Suncoast Emmaus Newsletter

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Ralph Watkins
5 years ago
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And, it is certainly not too early to be praying for the formulation and preparation of the Walk teams, as that process is already well underway.

1 November 2015 Suncoast Emmaus Newsletter Suncoast Emmaus Community With the holiday seasons of Thanksgiving and Christmas rapidly approaching, seemingly just as rapidly will be the approach of the Spring walks. It is not too early to be praying about who you should sponsor to the walks and beginning the sponsor's preparation process. And, it is certainly not too early to be praying for the formulation and preparation of the Walk teams, as that process is already well underway. Gene Louise and Mike (your Spring Weekend Lay Directors) and their respective teams, stand in need of your consistent prayers. With your help and commitment, we can easily fill up the Spring walks. In the last newsletter, I told you about the loss of the 20 chairs at the previous walks and the request for funds to replace them. I had stated that new chairs would cost approximately $550 to replace. Subsequently, we found used chairs for a total of $200, which we went ahead and purchased and returned to the church and mobile home park we had borrowed the missing chairs from. We are still in need of funds to offset that expense, so again, I am asking for your help. By the time you read this newsletter, the ballots for the election of new 2016 Board members will have been sent out to the community. There are 6 names on the ballot for 5 vacant positions. There is also space for you to write in any candidates who would be willing to serve on the Board. The newsletter also identifies the offices held by the outgoing Board members. Community members should not agree to be considered for the Board only to fill a specific position, such as secretary or Community Lay Director, etc. You will be voted to fill a vacancy on the Board. During the January meeting of the Board, the Board members will assign the then current Board members to the respective open Board positions by job title, with priority given to existing Board members and then to the new Board members. All Ballots should be completed and received from the community NLT 1 December. Ballots will be tallied and the community notified of the new members in the December newsletter, and they will officially take office during the January Board meeting. New Board members are however invited and encouraged to attend the December Board meeting. Finally, we had a very good representation of non-board members at our last Board of Directors meeting, and they brought much discussion and input to the Board. I want to offer my sincerest and deepest appreciation to each of them for being interested enough and caring enough about our community and ministry to attend and bring their comments and concerns to the Board's attention. And, I would encourage many others to bring their wisdom and expertise to your Board meetings. Just as importantly, we appreciate your prayers for your Board, especially during our schedule Board meetings the third Monday evenings beginning at 6:30 pm at Grace UMC, Venice. Hope to see many of you there. God bless each of you always and in all ways. DeColores! Inside issue Community Lay Director...1 Emmaus Board Elec ons....2 Community Spiritual Director...3 Our Emmaus Responsibility...4 January Spaghe Dinner....5 Fall Walk Dates...6 Special points of interest 2015 Offering Collec ons 2015 Board of Directors Upcoming Gatherings 2015 Gathering A endance Suncoast Emmaus Mailing Address - PO Box Bradenton

From the Community Lay Director I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you in the Emmaus Family and your immediate and extended family a very blessed and Happy

2 From the Community Lay Director I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you in the Emmaus Family and your immediate and extended family a very blessed and Happy Thanksgiving, safety in your travels, and joyous times with family and friends. I count, among my many many blessings, the blessing of being a part of this Emmaus Family and the opportunities to fellowship with you at Gatherings, Board meetings, on the Walk teams, and Reunion Groups. Thank you each one, for your support to this Suncoast Emmaus Ministry. DeColores, Rick CLD Don t forget to visit our website at h p:// or if you would like to send Suncoast Emmaus an at: fourthdayfriends@gmail.com Upcoming 2015 Gatherings November 21st at 5 pm Manatee UMC St E, Bradenton December NO GATHERING 2016 January 5 pm Grace UMC 400 Field Ave E, Venice Sketti Dinner Fundraiser February 5 pm Elwood Park Baptist Church Street East Bradenton Hotdog/Smores Party Emmaus Board Elections for 2016 Election time is again upon us for your Emmaus Community Board of Directors. To date, and to my knowledge, we have received 6 nominations for the 5 positions being vacated on the Board. Please be praying and thinking about those Community members you would like to see on your Board of Directors, and after ensuring they are willing to serve, submit their names via write-ins on the ballot between now and the 1st of December. You should now have the Ballots for voting for the 5 open positions on the Board. Ballots should be returned to Rosa Miller, your Board Secretary by 1 December for compilation. The Community will then be notified of the results of the voting in the December Newsletter. Those of you who are willing to serve on the Board, please understand that you will be expected to attend all monthly Board meetings (currently the 3rd Monday of each month) as possible, and to attend as many Gatherings each year as possible. Directors are elected for 3 year terms, with 5 Board positions filled each year. 2

3 From the Community Spiritual Director... It is a tragedy that many people go through life without ever becoming acquainted with their Creator. To overlook that relationship is to miss the purpose for their existence and the greatest privilege available to mankind: knowing God. Even Christians can under value the honor of getting to know Jesus Christ more intimately. Paul s all consuming passion to know caused him to count everything as worthless in comparison to that tremendous blessing. Though believers can accept Christ as their savior, faithfully serve Him, and anticipate being with Him in heaven, many have no hunger to know Him know. How can we be satisfied with simply being saved and have so little or know interesting the most gratifying relationship available to us? Pursuing Christ with passion requires sacrifice spending time with the Lord, surrendering our will, and knowing Him through suffering. Although salvation is a free gift, intimacy with God is a costly process, but the rewards are invaluable and eternal. Our culture floods us with distractions that can fill our minds and hearts leaving us indifferent about developing a deeper relationship with Christ. Some people even substitute learning facts about the Lord for knowing Him relationally. Find out what is hindering your passion for God. Consider ways to carve out time each day to be alone with Him. You go about your routine each week seek His guidance and listen to His voice. You too will eventually count everything as rubbish compared to knowing Christ. You can also help someone else to grow in their relationship with Christ sponsor them to make the next Emmaus Walk. DeColores, Pastor Frank 2015 Board of Directors Community Lay Director Rick Pecht rkpecht@gmail.com Asst. Community Lay Director Elisa Niles elisa_niles@yahoo.com Secretary Rosa Miller itech10@comcast.net Treasurer Pastor Bonnie Cary pastorbonnie1@tampabay.rr.com Music Coordinator Elisa Niles elisa_niles@yahoo.com Quartermaster George Strawn strawnworld@hotmail.com Housing/Gatherings Team Barbara Nowling rockinn214@gmail.com Mary Myers memyers2011@gmail.com Registrar Kathy Pecht katric01@hotmail.com Education Gene Louise Fisher layservantgene@yahoo.com Community Spiritual Director Pastor Frank Sturgell fsturgell@verizon.net Team Selection Leo Masucci leo.masucci@gmail.com Agape Team Wilma Waltz (no ) Traci Thompson tracithmpsn@yahoo.com Community Activities Coordinator Oscar Keuker okeuker@aol.com Communication/Reunion Groups CindyThayer bizimom2@verizon.net 3

4 Upcoming Board of Director Vacancies 2015 Offering Collection January $ (St. James UMC) February (Elwood Park Baptist- Church) $ March $ April $ May $ June $ July TBA Aug $1410 Sept $0 Oct $ (Pt Charlotte UMC) (Palmetto UMC) (Englewood UMC) (Emmanuel UMC) (St. James UMC) (Trinity UMC) (Christian Retreat) (Grace UMC) Leo Masucci Chair of the Team Selection Committee is responsible for forming a selection committee who chooses who is eligible to work a walk. With the help of the Holy Spirit the committee chooses the individuals that God wants selected for the upcoming walk. Rosa Miller Board Secretary. Including but not limited to taking notes of the board meeting and sent to Lisa Edington to be added to the web site each month. Also collects names for the upcoming ballot and tally the votes. Mary Myers - Co Chair for Housing/Gatherings. Including but limited to setting up the food, beverage and dessert tables for the gatherings each month. Also providing the paper products and beverages for each gathering. Our Emmaus Responsibility We have all had our Walk to Emmaus Week End. Oh how excited we were, we could not remember all that happened. We went home and reviewed all the things we had received. Just like Christmas all over again. It changed our lives forever. We need to keep that excitement alive for ourselves and others. Take a moment to look back on your walk. What do you still remember? Now is the time to start recruiting for the spring walks. Men s walk is March 31-April 3, The Women s walk is April 14-17, They will be comfortable, and pampered. What a Christmas Gift to give that person on your list, I will promise you that will be the best gift you have ever given. Blessings, cont on page 5 We should be encouraging someone we know to take that Wonderful Walk! Don t keep everything a secret, let them know how excited you were. Tell them that there are talks during the time they are there, that the talks are given by laity people as well as clergy. they will have time to get to know other people there for the Walk. Let them know it is a time to learn more about Jesus, to become closer to him than they have ever been. Tell them there are pastors, as well as laity, that take the walk and find they grow closer to Jesus. Tell them that the time is exciting. Gene Louise Suncoast Emmaus Education 4

5 cont. from pg 4 Upcoming Board of Director Vacancies Barbara Nowling - Co Chair for Housing/Gatherings. Including but not limited to scheduling churches for future gatherings from a list of churches provided. Rick Pecht - Community Lay Director. The Community Lay Director is the Chair of the Board of Directors, and oversees the functioning of all committees of the Board, conducting monthly Board meetings and overseeing the conduct of all Suncoast Emmaus Community events. Suncoast Emmaus Board of Director Mee ng 3rd Monday of the month at 6:30 pm Grace UMC 400 Field Ave E, Venice January 2016 Spaghetti Dinner As most of you already know the January Gathering in 2016 will be held at Grace UMC at 400 Field Ave E in Venice, This Annual Fundraising Spaghetti Dinner event is scheduled for Saturday, January 16th at 5 pm. The price for the dinner is $10 per person. Please Board Member Oscar Keuker at okeuker@aol.com to reserve your plate for the evening. The Emmaus Fundraising Committee has been preparing an evening to recognize Past Lay Directors. We want to commemorate and honor them for their impact and contribution to the Emmaus Community and to their respective Walk. Please make every effort to attend this night of celebration. In addition to the recognitions we will be selling raffle tickets for $3 which may be purchased for a chance to win a gift basket. Sponsors don t forget to bring your new Fourth Dayer(s) to this special evening. See you there! DeColores, Cindy Thayer 2015 Gathering Attendance January 128 February 50 March 54 April 34 May 87 June 57 July TBA Aug 37 Sept 50 Oct TBA The Gatherings are held on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 5 pm. 5

Men 2016 Spring Walk Schedule March 31st April 3rd Women April 14th 17th The Walk in 2016 will be held at Christian Retreat at 1200 Glory Way Blvd off of Upper

SPRING WALK SCHEDULE Men s Walk 79 March 31st April 3rd Women s Walk 80 April 14th 17th Our Spring 2016 Team Lay Director for the Men s Walk is Mike Shahan.

6 Men 2016 Spring Walk Schedule March 31st April 3rd Women April 14th 17th The Walk in 2016 will be held at Christian Retreat at 1200 Glory Way Blvd off of Upper Manatee River Rd in Bradenton, SPRING WALK SCHEDULE Men s Walk 79 March 31st April 3rd Women s Walk 80 April 14th 17th Our Spring 2016 Team Lay Director for the Men s Walk is Mike Shahan..and for the Women s Walk is Gene Louise Fisher. Please begin prayer support for below scheduled events. February 4th Team Kickoff February 13th-Saturday Training February 27th Saturday Training March 12 Saturday Training March 24th POTLUCK Dinner Team meetings are going to be a Christ UMC

"THE RULES" TEXOMA EMMAUS COMMUNITY RULES For Use in Walk #82 DATED March 23, 2013

THE RULES TEXOMA EMMAUS COMMUNITY RULES For Use in Walk #82 DATED March 23, 2013 ACKNOWLEDGMENT "THE RULES" TEXOMA EMMAUS COMMUNITY RULES For Use in Walk #82 DATED March 23, 2013 With thanks to God our Father, Jesus Christ, our risen Savior, and the Holy Spirit, who works among us,