Hi Sky Emmaus Community Newsletter
February, 2009 - Page 4

Men’s Walk #183 - February 5-9, 2009

I know you won’t believe this, but I think perhaps Men’s Walk #183 may have been the best walk ever! Seriously, I do not recall having watched so many miracles and stories unfold right before my eyes. The team was incredible, The community was superb, and the pilgrims you sent were the best. I do believe with all my heart they were all touched and blessed in a mighty way. I asked my wife if any of our kids were born on a weekend, to which she replied, “why are you asking such a thing?” I said because if they were not, then this past weekend was the best weekend I have ever had. My feet actually have touched the ground a couple of times since the walk. Thank you, the community, for all you did for those pilgrims. God bless you all.

De Colores,
Dusty Roach, Walk Lay Director

Women's Walk #184 - March 5-8, 2009

Dear Hi-Sky Community,

Wow! In just a matter of days, we went from 10 wonderful pilgrims to a FULL walk of 36 glorious women and a waiting list growing daily! The Lord's work is full steam ahead as we just completed our third team meeting and are less than a month away from Women's Walk #184. We have had powerful, spirit-filled talks and the most moving, inspirational times of worship and communion led by our awesome Spiritual Director, Sandra Fussell. We are covering the pilgrims in prayer and are prepared to do battle as the Devil begins to work against us in these final days. Thank you for honor and privilege of this unimaginable blessing!

De Colores!
Heidi Anderson, Walk Lay Director

Men’s Walk #185 - April 2-5, 2009

To the Hi Sky Emmaus Community:

It is such a blessing to see the Emmaus Community be blessed by God to have the first two walks already filled with pilgrims. God is Good – All the Time. As you can see on the website, Men’s Walk #185 has only one pilgrim at this point (2/9/09). I have prayed over this and God has spoken to me telling me that in 2009 we of the Hi Sky Emmaus Community are to be full-time Servants and Salespeople for God and see to it that all the Walks and Chrysalis Flights are filled by the dates they are scheduled. I want to thank God and the community for the full team that has already been selected for this walk. As mentioned at the last Community Meeting, Walk #185 will be the best Redneck walk ever and especially in 2009. Our first set of team meetings are scheduled for Friday, February 20th and Saturday, February 21st at Second Baptist Church. Thank you, Community, for your support and kindness, and may God bless you all.

De Colores,
Ron Hopkins

Committee Reports

• Agape Committee – Thank you, faithful Community, for the generous agape (both food and gift) that was sent to our walks in 2008. Let’s continue to surprise our pilgrims in 2009 with all the agape love we possibly can. As each walk finishes and new reunion groups are formed, be thinking of clever gift agape your group can send on each walk for the pilgrims. Keep in mind, gift agape is to be given anonymously and should not have individual names on it; preferably reunion group names or church names, etc. There should always be at least 70 pieces of agape sent for each walk – any leftovers will be brought to the next community meeting to be returned to the senders for use for the next walk.
  
  Also, remember that each walk requires preparation in the form of four team meetings for which reunion groups or individuals can sign up at Community meetings to prepare meals for those meetings. There is a slot on the Agape Sign-Up Sheets for this for each walk.
  
  If you need agape ideas, there are many resources I can give you. Thanks in advance for your continued loving generosity, and may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
  De Colores, Carol Hopkins, Agape Chairperson
  
  
• Administration Committee –
  • Book Table – Thank you for all the books and materials you give for the sake of others and their Walk experience. Keep up the good work!
    
    The Hi-Sky Emmaus Community continues its ongoing effort to build our book collection for use on future walks and flights. We are asking members of the community to donate books which have had meaning to them in their personal Christian growth. These books can be educational, inspirational, humorous, serious, or whatever helped you as a Christian find a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God and Christ – books that you would recommend to a friend that might likewise inspire him or her.
    
    You may wish to donate a book in honor or in memory of a Christian friend and you may place a label on the inside front cover which conveys that blessing.
    
    At each community meeting, there will be a deposit box available in the foyer as you enter the sanctuary.
    
    
• Fourth Day Committee – Here are some reminders for our reunion groups that I hope you, the community, will find helpful:
  
  
  • Those of you who are about to work a walk or are sponsoring a Pilgrim, please follow up on those Pilgrims after the walk and make sure they are in a reunion group. Yours is a great place for them to start.
    
    
  • Lay Directors, it would be great when you have your meeting after the walk to pass around a sign-up sheet for pilgrims who do not have a reunion group. Remember, sponsors, yours is the best place for them to start. If you, as a sponsor, are not in a reunion group, start one with your Pilgrim after the walk.
    
    
  • Don't limit your reunion groups to those who have been on Emmaus! Group Reunions are spiritual support groups for any Christian on a faith journey. It could precede someone wanting to participate as a Pilgrim.
    
    
  • All of our team members should be shining examples of reunion group participation.
    
    
  • Next month we will talk about what makes an EFFECTIVE reunion group.
    
    
  In Christ, Martha Manulik, Fourth Day Chairperson
  
  
• Gatherings Committee –The Community meetings for the year 2009 will be held on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Wilshire Park Baptist Church, 801 S. Bentwood (corner of Bentwood and Pleasant), with our first meeting being on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 beginning at 7:00 PM (Babe Chick meetings at 6:15). The beautiful walk crosses displayed at the January 27th, 2009 meeting were those of Carroll Nall (MW#173 – Apr. ‘07), and Ken Arnold (MW#175 – Sep. ‘07). Fellowship always follows each meeting, so REMEMBER TO BRING SOME REFRESHMENTS (thanks to those of you who have been faithful to bring food!) and join in good Christian fellowship with your Hi-Sky Community members.
  De Colores, Carolyn Arnold, Gatherings Committee Chair
  
  
• Chrysalis Committee – Hi Sky is getting geared up for the summer Chrysalises. The Girls Lay Director is Barbara Willis for their June Flight. The guys will follow in July with Greg Birdsall agreeing to be Lay Director. Team selection has begun. A much needed evaluation of materials and equipment for these flights is underway. Upper Room is publishing new books and proposing a 3-day agenda to possibly use.
  
  The Girls team has been nominated and all nominees have agreed to work except the adult music members. Several of the "adult" workers are former Chrysalis Girls that we are trying to get involved in the Community, and some young ladies who are teachers who will be working their first flight (after attending their own flight).. The Assistant Lay Directors (youth and adults) are planning to meet over Spring Break to start plans. With so many team members in college across the state, team meetings will not start until May. We anticipate a full flight in early June (9-12), so don't let your girls get left out! Get a registration form, fill it out now, and mail it in or bring it to the Community Meetings. We also are looking for some benefactors to take the blessing of funding some girls...just contact Barbara.
  
  By the next Community Meeting, the Boys Team will be nominated and Greg will start contacting people. Keep your hearts open to the challenge. Any possible nominees should be given to the Team Selection Committee, Greg, or Barbara. It was agreed to ask Roger Willis, Kerry Mansour, and Alan Barkley to assist with the team selection, and Dusty, the Community Lay Director will serve as the Board Rep to learn about the differences and special needs of the Chrysalis program. The Board is trying to start a joint program with the Snyder Community to jump start both of our Boys Flights. With only one in the last three years walks making, finding youth is our biggest challenge. We need pilgrims (between age 15 and 19) and youth workers who have been on a Chrysalis between the ages of 16 and 25 to help. Also if you adults have the heart and personality to work with kids, contact us.
  
  Prayer, financial assistance, and agape are needs that we beg the community to help with. Agape is really important to young kids and your prayers and presence at Candlelight will make such a huge difference! At least half of all kids attending Chrysalis do not have family in Emmaus, so they need help. Several, like my son, eventually get their parents to go on a Walk and build our Community.
  
  The third thing in our long term plans for this committee is to find a way to get these kids actively involved in the Community. We see them in the summer, and usually never again. If a team needs a servant worker or escorts at the dinner, please contact me. The kids want to help, but with limited time and money, as well as only one Chrysalis for them each year, opportunities are few and far between. If you have ideas of how to involve them more, please call me.
  Keep us in your prayers.
  Barbara Willis, Chairman Chrysalis Committee.
  
  
• Team Selection – Team selection for the first three walks of 2009 and the Girls 2009 Chrysalis has been completed and we will be meeting soon with Greg Birdsall to select his team for the Boys Chrysalis. All community members are encouraged to let members of the Team Selection Committee, or any Board member, know of your willingness and desire to be a team member in 2009. Our community’s data base is now up and running and will be a tremendous aid in this process.
  de colores, Iris Hall-Sanders, Team Selection Chair

2009 Hi-Sky Emmaus Walk Dates