The Emmaus News Columbus Indiana Area Emmaus Community, Inc. Letter to the Community February 2017 volume 25 issue 2 I recently found a slow moving vehicle sign in my dad s shed that I painted years ago. In the center was my dad s profile sitting on a tractor. I gave that to him on a Christmas day when he could still drive a tractor. Dad has been gone now 17 years and, yes, we are still cleaning out the shed. It looked, when new, something like this: I can still see him on that old Ford tractor that the family still owns. Caution Christians! How do we know they are Christians? Seems like a song should be written on this subject. Or is there already? At the next Emmaus gathering can we hear that song? Or we can make a sign or symbol that tells us. Slow church ahead signs seem to be more popular these days. At first glance, I think: Do they need more education or are they asking for help? Are they slow to pick up on what is happening or is it just me? Maybe I better just slow down and see what Christ is doing up ahead. Why do I need a caution sign? Because they may ask you to: pray, speak out loud, cook for 100, set up for skits and worship, move supplies, sing songs, bring a Christian friend, listen to others, discuss a topic, read the Bible, do skits and poster, invite you to a service or event, love one another, have fun, believe even more, wonder what is next, accept other Christians as they are and be open to His calling. Sounds like something we all should seek in our lives instead of what the world tells us. Be prepared for that calling and know He can direct you on how to respond. Looking forward to seeing each of you at the next Gathering, Flight, or Walk in 2017. Fly with Christ always, and sharing a bright DeColores! Dan Kirkling Your 2017 Columbus Indiana Emmaus Community Lay Director
Dates for Upcoming Walks & Flights... Men's Walk #103 March 30-April 2, 2017 Lay Director Tim Toborg @Camp Lakeview Pilgrim Application Deadline... March 2 Women's Walk #104 April 6-9, 2017 Lay Director Jodi Engalstad @Camp Lakeview Pilgrim Application Deadline... March 9 NOTE DATE CHANGE Chrysalis #63 and #64 April 29 May 1, 2017 Lay Directors Tyler & Leah Griffin @Hilltop Camp Caterpillar Application Deadline... April 21 ($20 application discount deadline is April 7)
From the Chrysalis Lay Director... Remember the spring Chrysalis flights April 29-May 1, 2017 at Camp Hilltop in Brown County. That should be a beautiful time of year for the teens to get away and focus on their walks with Christ. These are open to high school freshmen through college freshmen. (High school students will receive a school excuse for Monday May 1). Do you know a young person in your life who you could sponsor on these upcoming flights? What a powerful experience it might be for them to go on a flight! Keep your eyes and ears open for a youth at your church who might want to go. Sponsor your child, grandchild, niece, or nephew. Talk to them in the next week or two, and get the application in! What a wonderful gift it would be to the teams to have enough applications turned in even in the next few weeks. Flight applications can be found on the Emmaus website. There is a $20 discount (so, the cost is just $65) if the application is turned in by Friday, April 7. The final deadline for the flights is Friday, April 21. Keep Leah and Tyler Griffin in your prayers as they form the Chrysalis worker teams, and have your heart open if they contact you to possibly work. -Dale Guse (Columbus IN Chrysalis Lay Director)
The Walks are coming! The Walks are coming! The Flights are coming! I know, it seems like a long time off before the Spring Walks and the next Chrysalis Flights, but it s not really that far off when you consider the fact sponsoring someone is not a quick process or at least it should not be. Remember that Sponsorship is one of the real acts of AGAPE LOVE that you can share with someone to attend a Walk. Be praying about this in the next few weeks and then get to work and get their applications in before the deadlines. 1. Spend concentrated time in prayer in an effort to discern whom God wants you to sponsor. The whole weekend experience leads pilgrims to desire a reordering of priorities, to understand and experience God s grace within a community of believers, and to be drawn into deeper discipleship by the Holy Spirit. 2. Meet with the potential pilgrim and share with them some of the aspects of the walk: This may be an appropriate point to address the issue of secrecy. One of the worst mistakes made by those of us who have attended the Emmaus Walk is to be too secretive about what happens on a Walk. The Upper Room Handbook on Emmaus states There is nothing secret about Emmaus. When your prospective pilgrim asks you a specific question, you should always give an honest and truthful answer. Chances are they aren t going to think to ask you about Candlelight or Dying Moments, but if they do, you should not try to deceive them. It would be better to tell them more than necessary than to be too secretive. 3. Tell your pilgrim about the format of the weekend: There will be fifteen talks, group discussions, and time for fellowship. It s fine to tell them about the type of food served, communion, and the sleeping accommodations. They will be with people they don t know, but in a short time they ll become a close-knit community. This experience will demonstrate the love of God and Christian fellowship. Hopefully, this will help to set their minds at ease. Also tell them about Reunion Groups and how they can help to encourage them in further spiritual growth. After the walk, it is your responsibility to help them find a reunion group. 4. After you have answered all questions, give your prospect an application. (Registration forms can be downloaded from our website). Be sure to explain the application. If you have a pamphlet or book on Emmaus, give this to your pilgrim. Please note, if prospective pilgrim is married and spouse has not been on an Emmaus Walk talk with both of them as prospective Pilgrims. De Colores, Phil Newton Sponsorship and Reunion Committee Chair
A note from our Community Spiritual Director As visions of valentines might be dancing in our heads this month, let s make sure we don t forget our Pastors. This is a busy time for them of preparing for more solemn Lenten activities, followed by the glorious Easter season with its special experiences to plan. If your particular Pastor has not yet been on an Emmaus Walk, participating in one just weeks before Easter may not sound very appealing to them. But if God desires it, then our prayers will certainly help to clear the way and remove any barriers for them to participate. So a loving act on our part might be to gently invite & encourage our pastors to enjoy a special 3-day journey with Jesus and new Christian friends this spring. But remember that with pastors, as with all of our fellow believers, going on a Walk isn t for everyone. And God s timing for some to participate might not coincide with our own hopes for them. So as we pray for those we might want to sponsor on a Walk, let s rely on God to stir receptive hearts and work out the timing that God knows is best. What a loving gift we might then be able to provide them! Pastor Mike Seaney, Community Spiritual Director A note from our Head Music Psalm 144:9 I will sing a new song to You, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you Thank God for the wonderful and fulfilling gift of music. I believe the purpose for the existence of music is to worship Him. We are seeking Emmaus musicians for serving on the 'walk' music teams and the 'gathering' music teams. Seeking: Vocalist, Keyboard, Guitar, Bass, Mandolin, Banjo, Drums/ percussion. Also, I am searching for several lost Emmaus music books. If anyone knows the whereabouts of a Emmaus music book, please contact me. De Colores Mark Neafus 812-371-8493
Let s learn about our new board members... Supplies Representative Hello Emmaus Community, Perry Shepard, walk #93, table of Mark. I m humbled and excited being the new supplies board representative filling the position vacated by John Ulrey at the end of his term. I know John is well respected, proficient, and ardent in his involvement with Emmaus and with your prayers, I ll give it my best to live up to the standard he set. Gail, truly my better half in every sense, and I have been married 37 years, soon to be 38 and are members of Ogilville Christian Church. Gail is a travel agent and owns Flamingo Fridays Travel Company. We ve been blessed to have had the ability to travel the world throughout our time together and to see what beautiful things God has placed on this wondrous creation. In soon to be retirement, we plan (if it s in God s plan) to live on the road and continue our travels on a continental basis, letting the Lord guide us where we can assist in His work perhaps other Emmaus communities. There s so much beauty and Christian action opportunities in North America we want to experience. And there are way too many mountain bike trails I haven t ridden! My goal is to ride trails in all 50 states and ridden in over 20, and counting. On 3-10-10, my life changed when I accepted Christ as my personal savior. I knew we grow as Christians, but didn t know how much it would change, again, after attending my walk. Following that weekend, people knowing nothing of the walk came to me and said I was different somehow. God s subtle pokes and nudges have become much easier to recognize. Since then, I m drawn (nudged) to serving on walks and in everyday life. Guess you could say I m now an agape addict and this board appointment is the obvious continuation of my growth. Something you may have heard before: We re not here by chance, but by God s choosing. His hand formed you and made you the person you are. He compares you to no one else you re one of a kind. You lack nothing His grace can t give you. He has allowed you to be here at this time in history to fulfill His special purpose for this generation. I m so thankful for our introduction into the Emmaus community and can t wait to see what roles Gail and I play in His special purpose. DeColores Perry Shepard Team Selection Hello, my name is Mike Hien and I have just come on the Emmaus board to serve as Team Selection. My wife Jane and I have been married for 42 years and we have two adult children. Our son Aaron is married to Jackie and our daughter Stacey is married to Justin. We are truly blessed to have them in our family and they are like having a second daughter and son. They have blessed us with five wonder grandchildren, Cole, Alison, Ava, Nolan, and Mady. I went on walk 28 in 1999 and Jane and I have been involved with the Columbus In Emmaus Community ever since. We both have had the opportunity to serve on several Emmaus Walks and Chrysalis Flights. We both have also have had the opportunity to serve on the Emmaus board and I have been blessed to also serve on the Chrysalis board. For the past seventeen years Emmaus has been a big part of our ministry. I hope to meet you at one of our Gatherings or at one of the Walk weekends. I ask each of you to please pray about being involved in our Emmaus/Chrysalis communities. I have seen a lot of lives changed (including mine) as God touches those who have attended an Emmaus walk or Chrysalis Flight. Remember, God is counting on you. DeColores Mike Hien
February Community Gathering Friday, February 17, 2017 @ 7:00 pm Ogilville Christian Church 7891 W. 450 S. (St. Rd. 58) Columbus A-L bring snacks and drinks Future Community Gatherings March 17 -- Central Christian Church, Seymour (All Team Commissioning) April -- no Gathering due to Flights/Walks Board Meetings at The Rock 3990 Rocky Ford Rd., Columbus Chrysalis Tuesday, February 7, 6:30 pm Emmaus Saturday, February 11, 9:00 am SEVERE WEATHER ALERT If an Emmaus event is cancelled due to severe weather the community will be notified through the following sources On our Website www.columbusareaemmaus.community and an E-mail alert Columbus Indiana Area Emmaus Community, Inc. www.comumbusareaemmaus.community Emmaus Information Page (for community members) Username: columbus password: 4thday!