by. J.
Rhett Lively
The question has been raised several times
over the last few weeks about Gift Agape for the walks. What can we give?
How many of each gift do we need to take out? How should we package them?
I’m hoping the following series will answer many of those questions for
you.
What can we give?
When it comes to what should be given as
gift agape, the only good answer is give from the heart. My wife and I, most
walks, make coasters for the team and pilgrims. It’s something we can do during
the evenings while watching TV and spending time together, but also something
we do while praying for the pilgrims and team on an individual walk.
Some choose to purchase items such as
pencils, note pads, even deodorant and attach a small note or verse. These
gifts are things that typically the pilgrims of a particular walk might have
left at home or simply didn’t realize they would need and they always seem to
come to the pilgrims and/or team at just the right moment.
Others still are far more talented. I’ve
seen items such as a piece of metal which had been cut into the shape of Texas
with a cross cut into the state’s form, hand-made necklaces, and all sorts of
crafts that come from the God-given talent of the community.
No matter what you choose to give, the
pilgrims are going to love it! I personally have the items I received from the
last walk I worked (MW 199) hanging in the living room in a shadow box.
If you have given a talk on either a men's or women's walk since
August, 2008 could you give a copy to Jimmy Smith? Our
"example" pool is getting
low. You can either email or give a hard copy to Jimmy. His email
address is smith@gimmejimmy.com
March
22-25,2012
Preparations for WW 202 are in full swing, and God is
blessing our socks off!! The last team meeting was Saturday, March 10,
and the talks we previewed were awesome. If the pilgrims get half the
blessing on the Walk that we have received at team meetings, there will be no
doubt that God is all over that room and the Walk! Please continue to
pray for the team, the pilgrims, the weather, and most importantly for God's
will to be known and accomplished in every single life touched by this Walk.
Thank you to all the reunion groups who have provided meals for the team (they
were delicious), and for everyone in the Community who is making agape,
providing food for the Walk, and sponsoring these wonderful ladies. One
word of reminder - please deliver your gift agape and food agape to the
addresses on the website any time between now and the Wednesday before the Walk
(March 21). The sooner we have these items in, the easier it is to plan
and fill in any gaps we may have. Should you have any questions, please
feel free to call me at 687-1413. Send-off lunch is at 11:15 on Thursday,
March 22 at Jorge's on Midland Dr., and you may deliver food and gift agape at
that time, also.
I am writing this on Sunday, March 11, and can hardly
believe we are 10 days out. God has assembled an awesome team of
God-loving women who are eager to share His love with your pilgrims. We
will have glowing reports on the BEST WALK EVER at Community on March 27!
Humbled and blessed by His mighty
grace,
Lee Bell Ulvestad, Lay Director
WW#202
GOD’S
(Men’s) Walk #203
April 12-15, 2012
HOLY MACKERAL, HANNAH,
but what a 1st team meeting for GOD'S team of men's walk 203!!!! Community, our
1st team meeting was filled with the Holy Spirit being, there!!! The music team was AWESOME
and the men's team was singing and sounding like a chorus of ANGELS!!!!
The team has bonded and is on fire for the walk. We previewed 5 talks and
they were AWESOME, too!!! I listened and all I thought was WOW!!!! I had
men who have never given a talk and coming up and volunteering to
give their talks at the next team meeting!!! I was overwhelmed and humbled by
what the HOLY SPIRIT is doing already!!! We have 4 pilgrims signed up and I had
3 team members that called on the phone and told me they had 1 to sign up
after our team meeting. Men that they saw in the
store, and dropping by their house. If you say you have sent all your
friends on walks then it's time to tell them they have some friends that
haven't and we need to get them signed up!!!! I could keep going but bring your
pilgims to be showered by GOD'S LOVE and HIS AMAZING
GRACE!!!! Community send us your pilgrims, 36 - 42 or 50 men, you can't
send us too many!!!
GOD BLESS
Howard Varley - Lay Director
MW#203
Women’s
Walk #204
June 14-17, 2012
Community,
My name is Annette
Childers and I am so blessed to be God’s servant on Women’s Walk 204. God has put together an awesome team, half of
whom I’ve yet to meet. I cannot wait
until our first meeting, so I’m going to schedule a “get-to-know-each-other-time”,
just so we can meet and fellowship together.
We have 10 beautiful
women signed up as of March 13th and I know that God has a complete
walk ready to be loved on; we are just waiting on the paperwork to come
through!
God’s team would like to
show these women that no matter what they have done or what they have been
through THEY are the BRIDE OF CHRIST…and HE has CHOSEN THEM for His bride. We also want them to see God’s love, the
grace that he gives us, and the joy and good times we can have with Him in our
lives.
Thank you Community for your love and prayers and for sending us your
pilgrims to love on.
Your Sister in Christ,
Annette Childrers, Lay Director
From the Community Lay
Director – Debbie Baxter
An important
part of the Walk to Emmaus is to encourage an intentional development of our
discipleship. As followers of Jesus, the goal is to become more like
Jesus and do the things He commands. (Matthew 28:18-20). So how are you
doing? If you have “fallen down” have you gotten back up? Success in
discipleship has more to do with “not giving up” than it does with
“perfection.” It is easy to have good intentions, but carrying them out
can be difficult. Salvation is the gift of God in
Christ Jesus. Discipleship is our response to the love of God we experience
in the Lord Jesus. It calls for action on our part. A few of the
commands Jesus gives in Matthew’s Gospel are:
- But
seek first his kingdom and his righteousness...(6:33)
- Ask
and keep on asking; seek and keep on seeking; knock and keep on knocking...(7:7)
- Come
to Me...(11:28)
These are some
of the things Jesus tells us to do. Our obedience is the proof of our
love for Jesus. Do you know of a better deal? Resolve now
to do discipleship daily and when you fail, don’t stay down but get up and follow
Jesus!
I attended the
Closing for Men’s Walk 201 and found a group of 28 men who truly spent the
weekend with Jesus - - their remarks summing up the weekend and what they
intend to do during their Fourth Days were inspiring to say the least. If
you don’t normally attend closing, I encourage you to begin - you will be
blessed for sure. February’s Community meeting was awesome, too! We
had great worship (music and the word), a fabulous Fourth Day Speaker, Tammy
Bennett, and a ton of food for fellowship!
I look forward
to seeing you the FOURTH Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church. –De Colores
Larry Bailey – Community Spiritual
Director
With your indulgence, I
will offer further thoughts on good sponsorship. In my opinion, it is so
important for the pilgrim, so that he/she will fully benefit from the short
course on the Christian life we call Emmaus. I paraphrase from page 20,
Handbook on Emmaus, in the Director’s Manual. The person who wrote this is Jean
Johnson Green, a member of the Nashville Upper Room Emmaus Community.
“During the 3 days, I
always try – if the family is involved – to let the them know that I have seen
the pilgrim and that he/she is having a good time. I took one wife out to
dinner Friday night. After a Walk, I strongly think that you should call the
person you sponsor. Pilgrims are usually enthused. As a sponsor, my task is to
help keep the fire of the Spirit growing. I offer to keep a couple’s/person’s children for a time if they are helping
with the Saturday dinner, or want to attend Closing.
I also try to get my
pilgrim into a reunion group with other new pilgrims. I meet with them for a
few times, to show them what it is about. If I don’t see my sponsored pilgrim
at a Gathering, I do not pester them to attend, but maintain contact. I
encourage them to sponsor a friend or family member and to sign up for a team.”
I hope to see you at
Candlelight and/or Closing. De Colores.
Chrysalis is the youth version of the Walk to Emmaus because it symbolizes
the growth that is essential between adolescence and adulthood. It is that
precious time of nurturing a person's faith for
discipleship. The Chrysalis process will transform young adults into something
beyond dreams, beyond themselves, by opening their life to Jesus' power and
love. Flights are open to any youth age 15 (or completed the 9th grade) through
age 19. 2012 flights will be held at Howard College in Big Spring and the cost
is $125. Dates are: Boy's Flight July 12-15, 2012 and the Girl's Flight July 26
- 29, 2012. Sign up young people now before their summers fill up. Applications
may be downloaded from Chrysalis link at www.hiskyemmaus.com/Chrysalishome.htm.
Howdy
Hi-Sky Emmaus Community!!
As
I meditate on what it means to submit and serve our God, Hebrews 10:24-25 pops
into my mind. The Scripture reads: “And
let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not
giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging
one another-and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
So,
as the days approach, let us encourage and spur one another to serve on a Walk
to Emmaus, either by serving on a team, or by showing God’s love at the next
candlelight and closing services! If you are interested in serving on a team,
please contact me at boudroux1958@aol.com or you and sign up at the next community
meeting.
YeeHaw!!!
Chad
Andes
·
Hi-Sky Emmaus Women’s Walk 202 – March 22-25, 2012
·
Big Country Emmaus (Abilene, TX) Men’s Walk 179 – March 22-25,
2012
·
Llano Estacado Emmaus (Lubbock, TX) KAIROS Outside – March 23-25,
2012
·
Hi-Sky Emmaus Men’s Walk 203 – April 12-15, 2012
·
Big Country Emmaus (Abilene, TX) Women’s Walk 180 – April 19-22,
2012
·
Llano Estacado (Lubbock, TX) Men’s Walk #84 – April 19-22, 2012
·
Kairos #27 – Lynaugh Prison Unit, Fort
Stockton, Texas – April 26-29, 2012
·
Hi-Sky Emmaus Women’s Walk 204 – June 14-16, 2012
·
Llano Estacado (Lubbock, TX) Girl’s Flight #26 – June 14-16,
2012
·
Llano Estacado (Lubbock, TX) Guy’s Flight #25 – July 5-8, 2012
·
Hi-Sky Chrysalis Guy’s Flight #48 – July 12-15
