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Contributors February 2024:
Don Twiggs- Community Lay Dir.
Mike Oakes-ACLD
Connie Alexander- Treasurer
Patrice Dougher- Secretary
Bill Crissman- Registrar
Deborah Bryant- Music Coordinator
Verna Fields - Reunion Group
Rev. Sheron Willson-Comm Spiritual Dir
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From the CLD CORNER:
This month the Board has been preparing for Walk # 85. With only 5 weeks to go, the cutoff for pilgrims is Feb. 22 for Men and Feb 29th for the Women. I have talked to a lot of Emmaus community who say they have someone who they think might be interested in going on the Walk but we have not seen their applications. The teams are now set and have been meeting and reviewing talks and team building. There are always ways that you can show your agape love for the walks by volunteering for the Background teams and serving meals. If the cost is a problem, then reach out to a board member and we will make sure that any cost is covered.
On another sad note, our reunion group was shakened by the death of one of our members in a motorcycle accident. As we met for the first time since the accident, I again felt the blessings of having brothers in Christ meeting and sharing our grief but at the same time knowing that God has a plan and the comfort that we will again meet as a reunion group but just in a different location. Please pray for the family and friends who have suffered this loss.
Again REMEMBER:
MEN’S WALK #85 MARCH 7-10
WOMEN'S WALK#85
MARCH 14-17
LETS MAKE THIS ANOTHER VICTORY FOR CHRIST!
DeColores, Don Twiggs
Community Lay Director 2024
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From Treasurer
So here we are again, getting ready and excited for Walk 85. But again, we are facing the horrible, unbearable decision to cancel the Walks due to lack of participation. It takes volunteers and pilgrims. It takes all of us to make this happen. So I ask you....Which came first: the chicken or the egg? What I really mean is, which came first: The Pilgrim or the Community? Without a community, there will be no pilgrims. Without pilgrims, our community will die. Should we give up? Should we just call it quits? I sure hope not. My walk meant so much to me and changed my life forever. I love my Emmaus Brothers and Sisters. They are always there to support me, pray with me, lift me up, or just offer a hug when needed. They encourage me and hold me accountable, keeping me focused on what is most important in my life, serving my Lord and Savior. We've had Town Hall meetings to seek input from the community on what we can do to bring you back, to get you excited again. If you missed them and want to provide feedback, please do! Life these days is so busy and we are stretched thin for time. But once a month, to attend a gathering of old friends is well worth the time. You'll be rejuvenated, refreshed, and encouraged! And you'll want to share it with others who haven't been on their walk yet. You may be the one person to initiate a change in their lives too! So step out this month, make an effort to join us at the gathering for some awesome fellowship and refueling! And PLEASE sponsor a Pilgrim!! (and share this newsletter with other Emmaus community members in case they miss it here)
DeColores
Connie Alexander, Treasurer
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From our Spiritual Director:
Love God and Love One Another
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves." Philippians 2:3
Emmaus is under the authority of the Upper Room and this is a statement that may help us better understand what that means. " The Upper Room is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, incorporated in the state of Tennessee. Since day one, our mission has been international and interdenominational in scope, with a focus on helping people experience God through prayer, study, and faithful action."
Interdenominational means that we will sit at the table with people who may not believe exactly as we believe. We have pastors and speakers from many different denominations and therefore different understanding of scripture, tradition or experiences. Emmaus is the place we can humbly come together in love of God and love one another. John Wesley said, "We may not all believe alike but we can all love alike." We do all believe alike on God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And the goal is to help everyone who attends a walk experience the fullness of God. Emmaus is a perfect and easy place to practice agape love. It is what we are about. It is a safe place and a great place to heal. Love God and love one another. We are the children of God, the church apostolic. The body of Christ and every part is valued. Invite someone to go on the walk. It's time to get our pilgrim applications and sponsor forms in. Don't let anything stop you from sponsoring the person God lays on your heart. They don't have to go to your same church. Financing should never be an issue. Maybe you could use a co-sponsor to help you do what is needed for your pilgrim.
Remember how important the Emmaus Walk was for you? Help someone else have their own experience with God on these up- coming walks. That's loving one another.
DeColores
Sheron Willson, Spiritual Director
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OUTSIDE SERVANTS for Walks 85
Walk #85 will be here sooner than you think. The Leadership teams have been chosen and will
soon wrap up their meetings.
There is yet another opportunity to experience the blessings of serving. Opportunities are still
available to serve on the outside (now called background) teams – helping to keep things going
in the conference room. the dining hall and throughout camp. Unfortunately for recent walks we did not have our usual number of Outside servants. Please consider serving in the Background this March. You may come and serve for a day, or better yet you may elect to spend the entire weekend serving on the background team and bunking with your brother/sister Background servants.
On a recent walk I was blessed to serve with five other brothers for the entire weekend. When we were not cleaning, preparing snacks or delivering agape, we had time to fraternize and bond– much like the team members and pilgrims were doing inside the conference room. We even conducted our own chapel call as we set up the chairs outside for the tables. We had formed our own table – the table of “outside” servants. At the end of the weekend we realized how blessed we were to be able to serve the walk and to consciously feel the Holy Spirit.
If you haven’t served on a walk as part of the background team, I encourage you to give it a try.
If you have served, please share with others the blessings that you experienced as a part of serving the team, the pilgrims and Christ.
Be Blessed,
Mike Oakes, ACLD.
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From Our Secretary
Service to our Pilgrims
With the upcoming walks getting closer and closer I would like for you to take a minute and reminisce about your Emmaus Walk. The agape love shown to you by our community. People you had never met creating little trinkets for you, cooking and serving your meals, praying for you! Remember that AWESOME feeling you felt? Now is the time to show our pilgrims that same agape love. Please sign up for the prayer vigil, to help in the kitchen or dining room or just plan on coming to the send off, candlelight service or closing of each or one of the walks.
You may never know what a small gesture or prayer can do for someone, I know because it happened for me!
De Colores
Patrice Dougher, Secretary
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Reunion Group Is A Necessity
My fourth Day walk includes a weekly reunion group, which I look forward to and do not like to miss. My sisters in Christ refresh me and love me unconditionally.
Reunion groups are a very important part of your fourth day walk. It is time spent in prayer and fellowship with fellow Emmaus pilgrims and it will certainly bless you. It is a support group when you are in need. If you need to find a group, we have some registered
in Ministry Management.
Please let me know if you have a reunion group in your area if it is not registered.
You can reach me at: Vernafields@comcast.net
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From our Registrar
DeColores His Birthday Has Come!!!!!
What a wonderful gift we receive when we let Christ into our lives! Now think of what a great gift it would be to help someone else receive that gift. The next walks are scheduled soon and applications for both men’s and women’s pilgrims are needed. The date for men’s walk is on March 7-10 and woman’s on March 14-17.
Applications are on the web site and need to be completed and mailed to me with a deposit check or full payment. We need to have them by
late February to ensure everything is ready for the walk. So, give the gift of Agape and the Walk to Emmaus to those who are ready to grow in their faith. He knows who you are thinking about.
De Colores,
William Crissman, Registrar
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From Music
DeColores!
We are getting very close to the Emmaus weekends in March and I am trying to get some pilgrims to go from my church. Last Sunday I made an announcement in church and explained what the walks are all about because we have a lot of new families and members in our church who are not familiar with Emmaus. It’s very important to keep people informed throughout the year and talk to those who are interested. I also find that it helps remind those members who have participated about their experiences on their walks when we talk about it.
There are so many people who have gone on the walk to Emmaus and never came back or got involved in volunteering. So it’s very important to keep Emmaus alive and talk to people about it whenever we can and pray about it.
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Matthew 7:7
Music is a very important part of the Emmaus weekend. The music teams are working hard to find the right songs to sing in the conference room before talks, in the chapel and anytime music is needed. Sometimes the right song will speak to you and remind you of a certain time, place or loved one in your life. Sometimes it makes you want to clap and dance around the room or lift your hands in praise and sometimes it makes you cry. Whatever you experience in worship and while listening to music on the weekend is your authentic praise to God. Let’s be mindful of that when we are with new pilgrims in the conference room and allow them to experience their reactions without our interference. We are the hands and feet of Christ on the weekend.
I am excited to see what God will do on the next set of Emmaus weekends and who he will send!
DeColores!
Deborah Bryant Music Director
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February
Gathering
Hope to see you there: 02/17/24
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5PM
Grace UMC
1822 Madison St Lawtey
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