News From the Volume 28 Issue 11 November 2012 CHURCH...FROM BARRIERS TO FAMILY! Luci Sharpe, CCEC Walk # 117, Table of Elizabeth, shared from her heart about her walk with the Lord at the October Gathering hosted by Assurance UMC. She began by telling us that she didn t consider herself to be a religious person while she was growing up. She went to church and to catechism classes until she got old enough to skip them both! She never really felt a connection at church and avoided church all together. She believed in God and Jesus but once she stepped into a church building, she felt a real barrier. People seemed judgmental. Still, she remembers something very important, talking to God. She also remembers that she had no doubt that He listened to her! She knew that He was in her life. The poem Footprints could have been written for her life. God was there during all the difficult days, giving her the strength and courage to move on...and building character. One of the most vivid memories of a difficult time was the loss of her father over 20 years ago. He was a Dry Cleaner and after the birth of her son, she started working part-time with him. One day he went home for lunch and she never saw him again, he died of a heart attack. She stepped up to run the business. She also moved in with her mother to help her, cared for her son and was going through a divorce! She is certain that God had to be with her with such a grueling schedule. Each day she and her dog, Sadie, went to the store to ready everything for the employees. For 6 months she did this, with a broken heart and no time to grieve. (She finally took time off from work and did grieve.) She realizes that God had a hand in her working with her dad. He had worked hard and long when she was growing up and this enabled her to get to know him better. God gave her a precious gift...time spent with him to learn more about him and life! Fast forward a few years and Luci moves to Charlotte, NC! God nudged her to go to church! Here she found people who cared about her and accepted her just the way she is...a quality she learned her dad possessed as well. These wonderful people invited her to attend the Walk to Emmaus. She thought it was a hike! She realizes that we all are on a walk from the day we enter the world. A walk that only God knows the outcome. Emmaus allowed Luci to focus on God and what He intends for her to do. We can choose to put up a barrier or we can accept that He is pursuing us from the beginning and open our hearts to His love (Prevenient Grace). Through this she has let the wall down and let God and His family into her life! DeColores Clergy Response Rev. Alexis Coleman responded by admitting she first was going to share about Prevenient Grace, one of her favorite talks on the Walk. Then the Holy Spirit led her to talk about the Church! She shared that she is pretty new to the ministry but not to the church. She knows what Luci meant about feeling awkward at church. Alexis put it this way, Luci met people at the churches she visited but didn t meet Christ! And that is our purpose...to introduce Christ to those who don t know Him. That is the only reason we exist! We, the church, are the only organization that exists for people who are not there yet! Alexis shared the story of Peter baptizing Cornelius and his family (found in Acts 10). They were Gentiles, not Jews and the church at Jerusalem was not sure about this baptism. If God gave us the gift of Jesus, we are to share that gift with others. Peter understood that from Jesus. Did you know that 72% of our neighbors are not worshipping God on a regular basis? What keeps them away? Is it us hindering God? We can t rely on Emmaus to do the work of the church. The church should be the Church for all people at all times in all places. We know of the love of Christ. Let s make sure our religion doesn t speak louder than the love, mercy and grace give to us through Christ. DeColores November Gathering, Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ Harrison UMC 15008 Lancaster Highway, Pineville, NC 28134 Directions: Take I-485 to the Johnston Road Exit (also Highway 521) and head south. When you get to the light with the four arches, turn right onto Ballantyne Commons Parkway. Take this to the T-intersection and turn left onto Lancaster Highway (old 521). The church will be on the right about 1/2 mile. Meet us in the 400 building, Hammill Hall. Servanthood Training - 5:00; Food & Fellowship - 6:00 PM; Worship - 7:00 PM
SPONSORSHIP SPOTLIGHT As a sponsor of a Pilgrim we have a responsibility to make certain the Pilgrim has a good Emmaus experience and it begins with preparation, this is the third in a four part series of good sponsorship. Responsibilities of the Sponsor During the Walk: Make arrangements to pick up the pilgrim, especially on the Men s Walk because they will not be able to leave their cars at the church. On the Women s Walk the spouse can bring them, but it is still desirable to pick them up and transport them. Have them to the send-off church before 7:00 P.M. (Preferably 6:15 6:45 PM.) Accompany them to the check-in table and assist with their registration. Help get their luggage tags attached to all luggage and personal items and get their luggage to the selected spot for pick-up. Tell them that their luggage will arrive at Bethelwoods safely and be placed on their beds. Make certain that they have their cabin assignments and bed numbers with them. Remember to only wear your name tags at send-off. No hugging people that you know from the community while at send-off, this can make the pilgrim uncomfortable. Bring a covered dish or two for the send-off meal. Get them through the food line quickly. Sit with them during the meal and introduce them to others and try to make them feel welcome and at-ease during the meal, as most pilgrims are apprehensive at this point. Remind them to take a restroom break prior to going to the sanctuary. Sit with them in the sanctuary. Tell the pilgrim again that you will not be going with them on the Walk but will be available to assist their family. Prepare the pilgrims for leaving by telling them that they will repeat their name after it is called out and they will form a line in the front of the sanctuary before departing. Go outside to send them off as they board the buses and sing De Colores with enthusiasm. After send-off it is mandatory that you attend sponsor s hour. Call their family during the Walk and assist them with any personal needs. Provide husbands with transportation to special gatherings and services along with closing for Women s Walks, and help husbands arrange childcare if applicable. Attend all special services available during the weekend. You cannot serve in any activity during the weekend where you will be seen by your pilgrim other than special services, this includes serving meals. You cannot serve in the cloister of the conference room when sponsoring a pilgrim. Pray, Pray, Pray especially if you have signed up for the prayer vigil, they will be looking for your name on the prayer vigil listing during the Walk. You will have an additional time to pray for the pilgrim after they leave for the Walk. Call the telephone number given out at sponsor s hour if there is a family emergency. Only call the number in case of a true emergency. More next month! DeColores, Jo Steagald Fourth Day Coordinator Christmas Gathering.Saturday, December 1, Mill Grove UMC! Join your CCEC family to celebrate the birth of Christ through fellowship and worship. Dinner will be at 6:00 followed by worship at 7:00! This is a favorite Gathering invite your friends and family!
GREETINGS FROM THE CENTRAL CAROLINAS CHRYSALIS COMMUNITY! The Girls Flight #51 is Thursday November 8 - Sunday November 11, 2012 The Boy s Flight #52 will be February 21-24, 2013 Both Flights will be at Mill Grove UMC in Indian Trail Christ is counting on us to show His Love as we count on Him to shine through us! We look forward to seeing the community come out once again and pour God s Love on these Young Ladies and Men! We need you to sponsor a friend, a family member, or a youth from your church. We all know of a youth who would be blessed on this weekend. GOD IS COUNTING ON YOU! Hello Emmaus Community, As you prepare to attend church tomorrow be on the lookout for youth between the ages of 15 and 19 that would enjoy a weekend with Christ. As a mother, and now a grandmother, I am excited to see our youth touched by the Holy Spirit as Agape Love is showered upon them on a Chrysalis Flight. In this fastpaced world we live in, how often do they get a chance to spend 72 hours apart and reflect on where they have been and where they are going and their relationship with Christ? Over and over again, as I have served, I see seeds planted, lives touched, and life changing decisions made and know that Chrysalis is a valuable time for today s youth. My prayer is that many more youth will respond, say YES, and experience Chrysalis for themselves! I pray that our Emmaus Community will support them with their prayers, service and agape gifts. Please, if you have not already, mark your calendar and plan to sponsor a youth. Take this opportunity to plant seeds that will help our future leaders have a strong tomorrow. If we don t take time and step out and sponsor a young person, I m sure the world will lead them on a different path. I have served on both Emmaus & Chrysalis teams and truly 0feel that they all have been a blessing to me and my faith walk. However I really enjoy seeing what a Chrysalis Flight does for young adults as they grow in their faith and their love for Christ. If you would like to serve on a Chrysalis Team (adults or youth) there is no waiting period like our Emmaus Community to serve. Go to www.carolina-chrysalis.org if you have a willing heart God does all the work for you. The Community is encouraged to attend the following events: Send-off starts at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday @ Mill Grove UMC. Candlelight begins at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday @ Blair Road UMC Closing will start around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday @ Mill Grove UMC. If you need information on the weekend: Contact Melinda Whitaker at mswhitaker@carolina.rr.com Visit the Chrysalis web site www.carolina-chryslis.org Contact Jerri Tant at miketant@windstream.net Call Jerri at 704 506 5699 Emmaus and Chrysalis Community stop and take a moment and pray for God to put a young person on your heart to sponsor. Please sponsor a young lady or young man on the upcoming weekends. We need bugs!!!!!!!!!!! In His Grace! Jerri Tant Chrysalis Communications Team Member
2012 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Sat, Nov 3 Thu, Nov 8 Sat, Dec 1 Thu, Dec 13 CCEC Gathering 5 PM Sponsorship Training 6 PM Food & Fellowship 7 PM Worship Harrison UMC CCEC Board Meeting, 7 PM Central Steele Creek Presbyterian CCEC Gathering 6 PM Fellowship 7 PM Worship Mill Grove UMC CCEC Board Meeting, 7 PM Central Steele Creek Presbyterian Be watching for information concerning 2013 real soon! If your church wishes to sponsor a Gathering next year please let Dave LeGrande or any Board member know. Check current Board information on the last page. ELECTIONS FOR 2013 EMMAUS BOARD MEMBERS Would you be interested in serving as a member of the Emmaus Board? There are 15 members on the Board who serve for 3 years. Each year 5 new members are elected and 5 members rotate off the board. Please contact one of the board members if you would be interested in filling out a biography in time for the upcoming voting procedure. We look forward to hearing from you. Shhhhh.it is also a bunch of fun serving with this group from the CCEC family! Don t tell anyone! ARE YOU READY TO SEE THE 2013 CALENDAR FOR CCEC? We would love to share this with you but we need churches to volunteer to Host a Gathering! There are still 6 months open! Hosting a Gathering is not difficult...all it needs is willing hearts and hands. Do you feel your church is too small to provide enough hands? Then why not team up with a neighboring church? To sign your church up as a host, or for more information on what is required, contact Jace Stowe at: jacestowe@earthlink.net 704-823-0208 What can be better than sharing great friends, great food, great fellowship and great worship? We need your church family to host a Gathering in 2013! CHRIST IS COUNTING ON YOU! Do you remember all the love you felt on your Emmaus Walk, when you entered the dining hall to find goodies on the table? People that did not even know YOU, had taken the time to make AGAPE for you! What a great feeling of unconditional love! You can be part of paying it forward! We need folks to help with a few of the staple agape items! Please look at the list below of some of our traditional agape and contact Angie Lord (angielord@blairroadumc.org) if you or your reunion group are willing to serve in these areas. *Bag Agape...*Mug Agape *Candle Agape These are VERY BIG requests however, try imagining your walk without them! Please prayerfully consider being the hands of Christ for our newest Pilgrims! CHRIST IS COUNTING ON YOU!
2012 Board of Directors Dave LeGrande Community Lay Director / Chairperson dlegrande@comporium.net 803-328-6381 Jace Stowe Vice Chair / Worship Chair jacestowe@earthlink.net 704-823-0208 Mike Raynor Secretary mandbraynor@yahoo.com 704-399-2832 Kathy Hazelrigg Treasurer kathryn.merk@gmail.com 908-309-8866 Rev. Scott Ireland Community Spiritual Director sireland@umfwnc.org 704-799-2029 Rev. Jill Smith Community Assistant Spiritual Director jsmith@mtzionumc.net 704-737-8092 Laura Shirey Community Records / Team Selection lshirey@carolina.rr.com 704-556-1752 Angie Lord Agape angielord@blairroadumc.org 704-564-1968 Jo Steagald Fourth Day Activities jo@rhcconline.org 704-989-2329 David Suddreth Housing david@carolinagc.com 704-504-0704 Jerry Magliolo Literature jerry.magliolo@weyerhaeuser.com 803-366-5786 Sally Ainslie Newsletter / Communications sally_bruce@earthlink.net 704-661-4806 Steve Adams Transportation sadams@carolinacat.com 704-922-9616 Julie Smith Registrar juliejoelsmith@aol.com 704-393-3895 Joe McGrath Weekend Volunteer/Co-ord. Vice Chair wjmcgrathsr@gmail.com 704-588-3079 Dan Meyer Weekend Volunteer/Co-ord. Chair dan@charlotteflyer.com 704-708-4222 David Osborne Worship Committee Vice Chair david.osborne@siemens.com 704-588-8075 Do you have a PRAYER CONCERN or a praise you would like to share with the Emmaus Community? Please let Sally Ainslie know by e-mailing your request or praise to sally_bruce @earthlink.net. It will be in the Newsletter that goes out the 1st of every month. Did you know there is a Central Carolinas Emmaus Facebook Group? This Facebook group is open to all who have attended the Walk to Emmaus, or similar weekend. Because this group may contain sensitive information about the Walk, it is a closed group. If you would like to be added to this group, please send an email to mlj86@juno.com and include your Facebook Name, Emmaus Community and Walk Number. DO WE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE? We need your updated personal information! Please send Sally Ainslie your name, mailing address, preferred phone number and e-mail address. We want to make sure you get up-to -date information about Walks, Gatherings and Community activities. Did you get a Postcard with the Gathering information for the rest of 2012? If not, we don t have your upto-date information! Let us hear from you. E- Mail address: sally_bruce@earthlink.net. New Postcards with 2013 Gathering Information will be sent out the first of December! Central Carolinas Emmaus Community PO Box 33863 Charlotte, NC 28233 www.ccemmaus.com