Light For the Journey

Transcription

1 B L U E R I D G E E M M A U S Oct-Dec 2013 Bonclarken Conference Center our new venue Bonclarken Conference Center 500 Pine Drive, Flat Rock, NC ** **GPS Users: Enter 5 Pine Drive, Flat Rock, NC-This will bring you to the main entrance. Many GPS systems do not recognize 500 Pine Drive. For a Google Map see our website: under Directions Send off: Thursday, November 7th at 7pm Please arrive a little early, bring a snack to share, enjoy catching up with old friends, tune up your singing voices and prepare for a wonderful, Spirit-filled weekend!

2 Page 2 From the Community Chairperson, Lynn Long HELP WANTED NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY Our Community is very much in need of 6 or 7 members with a servant s heart to join the Board of Directors. We continue to have openings to fill and due to an illness and other situations, we have recently lost two current members. The members now serving on the Board have done an outstanding job of picking up the responsibilities of the vacant positions, but if we are to be a vital and growing Community, we must have new blood to help direct and guide the Community. Leadership in the Community is intended to be progressive, that is, new members assume specific roles and work and learn alongside more experienced members. These experienced members then step aside so that new blood with new ideas and renewed energy are prepared to take over. While I believe every member of your Board now would sacrifice and serve beyond their term to maintain the integrity and workings of the Community, it is unwise and unhealthy for them to do so. We would like to utilize everyone s gifts and talents in the place that they are best suited, however, I know God (and our current Board members) will help those who are willing to serve, in whatever capacity, to help our Community be what God intends for it to be. I am asking each Community member to search their heart and prayerfully consider service as a Blue Ridge Emmaus Board member. If you have questions or want to help the Community, please contact Lynn Long at or Carl Marvin at Kitchen / Dining Room Servant Schedule* To Cook To Serve Friday Arrive at: Arrive At: Mealtime Breakfast 6:30 am 7:30 am 8:00 am Lunch 9:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 noon Dinner 2:00 pm 5:00 pm 5:30 pm Saturday Breakfast 6:30 am 7:30 am 8:00 am Lunch 9:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 noon Dinner 2:00 pm 5:00 pm 5:30 pm Sunday Breakfast 6:30 am 7:30 am 8:00 am Lunch 9:00 am 11:30 am 12:00 noon All times are estimates and subject to the leading of the Holy Spirit without advance notice... Note: We d love for you to stay and eat with us and even help clean up afterwards. With rising food costs, we ask those sharing the meal with us to contribute Kitchen Agape of $5.00 per meal. Thanks for your understanding...

3 Page 3 C h r y s a l I s o r n e r Greetings from the Chrysalis Community! DeColores my friends! Karen Sellers here. So, how old were you when you attended your walk? Was it a defining moment in your life? Have you ever wondered how different your life might have been if you had experienced the love of God though Emmaus when you were younger. No, we can t go back, but we can help young people enjoy that experience through Chrysalis now. We have the incredible opportunity to support our Mountain Ridge Chrysalis Community at the combined young men s Flight and Journey October God gave me the blessing of sponsoring our daughters on this life changing weekend when they were in high school. And now they will be serving on their first Emmaus team in November. God introduced them to their husbands through chrysalis. Our sons-in-law are serving on this young men s team in October. Wouldn t it be great to help a young person have a defining moment? Willing servants are needed at chrysalis in all the same areas as on a walk weekend. Pray now and continue through the weekend. Go to the website and check it out. Save the date and make it a priority to serve in some way. But I will warn you, be prepared for God to make a new defining moment in your life. You know, life before your first time at chrysalis, and life after chrysalis! Fly With Christ my friends! F R O M T H E B L U E R I D G E E M M A U S K I T C H E N DeColores! Come join in the fun. The Kitchen Workers would welcome you to share in our fellowship. Working in the kitchen has been our favorite way to serve on a Walk weekend. Some may think that being a gourmet chef is required, but that s just not so! If you can wash lettuce, crack eggs, or stir a pot; you are more than capable to be part of our team. You may even find a new talent while doing so! There are all sorts of things to do while working a walk, you ll never get bored and the blessings you receive while serving others are beyond compare. We always have a lot of fun and fellowship while preparing the meals. The enjoyment of working together in the Lord s service makes it well worth the effort. We start each day with fresh hot coffee and a daily prayer. Also, in order to center ourselves on the purpose of the weekend, we share Communion. Volunteering on a weekend is the greatest way to keep that mountain top experience going. Come join us while we serve the Lord and share fellowship and love with others. We get fed well, both physically and spiritually while we re doing it!!! See you there! Tom and Linda Snell (Please note the Kitchen/Dining Room service schedule on the previous page)

4 Page 4 Mark your calendars for the upcoming weekends Women s Walk Bonclarken. Nov 7-10, Lay Director: Virginia Wilkinson Men s Walk Bonclarken. Feb 20-23, 2014, Lay Director: Gene Schimpf Women s Walk Bonclarken. May , Lay Director: Eva Farren Chrysalis Flights Journey #28, Flight Camp Tekoa. Oct 25-27, Lay Director: Jim Lowe Girls Flight #65 originally scheduled for November has been postponed. Kairos Weekends Kairos MCI #11 Marion NC, Nov 7-10, Lay Director: Ken Jordan Moved Recently? New Address, Phone Number, address change??? Let us know Contact Mack msfire21@gmail.com Love to cook and work in a busy kitchen? Love to lift up others in prayer and praise? Love to organize social events and fun times? Love to lead others in worship and praise? We have places where you can serve Your Emmaus board needs you! What better way to show agape to the pilgrims that will be added our Blue Ridge Emmaus community in the next few years. For more info, Lynn Long at lynnlong@hcgexpress.net.

5 Page 5 The Purpose of the Walk to Emmaus Let me first introduce myself to those of you who have not met or served with me. I am Wes Austin, the pastor at Abernethy UMC (the pumpkin church on Patton Ave). I am in my third year of being appointed to Abernethy and I love being there. God has blessed me in allowing me to be the husband of the beautiful and gifted Lisa Austin as well as to be the father of three, great children, Jonah, Andrew and Emma. God is also blessing me in allowing me to be a part of providing spiritual direction for the Blue Ridge Emmaus Community. I look forward to meeting and getting to know all of God s servants in the Blue Ridge Community. My original walk was in the Piedmont Emmaus Community and I have served on walks in the Piedmont Emmaus Community, Emmanuel Emmaus in the Hickory area, as well as in the Mountain Ridge Chrysalis and the Blue Ridge Emmaus Communities. What is true of each of these communities is that they are lead by the most dedicated, faithful and compassionate servants in Christ s holy church. I am grateful to God for each of them. I want the Blue Ridge Emmaus community to make sure that they understand that those servants who have in the past and who are now making the Blue Ridge Walk to Emmaus the best it can be are working very hard for this community. Be sure to thank them and pray for them as often as possible. Now that all of that has been said, I have a question for you. What do you think is the purpose of the Walk to Emmaus? I genuinely want to hear your responses, so please shoot me an or a Facebook message. My is WAustin@wnccumc.net. I ask this question because the scriptures assure us that we are called by God for specific purposes; most notably we are called to be witnesses to the love of God in Christ and to do the work of Christ in the world. Purpose is at the heart of what we do, because it tells us why we do it and guides how we are to go about fulfilling our purpose. In college one of my supervisors in the library bindery where I worked as a student assistant, said that the greatest religious experience of his life to that date had been the experience of being in the front row of a Tina Turner concert. (This was in 1983.) While I am not sure that is what Tina Turner and the concert promoters were shooting for I am sure that would be considered high praise for a rock concert. My point is that while the Walk to Emmaus is designed and should be executed to facilitate the pilgrims experience of the love and grace of God directly, powerfully and individually, that is not the purpose of the Walks. In order for us, the servants of the Blue Ridge Community to fulfill what God is calling us to do and be we must understand and remind ourselves of why we do it. I am eagerly anticipating your responses. De Colores, Wes Austin The Twenty Dollar & The One Dollar Bill A well-worn one-dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty-dollar bill arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation. The twentydollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the country. I ve had a pretty good life, the twenty proclaimed.. Why I ve been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean... Wow! said the one-dollar bill. You ve really had an exciting life! So, tell me, said the twenty, where have you been throughout your lifetime? The one dollar bill replied, Oh, I ve been to the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Presbyterian Church... The twentydollar bill interrupted, What s a church?

6 L I G H T F O R T H E J O U R N E Y Page 6 From the Blue Ridge Emmaus Prayer Chapel As our time on the Emmaus Board draws to an end, we would like to thank our Emmaus family for the privilege of serving in the Prayer Chapel. When we were first approached to lead this area of the walk, we were a bit hesitant, but we prayed about it and really felt God urging us to take this on. How thankful we are that we did! We have met so many wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ through this experience. We look forward to the walks as times when we can share prayer, songs, love, and fellowship with each other. It has been such a wonderful honor to help pray the speakers up and pray them down, to pray for the pilgrims, for family members, for Emmaus community members, and for friends. We pray that the prayer chapel will always be a place where people will feel welcome at any during the walk. If you are approached to take on the Prayer Chapel, consider this honor prayerfully. You, too, will be richly blessed. De Colores! Larry and Betty Morris. The following board positions are open and need to be filled immediately or for Secretary records the minutes of the meetings, keeps documents and Community correspondence. Asst. Registrar assists Registrar with correspondence and information regarding pilgrim applications. Trains to take over the Registrar position at the end of the Registrar s term. Asst. Treasurer assists Treasurer with all financial aspects of the Community and trains to assume the Treasurer position at the end of the Treasurer s term. Follow-up/Gatherings Coordinates with various churches and groups who sponsor the gatherings. Sets the calendar for these events and helps the sponsoring groups/churches to plan and hold these events. 72-hour Prayer Vigil Coordinates Community participation in producing the 72 hour prayer banner for each walk. Prayer Chapel presides over the prayer chapel during the walks, helps with speaker prayers as well as team, pilgrim and community prayers during the walk. Purchasing Coordinates the requisitioning of all supplies for the walks. Works closely with other Chairpersons to ensure their supply needs are met. Kitchen Responsible for all food production during the walks. Coordinates all volunteer efforts in the kitchen during the walks. Volunteer Coordinator tracks, records and maintains records for all volunteer efforts in the community, especially those efforts at the walks. Helps coordinate when and where volunteers are needed and utilized. Our board meets generally once a month usually for no more than two hours. Service is expected to be a three year term, but job responsibilities may be changed as needs arise and the Board Chairperson sees the need. Board officers (Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary) are elected by the board on an annual basis.

7 Page 7 L I G H T F O R T H E J O U R N E Y I intended to kill him but he wouldn t die was the matter-of-fact statement from an inmate that I ll call Allen, as he described what was to be his first attempt of several to shoot a cop, this time at the tender age of 12. By the end of that weekend, Allen and upwards of 75% of the participants of this Kairos weekend will have dedicated their lives to Christ. Allen credits being incarcerated as a blessing that saved his life. All of his friends, save one who is likewise behind bars, are dead, the victims of drug overdoses, rival gang wars or a hail of police bullets. That eye-opening story and others like it became rather common as some of the 42 inmates- called participants- revealed snippets of their past during a 3 ½ day Kairos prison ministry weekend at Marion Correctional Institution, a close custody facility with a population of over 800 male felons, many with life sentences with no possibility of parole. Based on the Walk to Emmaus model, the semi-annual weekend is filled with 15 talks by both laity and clergy, chapel visits, music, poster making and good home-cooked food. Home-made, prayed-over cookies- some 4,000 dozen- are a hallmark of the Kairos ministry with a dozen being distributed to every inmate and prison staff daily during the 3 days. Team members accompanied by a staff person make the rounds of the cell blocks, including segregation, handing out these symbols of agape- God s unconditional love. Unlike Emmaus, where pilgrims are at least nominal Christians desiring a closer walk with Christ, Kairos participants are mostly nonbelievers and may be Muslim, Wiccan, atheists or agnostics. Many carry a huge burden of guilt and unforgiveness, especially toward the witnesses and prosecutors that put them behind bars. I became involved with Kairos after hearing an appeal for team members at a Blue Ridge Emmaus event. Many on the Kairos team are also Emmaus alumni and team members. Now, after having served in various positions on 8 Kairos weekends, I continue to volunteer to be a vessel of the Holy Spirit in bringing hope and agape to the least of these. I marvel each time as I bear witness to the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit in softening the hearts of hardened criminals who will help to build a Christian community within these prison walls. The Kairos ministry is active in state prisons at Spruce Pine, Marion, Morganton and Taylorsville in western North Carolina. For more information on how you can become a part of this vital ministry, contact me at: brownneil@bellsouth.net When did I see you in prison?? De Colores- Neil Brown BRE Walk #60

8 Page 8 Things to pray for on 72-hour Prayer Vigil during an Emmaus Weekend Emmaus and Chrysalis community members often state they have trouble identifying specific things to pray for, especially if they have committed to a full hour of prayer. Just move down this list in your prayers, or start at any point and let the Spirit lead you from that point forward (Romans 8:26, 27). Regardless of how you go about it, just do it. Pilgrims and the team members are counting on you. More importantly, Christ is counting on you! Pray: for each pilgrim by name, and ask God to help them forget the outside world for the weekend that God will be with each pilgrim who may be resisting the Spirit's call that each pilgrim will enter into table discussions and freely give of her/himself when it comes to responding to questions, etc. for peace of mind for each pilgrim so that s/he will hear the messages shared by each speaker that each pilgrim will faithfully die out to some obstacle in their life during Dying Moments Communion, and really examine their life during other chapel services for each pilgrim by name that, if s/he doesn't know the Lord Jesus as personal Savior, s/he will ask Him into their heart that each pilgrim will feel the love of Christ in a very special way that s/he has never felt before and that s/he will accept it, then take this love back home to be shared with others that each letter and each piece of agape will warm the heart of each pilgrim that the letters of agape received from other communities will show them how far and wide God's love reaches that the Holy Spirit will work in each pilgrim s life at the Closing service and into all of their Fourth days for each pilgrim that, when s/he returns home at the end of the Walk, s/he will be able to go back to work without too much difficulty making up the work they may have missed on days of the Walk that each pilgrim will walk closely with the Lord Jesus and keep His name on their lips, and His Spirit in their heart at all times that when appropriate each pilgrim will thank their sponsor sincerely for their support of the Walk for each team member by name, and ask God to help them forget the outside world for the weekend and to concentrate their total effort on serving Lord Jesus through their interactions with the pilgrims that all family members of each pilgrim and team member who was left at home during the weekend will be protected from harm and be maintained in good health that God will grant good health and restful sleep to each pilgrim and team member throughout the weekend

9 Page 9 for each pilgrim and team member that they will be able to "Let go and let God" in all they think or do this weekend that gifts of agape to pilgrims and team members will be accepted with love for the donor(s), knowing they were Christ-inspired for the Spiritual Directors that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them, the Lord's Gospel will be clarified and His name will be glorified for the Lay Director that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them the Lord's Gospel will be clarified and His name will be glorified for the Lay Director-in-Training that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them, the Lord's Gospel in this Walk and the next one will be clarified and His name will be glorified for the Music Directors that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them and their gift of music the Lord's Gospel will be clarified and His name will be glorified for the Asst. Lay Directors that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them, the Lord's Gospel will be clarified and His name will be glorified for the Table Leaders that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them, the Lord's Gospel will be clarified and His name will be glorified for the Asst. Table Leaders that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them, the Lord's Gospel will be clarified and His name will be glorified for the Board Representative that Lord Jesus will continue to bless them, and that through them the Lord will be glorified for each Speaker that the Lord will speak to pilgrims through them and that each talk will be a blessing to all those who will hear it for those who are preparing the food and helping serve it to each pilgrim and team member, asking God to bless them, and to use the food to nourish each person in the manner God intends for each Sponsor who loved the pilgrim so much that s/he made this Walk possible for the pilgrim that there will be no problems encountered in matters that compromise the safety or comfort of the pilgrims and team members, such as fire, break-ins, theft, etc. that Lord Jesus will reap a harvest of souls due to the efforts of these new Fourth Day members as they establish their own ministries that our Lord will be blessed by all that is done in His name throughout the weekend that all which is done over the weekend will be done in our Lord's name that the Lord will remind me to continue praying faithfully throughout the weekend that His will shall be done Amen. Emmaus questions??? Sponsorship Forms??? Walk Dates/?? Check out the Blue Ridge Emmaus website at

10 Page 10 Walk #70 Pilgrims Anne Bethea Lynn Booraem Marian Brown Carol Carlock Kelly Case Lori Cavanaugh Sandy Cavanaugh Dotty Clague Elizabeth Corle Nancy Donnelly Nancy Ferguson Joyce Forth Allison Gilliam Rose Gordon Shelley Grindstaff Pam Hall Sherri Hogan Dori Jones Kitty Kimmons In-Yong Lee Barbara Lewis Kim Maltby Jennifer McCourry Dori Moschouris Angie Parker Kathy Reinhard Lois Rhodes Elizabeth Rogers Margaret Stanley Carol Tobin Mary Vermillon Paula Ware Regina Weaver Lu Ann Welter Melanie Whaley Walk #70 Conference Room Servants Lay Director Virginia Wilkinson (Perseverance) Asst Lay Director Eva Farren (Fourth Day) Asst Lay Director Jan Jeffery (Priority) Asst Lay Director Jami Davis (Priesthood of all Believers) Asst Lay Director Sally McCoy Table Leader Valerie Sen (Changing our World) Table Leader Jo Davidson (Christian Action) Table Leader Mary Anne Eldridge (Body of Christ) Table Leader Carolyn Sibert (Discipleship) Table Leader Valerie Long (Life of Piety) Table Leader Karen Winston (Growth Through Study) Asst Table Leader Meredith Crisp Asst Table Leader Nicky Whittaker Asst Table Leader Deena Bingham Asst Table Leader Millicent Duccini Asst Table Leader Jimi Wrenn Asst Table Leader Nancy Gatewood Music Leader Martha Weaver Asst Music Leader Whitney Jacobs Board Rep Karen Sellers Spiritual Director Dick Campbell (Sanctifying Grace) Asst Spiritual Director Diean Campbell (Means of Grace) Asst Spiritual Director Buddy Corbin (Justifying Grace) Asst Spiritual Director Karen Marcus (Prevenient Grace) Asst Spiritual Director Wyllene Skipper (Obstacles to Grace)

11 Page 11 BRE August Picnic at Cashiers UMC A little drizzle didn t stop a great time of fellowship, fantastic food, wonderful music (Amazing Grace is also beautiful when sung v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y) and Holy Communion to end the day. Thank you Cashiers folks!!!

12 ..Send off for Women s Walk #70 at Bonclarken on Thursday Nov 7:00 pm Be there (...cause I m takin names...!) Pray about whom God wants you to sponsor for Men s Walk #71, Feb , E M M A U S B O A R D M E M B E R S Position Name Phone Community Chair Lynn Long (15) lynnlong@hcgexpress.net Vice-Chair Carl Marvin cmarvin@sdcwnc.com Community Spiritual Director Wes Austin (15) pkwes@yahoo.com Treasurer Jeff Moss (15) jeffandmark@att.net Secretary Betty Morris (15) blmorris1201@gmail.com Team Selection Bill Church (15) bill@churchinsurancegroup.net Registration Irv Hendricks (14) gamecocknc@aol.com Follow-Ups/Gatherings Barb Korb (13) barbarakorb@yahoo.com Agape Brad & Sherri Noble bsnoble@live.com Prayer Vigil OPEN Prayer Chapel Larry & Betty Morris (13) blmorris1201@gmail.com Candlelight Don & Jo Davidson (14) uncbbfan@bellsouth.net Purchasing OPEN Kitchen Tom & Linda Snell (13) lindas@destinatum.net Dining Room Carl & Sue Marvin (14) marvins168@yahoo.com Closing Lee Wilkinson (13) leewilkinson09@gmail.com Web Servant / Newsletter Don Davidson (15) uncbbfan@bellsouth.net Information Services Mack Salley msfire21@gmail.com Chrysalis Liaison Karen Sellers karenwsellers@yahoo.com Send Off / Sponsor s Hour Robin Corbin (14) rrcorbin@morrisbbnet Send Off / Sponsor s Hour Robin Royal (14) quiltchick78@gmail.com Set-Up / Tear-Down Chris Donaldson (15) skiingcrpntr@yahoo.com