From our Community Spiritual Director

Transcription

1 CROSS POINT April 2009 Emmaus Community Newsletter Vol. XXI, No. 4 MONTHLY GATHERINGS (7:00 p.m.) WALKS (Board Meetings at 5:00) Men s #73 Apr 16 th Apr 19 th Apr 18 th Men s Candlelight Women s #74 Apr 23 rd Apr 26 th Apr 25 th Women s Candlelight Men s #75 Sep 24 th Sep 27 th May 9 th Calera UMC Women s #76 Oct 1 st Oct 4 th From our Community Spiritual Director By the time you read this, the Emmaus weekends may be over. And, I am again reminded of the power of the Emmaus walk to heal. In Luke 24:13-34 Cleopas and his friend, as they were going on the road toward Emmaus, comiserated together with the death of Jesus. They were sick at heart. They thought he was going to redeem Israel. Their hopes were dashed. You know the story They were joined by Jesus (although they didn t recognize him) who opened the scriptures to them to the point that their hearts burned within them. Later, when Jesus broke bread with them, they recognized him and ran back to Jerusalem to share with the disciples how their disappointment and despair had been transformed into hope. That s what Jesus does for us! He heals whatever it is that is keeping us down. How does he do it? #1 He heals instantly and directly. In Acts 9:32-34 Peter prayed for Aeneas at Lydda who had been paralyzed for eight years and immediately, the scripture says, he rose up. On the Emmaus weekend many are immediately healed in spirit. They become Christian for the first time. They realize they have not made such a decision before. They have walked from darkness into daylight. #2 He heals gradually. In Luke 17:11-16 Jesus healed the ten lepers, but not immediately. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. And as they went (not immediately), the scripture says, they were healed. Sometimes for pilgrims the greatest experience of the Emmaus Walk occurs in their Reunion Group. And the cumulative effect of week-to-week accountability bring healing and hope with things they have struggled with for years. #3 He heals through medical science. James 4:14-15 asks, Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him anointing him with oil, and the prayer of faith will save the sick and the Lord will raise him up. Many pilgrims have discovered healing on their Emmaus weekends. Some have had heart attacks, and with medical doctors present have been treated and sent on for further surgery or treatment. Some have had other problems, physical and emotional, and have experienced healing through

2 prayers that others have offered with anointing of oil in the prayer room. Olive oil was used for medical purposes during biblical times. #4 He heals our attitudes by giving us grace to suffer redemptively. In II Corinthians 12:7-10 Paul talks about his thorn in the flesh and how he sought the Lord three times. The Lord said simply, My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness. Emmaus pilgrims have come with many physical, mental, and emotional sicknesses. They have been blessed again and again, but still struggle with the same things. But now they have new strength for the battle. #5 He heals in the resurrection, i.e., that is, through death. In Revelation 21:4 the scripture talks about death for the believer being a time when there is no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain. The Christ of the Emmaus Road is the Christ who will heal us completely in death. We ve had many pilgrims over the years who have experienced this perfect healing. I hope and I pray, whether you are experiencing the Emmaus Walks this April, or whether it s been awhile since you ve been on your Walk, that God will heal you your mind, your body, your emotions, your spirit, your finances, and your relationships. De Colores, Dan Patman Cross Point Walk to Emmaus #1 Table of Mark Walk to Emmaus Sponsorship Is someone on your heart to sponsor on the upcoming Walks? Have you been praying for this person? Is God truly leading you in the sponsorship? If the answer is yes to each of these questions, you need to begin having discussions and praying with him/her. The purpose of the Walk to Emmaus is to build leadership within the local church; therefore, it is imperative that the pilgrim be involved in their local church. Applications are due no later than Thursday, April 9 th To complete the application, I will need the following items: pilgrim application sponsor application $35 deposit All forms are available on the website ( If the sponsorship is for a couple, each spouse must be willing to attend the Walk. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions regarding sponsorship at Julie Altom, Registrar

3 Snack Agape I hope everyone is ready for these next set of walks! I'm trusting God for His provisions for Snack Agape, and I trust that He's working through you to provide them! For both walks, we are in need of cookies, fruit breads, chips and dip, wrapped candy, cheese balls, fruit, vegetables and dip, trail mix, beef jerky, and 2-liter bottles of soda pop. Several have given cash donations and I will gladly do the shopping - I will probably use the cash donations for cheese and meat. Please feel free to call me to come to pick up your donations if you won't be going to either the men's or women's send-offs. You can reach me at (580) , (580) , or me at kellysue.shannon@sbcglobal.net. I greatly appreciate your generosity in supporting the Snack Agape! Inside Team Men s Walk #73 Lay Director Board Rep. Denny Moore Perseverance Rev. Roger Wood Spiritual Director s Table Leaders Rev. Darrell Cates Means of Grace Kyle Jones Rev. Stephen Hale Sanctifying Grace Shawn Harkins Rev. Ben Williams Justifying Grace Rick Drummond Rev. Aaron Reed Obstacles to Grace Alan Gorrell Rev. Trevor Smith Prevenient Grace Mark Newman Assistant Lay Director s Donald Wilson Jay Grace Priorities Prayer Room Ben Owens Fourth Day Dale Monkers Tem Barrett Body of Christ Rev. Les Bussell Doug Little Frank Warner Assistant Table Leaders Music Team David Woerz Priesthood of All Believers Philip Black Jason Sampson Life of Piety Donnell Cox Billy Sprouse Growth Through Study Charles McMillan Mike Mordy Christian Action Merl Callis James Young Discipleship Scot Fryer Jim Bradley Changing Our World Outside Team Team Assistants Doug Pfau Lisa Moore Chris McDowell Michelle Moore Cabin Stewards Bill Moore Dewayne Gibson Kent Southward Butch Coffey Snack Agape Vance Long Teresa Liddell Kitchen Crew Wadell Altom Jay Newman Max Montgomery Miguel Renteria Ben Willis Carolyn Graysneck Mike Laird Chris Sadle Jason Black Table Agape Carol Williams Zane Gray

4 Prayer Vigil for Walks #73 and #74 Please remember to pray for the pilgrims, team members, and their families. There is a link on the website where you can sign up for one or both of the 72-hour Prayer Vigils online. Candlelight services will be: Saturday April 18 th for the Men s walk and Saturday April 25 th for the Women s walk. Come to worship and then help these pilgrims experience God s love in a new and unique way. Hope to see you there! Inside Team Women s Walk #74 Lay Director Board Rep. Laura Mitchell Perseverance Paula Pfau Spiritual Director s Table Leaders Rev. Kay Buchanan Means of Grace Toni Hignight Rev. Sharen Hale Justifying Grace Donna Young (Action) Rev. David Mingus Sanctifying Grace Betty Hand Rev. Carolyn Higdon Prevenient Grace Becky Pierce Rev. G. McGee-Denton Obstacles to Grace Kelly Shannon Assistant Lay Director s Martha Wilson Judy Maples Prayer Room Amy Wallis Priorities Marilyn Dragg Cherri Bradley Janis Bart Cheryl Patman Fourth Day Karen Black Jeannie Owens Shawna Carnahan Assistant Table Leaders Music Team Cheryl Hightower Body of Christ Karin Nuner Shirley Warner Growth Through Study Debbie Hamilton Melissa Grace Life of Piety Joy Douthit Theresa Liddle Changing our World Elizabeth Klinger Mary McDowell Discipleship Peggy Kahle Priesthood of All Believers Outside Team Team Assistants Laura Davis Julie Altom Randy Hendershott Mike Foster Cabin Angels Betty Jane Crawley Lori Jones Jennifer Long Luanne Beliew Snack Agape Lisa Gibson Rebecca Reed Barbara Wood Kitchen Crew Vicki Swiggert Pam Dalton Larry Dalton Sharon Mercer Darlene Renteria Melinda Laird Yolanda Perry Linda St. Clair Keri Tivis Table Agape Ruste Foster Dianna Drummond Kathy Little Danielle Voight

5 Invitation to a Special Event How can we reach out to people in our community? There are as many ways to reach out to people as there are people who need people. During a recent workshop the leader shared some great tips on evangelism. One of those tips is something I have been trying to get started in our church s for sometime now and that is, If we re going to help people grow as Christians we need to have an event to invite them to. It s true, inviting people to a special event gets a lot more takers than inviting people to church. Sometimes people have a hang up about church, maybe they were a drug baby, drug to church every time the doors were opened. Maybe, as a kid or a preteen church just lost its luster and as the young person grew up to be an adult all they wanted to do was see the world and taste the forbidden fruits. (Remember the story of the Prodigal Son.) There are as many reasons / excuses to not go to church as there are reasons for late homework. Special events seem like non-confrontational times to invite someone to grow. I say grow because I ve never met anyone who did not want to be better. Even my friends who claim atheism as their faith desire to be better. God offers us through Christ the only true human growth that makes an eternal difference and everyone wants to grow, everyone wants to be better, they just don t always know how. That s where we come in. By inviting your friend to a special event they get a chance to grow. Easter is a special event, in fact, Easter is the most special event of all time. Everything changed when God raised Jesus from the dead. Hope reentered the world, not seen since the days prior to Adam and Eve s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Invite a neighbor, a friend, or a stranger to this year s special event, Easter service Cross Point Emmaus Board Members Rev. Dan Patman Community Spiritual Director Mike Carnahan Letter Agape Vicki Swigert Community Lay Director Dewayne Gipson Treasurer Paula Pfau Assistant Community Lay Director Karin Nuner Table Agape Rev. Kay Buchanan Gatherings Jeff Hiller Music Rev. Les Bussell Fourth Day Toni Hignight Literature Rev. Roger Wood Candlelight Sponsors Hour Julie Altom Registrar Kelly Shannon Kitchen Snack Agape Barbara Wood Secretary Ben Owens Setup Tear Down Joe Sherbert Newsletter