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Writing "Agape" Letters Agápē (Gk. a-gah'-pay) In the New Testament, agape is often used to describe God's unconditional love toward us and the self-sacrificing manner in which we should love one another. Passages include:
In Kairos, agape love is expressed in many different ways: through posters, prayers, cookies, etc. But one of the most effective ways for an inmate to feel the love and acceptance of Christ (through the team) is in the form of hand-written letters. After 5 years in prison, 95% of the inmates have no contact whatsoever with outside family or friends. A personal note expressing Christian love is a powerful message! However, One of the most difficult tasks for many new Kairos team members is figuring out HOW to write agape letters. This page will hopefully make things a little easier. General Guidelines:
Weekend Host Letter To Your Participant At some point during team formation, you will be given one particular inmate to pray for. As their "Weekend Host", you will be there to greet them on Thursday night and will stay in contact with them throughout the Kairos Short Course. However, about 1 to 2 weeks BEFORE the Weekend, you will send this person a welcome letter. It does not need to be long or overly "spiritual". Many participants are hesitant or nervous about the Weekend and too much "religious talk" may scare them off. Here is an example of a welcome letter: Dear Joseph, Place the letter in a regular envelope and address it in the manor described above. 42 Agape Letters On Saturday during the Weekend, all 42 participants will receive a bag full of letters. EVERY team member is expected to write a brief personal note to ALL 42 participants. That sounds like a lot... and it is IF you try to do it all at one time. But if you spread it out over several weeks prior to the Weekend, you can do it easily. Some team members choose to write more lengthy letters using standard 8 1/2" by 11" notebook or printer paper. Others prefer to use smaller writing pads. The choice is yours. As you begin to write your letters, you most likely will NOT have the names of the participants. Although YOU may not know who the letter will go to, GOD KNOWS. So write with confidence knowing that HE will see to it that your words get to the right person. When addressing the letters, rather than using a general salutation such as “Dear Brother in Christ”, many team members prefer to write their letters in advance with NO GREETING and then wait until the last minute to fill in the names. HOWEVER, IF YOU DO THIS, BE SURE TO BRING AND USE THE SAME PEN YOU WROTE THE NOTE WITH!! Otherwise there may be two different shades of ink. If you are serving at a table, you may choose to only write 36 letters prior to the weekend and then write the last 6 on Friday evening to the 6 participants at your table (after you get to know them better). The letters can be a little more personal. HOWEVER, BE SURE NOT TO RUN OUT OF TIME. Writing 6 letters at the last minute on Friday night after a long day may be tough. In writing your letter, you may choose to share a scripture or some positive words of encouragement. Be sure to urge the participant to join a Prayer and Share Group and to also stay active in the Kairos community by coming to the Monthly Reunions. Here is a couple of examples: Dear Robert, Dear Dwayne, Do NOT put your letters in an envelope. Instead, just fold them in half and write the participant's name on the outside of the letter. Give all your letters to the Head Agape person as soon as possible. Putting the letters in alphabetical order will help the Agape servants greatly! General Agape & Children's Agape Letters: Please have your Sunday School Class, Church Group, Bible Study, etc. write a general letter of support and encouragement. A handwritten letter from the group is fine but they may choose to use a printed piece of computer artwork on colored paper signed by all individuals in the group. Adults may sign their full name if they want to. DO NOT put any personal addresses or phone numbers on the letters. Church letterhead is fine but keep in mind, the church may be contacted by the inmate if they provide that info so be forewarned. Children are also encouraged to provide Agape! The impact of a love letter from an innocent child on these men is mind boggling! A simple crayon or marker drawing on a folded piece of construction paper is priceless. Many of these men have children of their own whom they rarely see or receive letters from. Children may sign their first name ONLY and may also give their age and/or grade.
DO NOT put the child's church name or use the child's last name. There should be no way the child may be traced or contacted.
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 Addresses "To" and "From" Send Mail to the Participant: DO NOT USE YOUR HOME RETURN ADDRESS Use This Return Address: Do not include any sort of gifts in the envelope(Money, Stickers, Bookmarks, etc.) |
