emailing direct info@kairos.org.au