Lagniappe Country Walk to Emmaus

Transcription

1 A Word from our Community Lay Director: Dear LCWE Family, Lagniappe Country Walk to Emmaus Fall 2015 Newsletter We have lift-off! Women s Walk #76 is taking off with 27 pilgrims registered and confirmed!! Thank you to those of you who are serving as sponsors for the women of this walk. Now, is the time to step up and plan to be part of the team outside the conference room. Now, is the time to ramp up in prayer for the team and the pilgrims. Sponsorship the backbone of the walk! We usually discuss sponsorship in terms of the number of pilgrims signed up for a Walk. Sponsorship is THE most important job in Emmaus! It is so much more than just signing people up for a walk! The quality of sponsorship influences the pilgrim, the health of the Emmaus movement, and the church affected by the movement. (Handbook on Emmaus) The following also comes from the Handbook on Emmaus: First, good sponsorship is the first act of agape before a Walk ever begins; the experience of the Walk for a pilgrim really begins with how we handle sponsorship. Second, good sponsorship undergirds the whole weekend with sacrificial love on behalf of each pilgrim. Third, good sponsorship is the foundation for a healthy,effective Emmaus movement that is fulfilling its true purpose: the development of Christian leaders and the renewal of the church in ministry. THE AIM OF SPONSORSHIP IS TO BUILD UP THE BODY OF CHRIST! The question then becomes, who do we sponsor? Church leaders, dependable church members, people who need their awareness of grace rekindled and their commitments renewed, Christians who are hungry for that something more and who want to grow spiritually, respected laypersons and clergy, members of diverse congregations, denominations, and ethnic groups people who want to experience Christ as did the disciples on the Emmaus Road (Emmaus Handbook). We invite co-workers, relatives, neighbors, friends, acquaintances, bosses, pastors, teachers, church members The time to begin talking with a potential Pilgrim is NOW! Don t wait until the month before a walk. Start having this discussion with the potential pilgrim right now. Give them a couple of months to pray about it. Talk with them again, answering any questions they may have. Give them a little longer to make their decision. Then, take an application to them and help them get it filled out and turned in along with the sponsor application. Encourage the potential pilgrim to make the commitment and then plan their calendar around the walk. There are those who keep the Emmaus surprises well-hidden so that their pilgrim will be able to experience the walk as they did. My thought is this; if anxiety regarding the unknown is going to keep someone from going on a walk, then tell them there will be a surprise or two along the way.if they need to know what those are, tell them, to relieve their anxiety. Some people like surprises, and some don t. Let s help relieve any anxiety someone may have about attending the walk. So, why don t we sponsor? Busyness, thinking someone else will do it, don t ask anyone, don t want to make the commitment, serving on the conference room team don t fall into these traps/excuses. There are ways to solve these problems join with someone else and co-sponsor, ASK, take the time, plan your calendar around the walk, make it a priority! Without sponsorship,walks have to be cancelled. It is up to us to be God s channels of His love and grace, and invite people to have this amazing experience with God! I look forward to seeing all of you serving on Walk #76!! De Colores! Jodie Jodie Harper Community Lay Director, Chair Phone: jodieharper55@gmail.com Lori Rogerson Facilities, Vice Chair Phone: lorgerson1@me.com Patti Riche Prayer, Secretary Phone: pattier@cox.net Pat Powers Kitchen, Teasurer Phone: patsekal@gmail.com Bill Drake Gatherings/Reunions Phone: auburnduck@att.net Lagniappe Country Emmaus Community - Board of Directors Walter Weiss Music and Entertainment Phone: walterrweiss@att.net Sarah Zeringue Team Selection Phone: zeringue71@cox.net Tal Lanius Worship & Altars Phone: tallanius@gmail.com Becky Walding Registrar Phone: waldingrebecca@gmail.com Janet Anderson Team Assistants/ Literature/Supplies Phone: Anderson1985@att.net Rev. Jan Curwick Community Spiritual Director Phone: jhcurwick@gmail.com Rev. Jackie King Asst. Community Spiritual Director Phone: RevJECK@gmail.com Marverne Terrell Agape Phone: mterrell10@bellsouth.net Jay Coats Newsletter/Web/ Phone: jaycoats1@att.net Women s Walk #76 - Oct 1st-Oct 4th

2 From: Lay Director, LCWE Team NaN A WORD FROM OUR LAY DIRECTORS I am writing this on the weekend which should have been LCWE 76, the fall Men s Walk, 2015, at about the time I should be giving the Perseverance talk. But that walk did not have enough pilgrims, so it didn t happen or did it? We have been preparing for months. I agreed to be the Lay Director way back in early November, The first scripture that came to mind was Rev. 3:20, Behold, I stand at the door and knock, and that became our theme. I recruited ALD s, then the rest of the team soon after LCWE 74 (spring Men s Walk, 2015). We had our Team Social in May. At the social, we talked about the Walk as a series of retreats, each overlaid on and overlapping the borders of the others: the team has a retreat that lasts from recruitment through the Walk weekend; there is a retreat of sorts that happens in the prayer room, outside but vitally connected to the conference room; and another that happens in the kitchen, facilities,altars, etc. Each retreat affects the others and the sum of it all results in life-changing events throughout the Walk community. But our Walk did not happen because too few pilgrims applied; instead, the Women s Fall Walk becomes LCWE 76. We are now offered the opportunity to become LCWE 79 assuming that all goes well with Walks 76, 77 and 78. So far, we all want to be the men s walk team for next fall, whatever number that may be. We do not have dates yet, but we have a great motivation and a bond that we do not wish to surrender. Since we do not know for sure what our number will be, we have chosen the name, Team NaN. NaN, as I understand it, is a term used by computer programmers in a situation in which a value has not been established; it means Not a Number. Thus, we are all Team NaN not a valid number until enough pilgrims are recruited to populate a specific walk s requirements. What is the implication of Team NaN? As stated in Team Prep Meeting 3, our team retreat has now been extended from 6 months to 18 months. We have the opportunity to experience God s preparation of us in an out-of-manual experience. There is no procedure to guide us here except for the example of the original disciples. We have become Prayer-centric centered on prayer; we will take time daily to pray, and we will keep a log of our prayer requests, starting with Team NaN, and the answers we perceive. And there is more to come. On a larger scale, we, the community, have an opportunity to reset. What are our Priorities, and how will we Persevere? What is my role, and yours, in Walk to Emmaus? We cannot be complacent with simply showing up for a meal in the kitchen, say a prayer in the prayer room or hold a candle in the air on Saturday night. Walk to Emmaus has an enormous responsibility in the larger church community: we are to enlist church members, provide a unique retreat experience, and return them to the church at large as enthusiastic leaders. The failure to complete LCWE 76 this weekend is not just a tiny stumble in the life of LCWE, but a failure to awaken a group of leaders in the Church at large. We have not carried LCWE applications to church with us! Folks, we must see our role in the evangelistic context it belongs in: we are recruiting people from a complacent role as pew-sitter to an exciting 4th Day experience!! We are a Royal Priesthood let s hear the knock of Revelation 3:20 and amplify it for the potential pilgrims in the pews around us! De Colores! Ron Newton From the Lay Director Lagniappe Country Walk to Emmaus #76 Dear Sisters & Brothers in Christ, As I write this, we are 12 days away from Walk 76. Our team s last training session will be Saturday, September 26th, and then October 1st we are of and running! I am humbled to serve as lay director for this walk, and I am especially humbled to watch our conference room team come together as one through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I remember my Emmaus walk well. It seemed that there was a surprise around every corner, and each one was better than the one before! It is my prayer that each of the pilgrims on Walk 76 will have an experience like that. I pray that they will come prepared to unplug from the world for three days, and plug in to communication with God. And in that close communication with God, may each pilgrim and team member receive the message that God has for her alone. Our scripture for this walk is Ephesians 3:20 as interpreted in The Message: God can do anything, you know far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! Believe with me God can do anything including meeting us at our deepest need! This is my prayer for the pilgrims, the team and the entire LCWE community! I ask that each of you in the Emmaus community would join me in these prayers for our pilgrims. Please also pray for the conference room team and for all of the support teams who make these walks possible. Pray for God s hand to guide us every step of the way; pray for stamina and strength; andfor us to empty ourselves that we may be filled with the joy of Christ s love as we serve Him. Decolores, Shanan Schatzle

3 OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE One of the foundations of the Walk to Emmaus experience is servanthood. It is through servanthood that we experience anew, the joy and excitement of the weekend. You don t have to be on conference room team to be a major part of the weekend experience. The support role is the engine that drives the weekend. By contributing your time and talents, the weekend flows smoothly and everyone can experience the presence of God. Not just the pilgrims...everyone! How can I serve?... PRAYER - Pray for the pilgrims. Pray for the team. Visit to sign up for the prayer vigil. Come to the Prayer Room at least 30 minutes before each talk and pray for the speaker (times of the talks are listed on page 5). Pray at home, pray at work,...pray without ceasing! Contact Patti Riche for more information. KITCHEN - Why is working in the kitchen during the weekend so much fun? Is it the fellowship, the sense of creating, or just the experience of serving? Whatever it is, it is essential. Your contribution is both needed and appreciated. Contact Pat Powers for more information. ALTARS - The altar arrangements throughout the weekend are an inspirational part of each visit to the sanctuary. Help out for one arrangement, a day or the whole weekend! Contact Tal Lanius to find out how you can help. FACILITIES - The weekend involves a lot of setting up, taking down, moving, picking up and putting away. Your help is needed! Wednesday evening at 6:00 and again on Thursday Morning starting at 8:30 AM, set up Conference Room, sleeping areas, Prayer and Dining Rooms. Saturday evening - after Candlelight - move Conference Room. Sunday Morning - arrive by 6:30 AM to convert sleeping areas back to Sunday School rooms. Sunday evening - after Closing to restore the Broadmoor Campus to pre-walk condition. Contact Lori Rogerson for more information. AGAPE - Oven agape is a sweet, warm way to spread God's love. Bring homemade oven agape to the kitchen on Thursday of the Walks. - OR - The upcoming walks will need 60 agape items for each weekend. Some articles are tried and true, but new ones are always welcome. God's favorite hobby is creating, so get Him in on the planning! Contact Marverne Terrell for more information TEAM ASSISTANT - Learn how the conference room gets set up, rearranged during breaks, cleaned up and taken down during the weekend. Team Assistant is a vital part of the Walk and is loads of fun too. Won t you help? Contact Janet Anderson for more information CANDLELIGHT and CLOSING - What experiences they are! An opportunity to worship and to demonstrate community spirit to the pilgrims. REMEMBER, CANDLELIGHT IS AT 8:00 PM ON SATURDAY AND CLOSING IS AT 4:00 PM ON SUNDAY!...Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to the least of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me. Matthew 25:40 Do we have your address? If you have an address, but haven t been receiving communication from us, go to the LCWE web site, click on the Contact Us link, and fill out the form with your information. Or us at LCWEnews@gmail.com with your name, walk number, preferred address. The web site also has pilgrim applications, team service applications (don t forget to fill out annually), links to prayer vigil signup, the community calendar, detailed gathering information, and information on sponsorship and reunion groups. CAMPUS TOURS We will once again be hosting tours of the Broadmoor/Emmaus campus during the walk to familiarize community members with the various service areas and opportunities. The tour will begin after Sponsor s Hour on Thursday night (meet at sanctuary) of each walk. Especially if you ve never experienced the Behind the Scenes activity, you won t want to miss this exciting opportunity. Wear your walking shoes and come find out where all the servants hang out! After the 30 minute tour, you ll be well-equipped to just show up and get to work on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday of any walk.

4 Team for the Fall 2015 Walk Women s Walk#76 Shanan Schatzle Connie Saizon Rev Bernadine Johnson Stacy Garrett Mary Beth Fesmire Rhonda Kemp Kathy King Lay Director Spiritual Director Spiritual Director Assistant Lay Director (ALD) Assistant Lay Director (ALD) Assistant Lay Director (ALD) Board Representative Ginger Hughes, Marilly Comer, Pam Toney Rhonda Kemp Rev Bernie Johnson Stacey Garrett Rev Connie Saizon Christi Sykes Jennifer Rossnagel Rev Bernie Johnson Shemeka Law Rev Connie Saizon Glynis Peterson Debbie Stiltner Rev Bernie Johnson Sherry Chenevert Shanan Schatzle Mary Beth Fesmire Sherry Chenevert, Shemeka Law, Glynis Peterson, Jennifer Rossnagel, Christi Sykes, Debbie Stiltner Amy McRae, Carolyn Pittman, Marie Robinson, Alex Smith, Laura Thomas, Therese Winters Music Team Talks Priority Prevenient Grace Priesthood of All Believers Justifying Grace Life of Piety Grow Through Study Means of Grace Christian Action Obstacles to Grace Discipleship Changing Our World Sanctifying Grace Body of Christ Perseverance Fourth Day Table Leaders Assistant Table Leaders Twila Perniciaro: Janet Anderson, Duane Craig, Patti Riche Lorrie Rogerson, Duane Denham, Doug Rogerson Tal Lanius Pat Powers, Jim Barclay, Gerald Rainey, Tom Boyd Team Assistants Prayer Room Facilities and Setup Altars Kitchen Marverne Terrell, Sally Jared, Jamie Agape

5 Women s Walk#76 THE PILGRIMS OF WALK #76 - Fall 2015 Natalie Cooper - St John s UMC Vera Daniels - Baker First UMC Denise Davis - Camphor UMC Adele Dufrene - Istrouma Baptist Colleen Dustane - Christian Worship Center Emily Freeman - Broadmoor UMC Lisa Gibbs - Broadmoor UMC Teegie Hamilton - St John s UMC Nancy Hammatt - St Judes the Apostle Catholic Cathy Henderson - Luke 10:27 Tina Henson - St John s UMC Kelley Jacobs - St Francisville UMC Robin Krumholt - Jefferson UMC Becky Leblanc - St George Catholic Church Linda MacMorran - Broadmoor United Methodist Donna Marentes - St Luke s Methodist Church Mathilde McCann - St Francisville UMC Stephanie McCray - United Christian Faith Ministries Kelley Minton - Luke 10:27 Becky Patterson - Broadmoor United Methodist Church Debbie Quinn - FUMC Denham Springs Pam Rabb - St Francisville UMC Susanna Seals - St John s UMC Misty Shaw - St John s UMC Megan Smith - St Francisville UMC Susan Stringer - University Baptist Church Sheryl Waltman - Live Oak UMC Sylvia Williams - St Charles Avenue Presbyterian Sally Womack - FUMC Denham Springs * Pilgrim Lists Subject to Change Schedule of Talks Please pray for our speakers as they give their talks. The talk schedule is listed below. If you plan to pray in the Prayer Room with a speaker, please at least arrive 30 minutes prior to the time Talk is to be given. Friday Priority 9:15 AM Prevenient Grace 11:15 AM Priesthood of all Believers 1:45 PM Justifying Grace 3:15 PM Life of Piety 6:30 PM Saturday Grow Through Study 8:45 AM Means of Grace 10:10 AM Christian Action 2:30 PM Obstacles to Grace 4:30 PM Discipleship 7:00 PM Sunday Changing Our World 8:30 AM Sanctifying Grace 9:50 AM Body of Christ 10:45 AM Perseverance 12:45 PM Fourth Day 1:45 PM Meal Schedule There is always room for help in the kitchen! Friday 8:00 AM - Breakfast 12:30 PM - Lunch 5:30 PM - Dinner Saturday 7:30 AM - Breakfast 11:15 - Lunch 5:40 PM - Dinner Sunday 7:15 AM - Breakfast *The Community will no longer serve lunch The Focus of Emmaus is God as Known in Jesus Christ and how that finds expression in the local church. The objective of Emmaus is to inspire, challenge, and equip local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, and places of work. Emmaus lifts up the way for our grace-filled life to be lived and shared with others.

6 Lagniappe Country Walk To Emmaus P.O. Box Baton Rouge, LA Lagniappe Country Walk to Emmaus Community LCWE COMMUNITY CALENDAR Women s Walk #76 - Oct 1 thru 4 Send-off - Thursday, Oct 6:30 PM Candlelight starts at 8:00 PM on the Saturday of the Walk - Closing starts at 4:00 PM on Sunday Oct Gathering/Fourth Day Saturday, Oct 10th Broadmoor UMC New Members - 5:30 PM Community - 6:30 PM (Be sure to bring snacks and/or soft drinks to share) Child care will be provided Future Monthly Gatherings November 7th - Monthly gathering (Guests are Welcome) - Camphor Memorial UMC December 5th - Monthly gathering (Guests are Welcome) - Wesley UMC Bring your cross and nametag... and bring food and drinks to share