Keryx is a lay-led, non-profit, interdenominational, Christian prison ministry using the Cursillo method, designed to be conducted in any correctional institution without substantive change in format or procedure.
The purpose of Keryx Prison Ministry is the Christianization of the correctional institution through the actions of small apostolic prayer support groups of prison residents, trained and encouraged by Keryx volunteers, working within their environment.
Through a systematic, structured program, the residents of correctional institutions are given the opportunity to experience a religious renewal and to accept God’s call to a life of Christian witness and service to one another during their stay in the institution and beyond.
The Keryx strategy is to identify leaders from the key environments of the institution, leaders who have the greatest potential to impact their environments with the message of Christ’s love. These leaders are then invited to attend a 3-day short course in Christianity where they are introduced to the Keryx community.
Keryx has been called the most effective program at changing basic attitudes of the incarcerated currently offered in prisons. This statement is heard over and over again by prison administrators where the ministry has been active long enough for its impact on the institution to have been evaluated by correctional staff.
Keryx is a highly structured program that promotes solid Christian life-skills. The program builds positive and loving community among inmates in an environment hostile to much community. Keryx calls upon a spirituality that has long been dormant in many of the resident leaders with the institution.
Keryx works from a decidedly strong Christian perspective of love for fellow man, but participants need not be Christian to attend.
In today’s world, where polarization of races, cliques, ethnic and political groups has become so pervasive in our environments, the Keryx program has proven to be an effective instrument for breaking down mistrust and animosity.
Keryx Prison Ministry
Statement of Faith
1. We believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God.
2. We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
3. We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His
miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily
resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in
power and glory.
4. We believe in the forgiveness of sin, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting.
5. We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Palanca for the weekends should be sent to: Chippewa Area Keryx, P.O. Box 404, Conway, MI 49722. Email palanca can be sent to palanca@chippewakeryx.org.
Color graphics are welcome.
