Rector s Report VdC #49. VdC #50 Coming up! Welcome to the. Via de Cristo #50. Semiannual Community Newsletter. President s Corner

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1 Rector s Report Welcome to the Via de Cristo Semiannual Community Newsletter Via de Cristo #50 Sierra Christian Service Camp April 28th - May 1st, 2016 VdC #50 Coming up! President s Corner Secretariat Election Spiritual Directions Annual Meeting Fall/Winter 2015/2016

2 President s Corner De Colores, I pray that you all had a blessed Thanksgiving. This is my favorite time of the year. At the moment, I am surrounded by organized chaos, preparing for our upcoming move. I am thankful for that chaos. I know that sounds a bit odd, but I am. It s a sign of things to come. Although, I would have preferred it not to take place smack dab in the middle of the holiday season; God had other ideas. What lies before us is essentially a new beginning. (I can hear it now, Let us begin again ) We look forward to the opportunities God has placed before us. I reflect on the VdC method and what its purpose is. In this move, God is placing me and my family in a new environment. We have the opportunity to grow in Piety, Study (more than just scripture in this case) and Apostolic Action. We have an opportunity to become new Laity. I have heard it said many times over the years as a part of this community to bloom where you are planted. Whether you stay where you are or move to another area all together, look for the opportunities God has placed before you. You never know what God has in store. He put so many people in my life to help me plan and execute the weekend. During the weekend we saw GOD at work though the Pilgrims and team. We felt and saw the Holy Spirit thoughout the weekend. All the prayers from the community were felt and I feel GOD heard all of them. We are all blessed to have 14 new Cristoistas in our community. Their names are Gary Block, Lisa Caraway, Jeff Fulfer, Carla Grady, Steven Hight, Greg Loustau, Tiffany Knepper, Tom Perkins, Juliette Pugh, Robert Purdie, Wendy Purdie, Sarah Storey, Tom Storey and Brian Varnes. I would like to congratulate Bill Long on saying yes to GOD as he will be the Rector of VDC # 50. I ask the community to pray for Bill as he takes on this call from GOD, and if you feel the call to work the weekend or if you feel you know someone GOD has put on your heart to attend the weekend, please fill out an application. IN CHRIST S LOVE Jeffrey M. Helgager BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. I AM EXALTED AMONG THE NATIONS, I AM EXALTED IN THE EARTH! Psalm 46:10 I had no idea what God had in store for me four years ago when I was asked to serve as Vice President, and then to follow the progression and become President, but I knew God would be with me every step of the way if I relied on Him and the advisors he placed on the Secretariat to serve along beside me. I learned a great deal as President. This is not good bye. I will be with you in prayer and will angel when possible. I look forward to planting roots in a new community, and seeing new growth. Let your roots grow in him, and draw nourishment from him so you will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and let your lives overflow with thanks for all he has done. Colossians 2:7 Rector s Report De Colores As the Rector of VDC # 49 I would like to send GOD s Blessings to all the VDC community. It was an awesome journey that God blessed me with. 2 Cristoistas Brian Varnes Carla Grady Gary Block Gregory Loustau Jeffrey Fulfer Juliette Pugh Lisa Caraway Robert Purdie Sarah Storey Steven Hight Thomas Perkins Tom Storey Wendy Purdie Tiffany Knepper

3 VdC #50 Coming Up! Our community is turning 50 weekends old on April 28th, 2016! Just think of all the pilgrims who became Cristoistas over those 50 weekends. So many lives have been changed during that time. There has been spiritual and physical healing and serious commitments made to join Jesus on his mission to save the world! This is a cause for a celebration! Please come and be a part of this momentous weekend by serving on the team, sponsoring a pilgrim, signing up for the 72-hour payer vigil, angeling, or donating. Maybe you have not participated for a while so this would be a great time to jump back in for the big Five-O! Please pray and ask God if he is calling you to be his servant and listen intently for his answer. This will be a wonderful opportunity to serve and be blessing to others and thus be blessed yourself. knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord. Ephesians 6:8 Spiritual Directions The Lord is Near Via de Cristo #50 Sierra Christian Service Camp April 28th - May 1st, 2016 As I write this short message, we are coming on Christmas. When I think about Christmas past, of the presents that I have given or received, without a doubt one of the best was when we were able to bring home our first born Emelie from the hospital in a Christmas stocking! And when I think of amazing gifts, the gift of my pilgrim weekend back in October of 1992 was perhaps the most powerful. It was a turning point in my life. God grabbed a hold of me that weekend, and has never let me go. The gift of a closer relationship with Jesus Christ is what VdC and Cursillo are all about. But if we re going to be honest with ourselves (and that usually works out better in the long run) we would all admit that the life of a disciple of Jesus can often be challenging! Our trials and troubles don t just disappear. And yet, when you read Paul s letter to the Philippians, chapter 4, he writes, Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Depending on the kind of week you ve been having, those words might leave you thinking, Just what planet did this guy live on? Hasn t he heard about the attacks in Paris, then San Bernardino, and where next? Life can be full of difficulty and hurt. Didn t the Apostle Paul know that?!! And then we remember Paul s little diary entry in Second Corinthians. He writes, I ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death s door time after time. I ve been flogged five times with the Jews thirty-nine lashes, beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I ve been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day. In hard traveling year in and year out, I ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers. I ve known drudgery and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. Annual Meeting & Ultreya January 31st St. John s Lutheran Church at 3:30 p.m. So how can this same Paul write to the Church in Philippi, Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice! But please notice, he doesn t say Rejoice in your rotten circumstances, he says, Rejoice in the Lord. Paul then goes on to say, Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, present your requests to God You see, fellow Cristoistas, that is the key - the Lord is near... He is at hand, just reach out, talk to Him, ask Him for help, and say thanks to Continued next page 3

4 Spiritual Directions (continued) Him. Then you will have a peace which surpasses understanding. So, when you find that life is getting you down, remember Paul s words the Lord is near. Well sure, but what about the terrorism in the world? Remember the Lord is near. What about my finances? You ought to see what my checking account balance looks like! Remember the Lord is near. What about my health problems? Remember the Lord is near. What about my family problems? Remember the Lord is near. But it seems like the joy that I experienced on my pilgrim weekend is beginning to fade! Remember the Lord is near. As I mentioned, we re coming on Christmas. What is it that we sing at Christmas each year? Joy to the world, my job is great. No, that s not it. Joy to the world, my health is perfect. Nope, that can t be right. Joy to the world, I m rich as Trump! No, no, no we sing, Joy to the world, the Lord is come! When it seems like your joy is fading, remind yourself, the Lord is near, right at your fingertips, just reach out to him again, with all your heart, and with all your mind. Let the Lord God be your strength and your salvation. The Lord Jesus is near and brothers and sisters that will never change. Amen Blessings, Pastor Gary Annual Meeting January 31st at 3:30 p.m. St. John s Lutheran Church 4500 Buena Vista Rd. Bakersfield, CA (661) Kidz Connection Room Highlights Vote to approve a proposed change to the bylaws Election of new Secretariat Directors Grouping Proposed change to SECTION 6 RESTRICTION REGARDING INTERESTED DIRECTORS Part A of the VdC bylaws: Current: Not more than two persons from the same church may serve on the Secretariat at the same time. Proposed Change: Not more than one-fourth of the total Secretariat directors may be members of the same church at the same time. There are 12 directors on the secretariat so the net effect of this change would be to allow 3 members from the same church to serve on the Secretariat at the same time. 4

5 Please use this ballot to cast your votes for the Secretariat positions shown using one of these three methods: 1) Cast your ballot in person at the Annual Meeting & Ultreya 2) Via mail (before Jan 18th please) addressed: Via de Cristo of Southern California and the Central Valley BALLOT 9530 Hageman Road, B243 Bakersfield, CA ) Via to: Space is provided under the printed candidate name for a write-in candidate. Only ballots received by the Ultreya date will be counted. Thank you for your participation! Bio for Jessica Gallegos VdC Secretariat Ballot Position Candidate Vote Vice President Secretary National Representative 3-Day Supply Palanca Max Turner Jessica Gallegos Garey Schaub Lou Azevedo Per our bylaws, our departing President Vickie De Blasio will be succeded by our Vice President, Ron Mummaw. I m 24 years old. I live in Fresno, California, and attend the Well. My faith has been strengthened through pilgrimage and serving on three weekends as a Cristoista. I have been a rookie cook, table leader, band singer and rookie rollista. I look forward to growing as a Christian leader on the Secretariat board and to introducing friends and family to join the VDC movement in the future Hageman Road, B243 Bakersfield, CA into@californiavdc.org 5