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View this email in your browser Koinonia  DEC Newsletter July 16, 2022 In this Issue: From a DEC Board Member From the Community Lay Director  From a DEC Board Member Hello my brothers & sisters in Christ: I hope you are all having a wonderful summer & are able to find some time to stay cool & find time to fill your cup.  Please mark your calendar for 8/1/2022!   This is the deadline date for pilgrim registration for Women’s Walk # 284 November 3-6, 2022.   Why do we need to register so far in advance?  Our contract with Sabine Creek Ranch has changed & there is now a 90 day cancellation requirement.  We have a few pilgrims registered for the walk at this time however will need more to secure the walk. I encourage you to prayerfully consider sponsoring someone that is searching to strengthen their relationship with Jesus.  If you have never sponsored a pilgrim & have questions about the responsibilities, please reach out to myself or another board member-we will be happy to discuss this opportunity with you.    DeColores! Lori Woodford   From the Community Lay Director What with this year bring?   The Walk to Emmaus movement has had a rather difficult time throughout the COVID pandemic. We are trying very hard to get back to some semblance of “normal” but we have many factors that we have to overcome. This is not unusual. Our churches have had to deal with issues of how to reach out to a congregation that is forced to stay home. Many have succeeded in using technology to connect with their members which has also helped them connect with new people in new ways, which has actually bolstered their influence in their communities.   There are many success stories to be shared. I’d like the Dallas Emmaus Community to have these kinds of success stories in 2022 and 2023 as well.   The DEC FAQ page has this as a definition of What is Emmaus: “The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. The program's approach seriously considers the model of Christ's servanthood and encourages Christ's disciples to act in ways appropriate to being ‘a servant of all.’”   Our Walk to Emmaus Events have been very successful in the past and will be in the future too. But with all of the hurdles we face in putting on successful Walk Events, (like pandemic and health concerns, dwindling interest in recruiting new pilgrims, lack of qualified sponsors, just to name a few) it makes sense to shift the focus a bit.   In light of our ideal to “strengthen the local churches”, this year, we are going to focus on the following activities: Day Four Restore events. The Day Four Restore event is a one-day spiritual renewal event for alumni of the Emmaus Program. Consisting of two talks (one by clergy, one by laity), table discussion, lunch and an afternoon activity, this type of event is meant to revitalize the community, and remind us of the power of God in our lives. Church Focus. We want to fill the DEC Board position that is responsible for Church Clergy and Laity Outreach, connecting with our alumni in our local churches. We want to hear stories about how the Dallas Emmaus Community is serving in the local churches, and how much of a difference Emmaus Pilgrims can make. We will work to highlight local church activity and how DEC alumni are making a difference in their communities through articles in our monthly newsletter, Koinonia. We want to shine a light on all of the great work we have done and continue to do in our local churches. We want to encourage DEC alumni to sponsor a pilgrim on a future walk. If this means training and support on what it means to be a sponsor, we will provide it.   Building disciples for the work of God’s Church is what the Emmaus Movement is all about. We want and need to create and grow disciples through our Walk To Emmaus Retreat Events, but we also need to revitalize the community and showcase how the Walk to Emmaus event has changed lives and helped build God’s Kingdom here on earth.   Look here in future editions of the Newsletter for information about the Day Four Restore events in your area. We will also be highlighting the ways I which the Dallas Emmaus Community has made a difference in their local churches.   Please join me in prayer for our community, that we can continue the great work that has been going on for decades.   Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  - Matt 28:16-20   De Colores,   Larry Naeyaert Community Lay Director Dallas Men’s Walk #169 May 2003, Lake Lavon Table of John Next time you are on Facebook, search for the Dallas Emmaus Community, then select the "Like" button to be updated on the latest news and events including Candlelights, Gatherings, prayer requests and more.  "Share" or "Suggest" the page to your Emmaus friends so they can stay easily connected to the Dallas Emmaus Community too.  The Dallas Emmaus Community has fully converted to Ministry Manager as our database for all community members' information.  If you have not already done so please take a moment to log in to verify or possibly update your information.  This database is used for team selection so it's important your information is up to date! https://ministrymanager.upperroom.org/ Looking for a Reunion Group? Did you know that you can attend any Tuesday Follow-up and find a Reunion Group?   Walk Follow-ups happen on the Tuesday following every walk and include both sharing time for the recent pilgrims and a time for them to try to form Reunion Groups.  If you are in need of a Reunion group, this would be a great place to start.  If you're interested in attending a Follow-up meeting, send an email to the Lay Director or Head TA of the walk for the meeting location.  Contact information can be found on the Dallas Emmaus website  at DallasEmmaus.org      Looking for an opportunity to serve in a powerful ministry?  Visit Kairos of Texas online to find out about the units and areas of ministries near you.     Kairos is a prison ministry whose success is dependent on the community of faith support in providing agape such as prayer chain signatures, cookies, and financial donations.  If you are interested in knowing more about how you can participate, or to find out how to attend a Kairos closing, email the editors for information.    "... whatever you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me."  ~ Matthew 24:40 Contact Information   Dallas Emmaus Community www.DallasEmmaus.org info@dallasemmaus.org 214-502-4072 Copyright © *|CURRENT_YEAR|* *|LIST:COMPANY|*, All rights reserved. *|IFNOT:ARCHIVE_PAGE|* *|LIST:DESCRIPTION|* Our mailing address is: *|HTML:LIST_ADDRESS_HTML|* *|END:IF|* Want to change how you receive these emails? 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