The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 1

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1 The National Presbyterian The National Presbyterian The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 1 The National Council of Presbyterian Fourth Day Movements and The National Council of Presbyterian Cursillo Volume 21, No 1 National Web Site: pilgrimagecursillo.org January 1, 2018 This statement is repeated here from time to time. Policy Statement on the National Newsletter There is a need for information about the activities and programs of the communities that make up these councils, and about the councils themselves, to be gathered and disseminated to as many of those who have attended a Presbyterian Cursillo or Presbyterian Pilgrimage weekend as possible, as well as to others who need to be informed. To this end, these councils have established a periodic newsletter, currently called the National Presbyterian Cursillista. The newsletter is the voice of these councils and must therefore be supportive of the work of these councils. It needs to pull in the direction the councils set. The newsletter will: Be a source of news about the communities and the national councils. Be free of politics. Not accept advertising. Be supportive of active fourth day programs. Provide dates and contacts for programs of our communities. [No longer provide weekend dates and contacts.] Be a source of ideas to strengthen our programs. Be a source of inspiration to the fourth day. Be respectful of our main denomination, the Presbyterian Church (USA). Those who produce the newsletter must always be mindful of the fact that the newsletter is a publication of a part of the Body of Jesus Christ and must be guided by that fact. Department of Some Things Never Change This notice is as relevant today as it was when it first appeared in these pages in July, 1999: There's one thing missing from this issue - your best Cursillo story! That's what we need in this newsletter. Hasn't anything ever happened on your weekend(s) that's moving, poignant, funny, that demonstrates God's love, Christ's presence, the guidance of the Holy Spirit? If you don't send me some good stories, I'll be forced to dwell on my own personal experiences in Cursillo. How I still hold the record for the most unsuccessful attempts to jump the creek at Burnt Mountain in Velma Tilley's van. How three of us short-sheeted the observing moderator on GPC6. I might even be forced to tell the names of my two co-conspirators (co-short-sheeters?) - one of whom is a respected member of another community who has recently served as rector; the other a student in a Presbyterian seminary - trying to live down his past. I might even tell about the awesome moment when the sun BURST over the mountain top and my wife's head as she lead communion in front of Pinnacle Mountain, or of sitting in a corner chapel during the healing service, listening to the burdens of others, after seeing my own burdens lifted in smoke earlier in the same service. There's much more - but I'd much rather you'd give me your remembrances to share with the Fourth Day, instead. Tom Very Special Days New Years Day Monday, 1/1/18 Martin Luther King Day 1/15/18 And Every Sunday

2 The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 2 This is a reprint from our July, 1999 issue. A Pastor s Reflection on Cursillo I've just returned from serving on staff at Cursillo - my third such experience in the last year. Each of the three has been unique, each one uplifting, each one exhausting. I'm not a Cursillo "groupie," but my respect for this event grows with each new experience. What Cursillo tries to do, it does very well and it doesn't try to do everything, which is one reason for its effectiveness. One thing Cursillo excels at, in my opinion, is letting lay people lead. In fact, one of the best reasons for going to Cursillo is that once you've gone as a participant you can then serve in a leadership capacity. I'm amazed each time not amazed in the sense of being surprised, but amazed in the sense of being awed by the ways in which God uses all of you to minister to one another. You have such gifts, such capability, such marvelous stories and lives with God, and Cursillo is one place where God utilizes all those things in mighty ways to encourage and build up the Body of Christ. I had one conversation this weekend with someone who was curious about my call to ordained ministry. I told him how I'd experienced joy and disappointment concerning God's call to me how the disappointment was about leaving the ranks of the laity when I deeply believed the world needs more lay disciples of Jesus Christ, not more clergy. I still believe that. I think (I know) that you through your relationships, words, and manner of life have far greater influence on the lost than any pastor does. The man I was talking with disagreed rather strenuously with me about all this. He's entitled to his opinion, of course, but I still think I'm right. I think he'll remember the words of in the lay-given Rollos and the caring behavior of all the staff members in a much different and life-affecting way than he'll remember what the pastors had to say. And you know what? Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to see so many of you finding and fulfilling God's call to share your lives and your gifts with others. I may not get to be a layperson, but I do delight in being part of the impact you're having for Jesus Christ in the world. Rev. Laurel Neal, Assoc Pastor, FPC, Edmond, OK A Publication of The National Council of Presbyterian Fourth Day Movements and National Council of Presbyterian Cursillo Editor Tom Fox t.f.fox@att.net Contents Policy Statement Some Things Never Change Very Special Days A Pastor s Reflection on Cursillo Contents Imagine Staff the Spring Weekend? Consider Some Ideas Rita and Roy The Escape to Egypt Our New Website Perennial Ooompah Marching Band How Did a Nice Boy (or Girl) Like You Beginnings A Prayerful Invitation Your Very Own Angel About The By-Laws Cartoons pages 2 and 8 I m thinking of holding the Palanca Bowl on Saturday afternoon during our next weekend.

3 The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 3 Imagine There they were - the family - at the very beginning of the life of the child - at the very beginning of Christianity. Mary - confused, perhaps frightened, adoring young mother. Joseph - possibly equally confused - the father upon whom responsibility for support and protection rested. Jesus, the baby - peaceful, calm, placid - beautiful, adorable - mysterious. There they were - at the very start of their lives together, at the very start of Jesus ministry on earth. Jesus, our savior - Mary, His mother whom Jesus commended to John later at the cross. Joseph, who shepherded his little family through the early years. Jesus - blessedly avoiding Pharoah s wrath - then teaching at the temple - then baptized by John the Baptist. Jesus who then carried out his glorious ministry in the most vital three years in history. Imagine - if I were Mary or Joseph; what would I have thought, what were our plans as I sat in that small manger? Both recognized that this child was special - but of course they simply could not envision His future. Both Mary and Joseph must have felt a tremendous sense of responsibility - but with almost no understanding of how to support, protect and even love their newborn child. They were both to experience the angels, kings, shepherds and even the animals who came to worship their son; but this probably did not add to their understanding or even to their preparation to raise their very special child. Imagine, as they hurried off to Egypt, to avoid the Pharoah s assassins how frantic they must have been. Imagine, all through Jesus childhood how they must have planned, worried, tried to understand their responsibilities for their child - how they must have worried about their responsibility for Jesus, the Christ. Imagine, as I grow in the fourth day ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ - what is my responsibility to Jesus for my part in his ministry? Tom Why should I sign up to Staff The Spring Weekend? Okay, I paid my participant fee or someone paid it for me. I attended the three day weekend. I was impressed. I ve even attended an Ultreya or two, so why should I sign up to staff the next weekend our Presbyterian Cursillo/Pilgrimage community is going to hold? 1. Because I need to experience the weekend from both sides. 2. I m denying some of the next batch of participants some of the benefits of the weekend if I don t. 3. I ll never know what it s like to be a Palanca Cha, Table Cha, Table Leader or Music Cha unless I do that s a lot to miss. 4. I ll miss out on all the events planned for the staff, unless I do. 5. I ll never become a full fledged member of the fourth day, unless I do. 6. I ll miss out on seeing some of the fresh caught new friends I just made on my participant weekend. 7. I ll never quite understand the messages of the talks/rollos, unless I hear them again. 8. I ll miss seeing the reactions of the participants to the talks, the prayer banner and to all the other surprises unless I do. 9. I ll not experience the great staff environment of the fourth day unless I do. 10. I ll only have the experience of attending once and getting a broad brush understanding of the talks and messages of the weekend. 11. I ll miss the worship services of the weekend including those for staff, unless I do. 12. I won t find out what is served the staff for dinner on Wednesday nor for breakfast or lunch on Thursday. 13. I ll miss out on meeting a bunch of fine, friendly fourth day folks who have come to help staff the weekend. All the above not withstanding, the real reason for staffing the weekend is, simply, that God has called me to server! That s why! Tom

4 The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 4 Consider that our national council has rightly shown concern about the information we offer the public in our web site and other communications. We ve made a start on upgrading this information, but still have much to do. One way in which we ve been particularly weak is in not providing information about locations, dates and contacts of our upcoming weekends. We have shown the locations of 21* of our communities in our new web site, but have included weekend calendar information for only 13 of them and, in only three of those have we listed more than one weekend only for North Carolina, Michigan and South Carolina. It may appear to the inquirer that eight of our remaining communities are not holding weekends at all, and that 10 of the 13 that are are holding weekends are conducting only one weekend per year. So please, regardless of your position in the leadership of your community, take it upon yourself to be sure that your community s weekend dates, locations and contact information (who to call or e -mail) are passed on to the committee editing our web site at: communications@pilgrimagecursillo.org Yes, they ve said that they will monitor our individual community web sites but, if the information isn t on the local web sites That, of course, brings us to another matter how is your local web site assuming that you have one? Our National Council has made a number of suggestions to the committee it appointed to revise our national web site. Perhaps these should be updated and recorded in the work suggested in the next column. Tom *Our national council originally certified 25 communities. North Carolina operates as a three community cluster and has only sought certification as a single community. Similarly, Michigan founded by North Carolina operates as a two community cluster, with only one certification. There would certainly be nothing wrong with National certifying these spare communities, but unless and until that is requested, we ll still regard North Carolina and Michigan as one community each....some Ideas... that our national council appoint a knowledgeable task group to review the internal and external communications of each of our local communities. Such a group could provide suggestions and ideas, perhaps tending to tie our local web sites and newsletters a bit closer together and a bit closer to our national purpose. Suggestions provided by the task group could not be mandatory, but might provide very helpful advise. The work of the task group could evolve into a suggested communications guide or manual for local community communication programs for the fourth day and for prospective participants, perhaps with guidance for those who run our national communications. Standards could be established for reporting weekend locations, dates and contacts on our national and local web sites. Voluntary standards might be established to suggest how communities could structure their communications. Newsletters and even web sites can teach they could include brief lessons and articles about key points in our ministry its purpose, explanations of methods we use, key point of talks/rollos, etc. Yes, we need to strengthen the fourth day consider how your communications could do so. Our biggest need, of course, is to become effective at inviting people to attend our weekends and take part in our fourth day ministry. How can our communications support that? Tom Rita, why do we have so many web sites and newsletters? People who consider attending our weekends often have a lot of questions they want answered, Roy.

5 The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 The Escape to Egypt When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. Get up, he said, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: Out of Egypt I called my son. Volume 21, Number 1 Page 5 the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more. After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child s life are dead. Matt 2:13-18 NIV When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all Our New Web Site: pilgrimagecursillo.org Those prospective participants and staff seeking upcoming weekend dates and contact information may look in the Location and Calendar sections of our web site for local community web site addresses and other information. Each community has been asked to keep their own web site up to date. A member of the national web site committee will review the community web sites every month or two to update the location and calendar sections.the new web site is essentially complete, except for routine updating of calendar and contacts. If you desire to submit material for our web site, such as content, testimonials, or videos, please send it to communications@pilgrimagecursillo.org for processing by the review committee. Similar material for our social media channels should go to: & Help our web site become an effective tool in restoring our weekend attendance and fourth day membership.

6 The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 6 How Did A Nice Boy (or Girl) Like You Get Mixed Up In Cursillo? Cursillo, called a short course in Christianity, was a Roman Catholic institution, started on an island in the Mediterranean Sea, 100 miles from Spain, intended originally to train leaders of a great pilgrimage that was held nearly 70 years ago. It included thousands of young men visiting a shrine in northwest Spain dedicated to a disciple of Christ s whose remains were said to have washed up on the Atlantic shore of Spain about 1200 years ago. You just sort of fell into that ministry, right? What you became involved with really developed after the great pilgrimage took place. The first weekend attributed to our modern Cursillo ministry is said to have taken place in January, 1949 about five months after the great pilgrimage. Since then, millions of Christians from all over the world have participated in Cursillo weekends. Like you, they just sort of got caught up in it. In reality, like you, they have joined the worldwide effort to bring people to Christ. The irony is that millions of people probably from hundreds of ethnic strains and theological backgrounds have all accepted the teachings of Jesus and his disciples even though we have widely differing perspectives on the ministry of the fourth day. We have accepted these teachings in some cases modifying them to fit our own reformed theologies because we believe in the Godhood of Christ. We believe that we are in fact God s children and devoted followers. We accept the purpose of the fourth day: the evangelization of the environment, the reform of our communities. In our particular case, the Presbyterian Cursillo movement, we have accepted the work of one particular pastor/scholar - the Rev. Dr. Fred Larkin Keith - in translating Cursillo teachings into our reformed dogma. It was through the ministry of followers of Dr. Keith and of other early Cursillistas that we got mixed up in Cursillo. It s a very good thing that we did. Tom Beginnings January is our main month for new beginnings. Perhaps as many as 100 of our fourth day folks are preparing to take up service as members of their local community councils. Perhaps six or eight of those as moderator, head of council, to lead their local fourth day folks forward further into the ministry of the fourth day. Those coming off council may be looking for ways to help out in their local churches. There are perhaps 15 or so who are planning to moderate weekends for their first time; awesome responsibility. There are a bunch of recently caught up fourth day folks considering working to help staff upcoming weekends. It s a good time to plan new adventures inviting/ recruiting folks who haven t yet attended one of our weekends; taking on membership in a reunion group; leading local training; suggesting some new method of reaching out to prospective Cursillistas; getting your pastor and spouse to attend one of our weekends; possibly helping your session to decide to add a small item of support for our ministry to your own church s budget. Maybe it s really a time to give some deep thought to that idea of life change enrolling in seminary and entering the clergy. A lot of fourth day folks have in fact done that. Maybe, if you re already a teaching elder - a minister of word and sacrament - it s time to decide to pursue that doctorate and bring greater understanding and knowledge to your congregation. Maybe it s time to devote a greater portion of your earnings to contributions to Cursillo/ Pilgrimage or to your church. With the new tax reductions, that might just be a good possibility. Maybe you have a good friend in your Sunday School class or other ministry at church whom you ve wanted to invite to attend one of our weekends. Do it! Maybe you ve been asked to take a greater role in the leadership of your local church. Do it! Maybe it s time to join that reunion group. Do it! God bless you as you consider just how you can be of even greater service to the ministries of Jesus the Christ. Think about it! Tom

7 The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 7 Your Very Own Angel Reminds you to look to your Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, for all the good things you need and to work to help expand Jesus ministry in the fourth day. God bless you! This is also a reprint from the July, 1999 issue. It was written by Jim Hunt of Houston, who was then our national vbice moderator. He went on to be the next national moderator. A Prayerful Invitation Most of us attended our first Cursillo because someone invited us. Some perhaps signed up after just hearing or reading about Cursillo, but most people did so by personal invitation. One of the priveleges that we now share is the opportunity to invite someone else to attend a Cursillo weekend. The Cursillo manual points out, however, that as we do this there is a danger to keep in mind. "That danger is forgetting the basic premise of Cursillo participation. And that premise is the same as the primary understanding of how one becomes Christian in the first place. God calls. God needs neither our coercion, manipulation, nor heavy handed pressure to effect the work of the Holy Spirit." It is perfectly acceptable to tell others about our own Cursillo experience and to encourage them to attend. However, no one should be invited with the directive that they should or must attend. Even though this type of approach is meant as an expression of enthusiasm, it can be misunderstood and perceived as an implication of superiority -- that those of us who have attended a Cursillo are somehow "better Christians." If we are not careful, the use of this type of pressure can be a turnoff. This of course is counter to the focus of the Cursillo weekend that is centered on the love and grace of Jesus Christ. There is a saying the Episcopaleans use in recruitment of participants: "Some should, all may, none must." Most importantly, our invitations to attend a Cursillo should be extended as a result of prayer. After all, prayer is fundamental to Cursillo. In fact, a guideline for prayer and the invitation is stated in the manual: "...before selecting a prospect, speak to God about others before speaking to others about God." The criteria for attending a Cursillo is that participants should be at least 19 years old and a member of a Presbyterian * church. Both singles and married couples are encouraged to attend. If married, it is recommended that spouses attend together. [Pilgrimage participants can be of any Christian denomination.] The manual states that "although healing (emotional, physical and psychological) can and does take place in Cursillo, it is not a healing ministry. Neither does Cursillo seek to lead persons specifically to address the issues of individual salvation. Rather Cursillo seeks persons who are themselves seeking; persons who are Christian, but who are seeking a more vital expression of faith in life."...the Cursillo weekend has resulted in a powerful expression of God's love for those of us whom God has called to attend. I hope you will prayerfully consider inviting a friend to share in that experience over tha coming year. Jim Hunt

8 The National Presbyterian Cursillista January 1, 2018 Volume 21, Number 1 Page 8 This is another reprint from July, At the time, I asked Mike Glass, our national secretary, to share his views about the By-Laws. This is what he wrote: About the By-Laws You asked me about the National Meeting in August and more specifically about the complex but fruitful work on the National Council By-laws. Well, having been "around" the National Council work since it's inaugural meeting, either as an interested bystander and husband to Penny Glass, who was previously on the Council, or sitting on the Council this past year, I've come to appreciate how frustrating and difficult it has been to put into print what we do in Cursillo/Pilgrimage! Certainly, a number of wonderful, talented, and loving brothers and sisters have labored over the years to wrap some kind of form around our diverse Cursillo and Pilgrimage communities. All I can say is that God is good. If Fourth Day is PERSEVER- ANCE, then certainly we have had a lesson in the topic! Presently, [in 1999] copies of the By-laws of the National Council of Presbyterian Fourth Day Movements, from August's meeting are circulating to local communities for ratification. These By-laws and their companion documents the National Model for Presbyterian Cursillo, and National Model for Presbyterian Fourth Day Movement Weekend, were deliberated line by line, and represent the best effort by the assembled group to say what we do and how we do it. The task of the By-laws alone took most of Friday's session and Saturday morning. And when the final paragraph was adopted and the document as a whole was accepted, I found it difficult to say anything other than "Praise God!" I thought of the song, "It's Beginning to Rain", as my eyes filled with tears. Our dry hearts had yearned for almost six years for common ground amongst all our communities, and finally the rain had come. You might say, "Get a grip, Mike! It's just a pile of paper." But it represents years of prayer, frustration, more prayer and finally breakthrough. It means all the communities can learn from one another, as we have at each of our Council meetings, about ways to do the same job, bringing Christ's Kingdom to fruition in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. Whether you recall a Cursillo or Pilgrimage weekend, the end result is serving Christ and changing our world for Christ. And we can do that better supporting each other. So, as these documents reach your community for ratification, pray that each person recognizes the opportunities that await us together by accepting these agreements. God meant for us to support one another, to hold each other accountable, to pray for one another and to love one another. These are the first of many papers to come that will cement our efforts to serve our risen Lord. Thanks to all those who served before and presently serve. God Bless! In His service, Mike Glass, Secretary of the National Council - Oklahoma Presbyterian Cursillo (South Carolina Pres. Cursillo #18) The principle difference between our two sets of By -Laws is that Cursillo communities may accept only Presbyterians as participants and staff, whereas Pilgrimage communities may accept any Christian. Table discussions and talks at Cursillo communities can be much more nearly restricted to reformed theology than can Pilgrimage discussions. Tom Our New Year s resolution is that we ll serve faithfully in the fourth day ministry of Jesus Christ. Happy New Year!