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In the
News
THE GIFT
Message from the Community Spiritual
Director
Personal Walk Testimonies
New Emmaus
Purple Worship Books
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THE GIFT
THE GIFT of Walk to Emmaus/Chrysalis
The International Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis movements have initiated a new program to ensure that many from all over the world can enjoy the fruits of this ministry. THE GIFT is a financial program that allows Emmaus/Chrysalis communities internationally as well as the emerging new communities to tap into the generosity of pilgrims and butterflies that the Lord has so richly blessed.
Emmaus and Chrysalis communities are expected to include in pilgrim and butterfly packets a flyer provided by the Upper Room describing THE GIFT program. The Upper Room believes that the Emmaus and Chrysalis movements are so powerful and so blessed by the Holy Spirit that they should be able to impact more Christians all over the world. Together with the Upper Room International Emmaus and Chrysalis offices, we are committed to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world and to help our brothers and sisters in Christ. To that end, pilgrims and butterflies will be asked to consider making a love offering. The money collected for THE GIFT program will go to the funding, supporting and sustaining of those communities who have the need.
The International Emmaus and Chrysalis movements have pledged that 100% of the monies donated to THE GIFT will be used for the purposes stated. No money collected will go toward salaries or pensions. Not one penny will go to pay the light bill or any other expense.
Here are some examples given of where the money can go (from THE GIFT home page on the Upper Room website): “This money will go the Latin American countries who cannot afford a simple wooden or pewter cross so they use 2 sticks and a strip of a leaf to tie it together. This money will go to the African countries that get pilgrims and food and teams ready to go on a Walk but then because of the one million percent inflation, cannot afford the facility. This money will also go the European countries as scholarship funds because they cannot afford the subsidized pilgrim fee. We cannot allow money to become an obstacle to grace. Brothers and sisters, it is our responsibility to provide the ‘First Fruits’ funds to facilitate an opportunity for all Christians who want to draw into a closer relationship with Christ to be able to do so.”
Want to see exactly how much has been donated and by whom? Or where the needs are and how much is going there? Then, visit the Updates page for the latest information.
If you feel the Holy Spirit calling you to respond to "The Gift" of grace that you received on your Walk or Chrysalis weekend, please consider making a donation to THE GIFT. Make your check payable to: "International Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis." Send your offering of love to: The International Emmaus/Chrysalis Office, 1908 Grand Avenue, Nashville, TN 37213 (1-877-899-2780 Ext. 7227).
For more details about THE GIFT, please visit THE GIFT home page on the Upper Room website.
De colores!
Nancy Summers
Dallas Community Lay Director
The Walk to Emmaus
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Message from the Community Spiritual Director
A Place Called Emmaus
My trip to Israel in March was one of the
highlights of my life. By the grace of God and
the love of a friend, Kirk Ragsdale, I was on
my way to Israel to go to Jerusalem and Tel
Aviv; to see where Jesus was born; to walk where
Jesus walked; to sleep where Jesus slept; to eat
where and what Jesus ate; to ride on the seas He
rode on; to sit where He stood and taught; to
view the place where He would return; to walk
the Via Dolorosa; to float in the Dead Sea; to
spend a day in the Old City; to share in the
meditation and the Lord's supper at the garden
tomb; to feel what it was like to have been
baptized in the Jordan River; to see the
immensity of the stones of the walls of
Jerusalem; to pray at the Wailing Wall; to climb
(ride the sky lift) to Masada, to bargain with
street vendors; and much more.
It was a
true blessing to have someone of the caliber of
Dr. Keith Boone leading the trip. He knew as
much if not more than the guide. His sermons and
worship services will have a lasting impression
on my life. Ikey was our guide and he saw to it
that our days were filled with one amazing sight
after another. His teaching brought the Life and
Love of our Lord Jesus into a clear focus. I was
so amazed at the fact that the land was so green
and lush and with the number of wild flowers I
saw growing everywhere. How can I ever forget
that beautiful first glimpse of Jerusalem at
sunrise from my hotel room that was right on the
Sea of Galilee? I was also incredibly moved to
touch the Western Wall and have a chance to pray
there. The pace at which Ikey moved challenged
every one of us, but we were inspired to keep up
with him because he was extraordinarily
knowledgeable. It was like touring with the
encyclopedia but with a personal touch. Although
I had some familiarity with each sight that I
saw, my knowledge of location was very narrow.
Ikey changed that! I am now able to place all
the locations, and that has granted me the
opportunity to focus more on the spiritual side
of my Bible Study rather than the logical side.
This makes Bible Study illuminate off the pages
for me.
I
realize more and more how much of a gift it was
since arriving home. It will take a lifetime for
me to unpack this experience. I was introduced
to so much while in Israel during those 7 days,
that it will take a life time of living this
Christian journey to unpack it all. Before I
began this newsletter, I reviewed all my
translated notes and tears keep wailing up in my
eyes. How did I get there? What manner of man
was this that granted me this opportunity? How
can I ever repay him? Will he ever know how he
was used by God to change my life? Will he ever
know the impact he had on my ability to preach
with power and vision? Thousands of questions
were in my heart and mind! Our God is an
awesome God and He has people who will serve Him
with gladness and joy. I am thankful to have so
many of these people touch my life in so many
ways.
We were
only in Israel for 7 days, but we did and saw so
much in such a short time. Rarely a day passes
when I don't think of something we did while on
that wonderful trip. While every day and every
minute spent was extraordinary, when asked what
stood out on the trip, I can honestly say that
there was no special highlight on this tour
because everything was a highlight. In fact, I
can truly say that each day I was there I saw
the history of Israel come alive. However, the
one vision that keeps coming into my mind is
when I preached at Emmaus, Cana, and on the
Roman Road outside the High Priest Caiaphas'
house. I will never forget those experiences.
Needless
to say, in the short time I was there I gained
an immense insight into the country and an
appreciation of what this small country is
capable of doing. I also gained a heart-warming
respect and appreciation for both the ancient
and present history of Israel. As I reflect on
this experience and examine my own faith, I can
sincerely say that my faith in Christ was
reaffirmed. Just think, there I was in the place
where Jesus was born, lived, died and was
resurrected. I believe that I am a stronger
Christian because of my trip to Israel.
In the
future I will share more about my trip, but
today I want to talk about Emmaus. There is no
better place to ponder our walk with Jesus along
this Christian journey than in a place called
Emmaus. Although the place called Emmaus seems
to have vanished from the scriptures after it is
mention in Luke 24, I am a witness that it does
exist.
"And,
behold, two of them went that same day to a
village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem
about threescore furlongs."
Well,
there were more than two of us; there were 19 of
us to be exact. One of the places we visited in
Jerusalem was the village of Emmaus. As I
watched the couples hold hands and walk in front
of me, as I walked alone, on the road that led
to the village called Emmaus, I was reminded of
many things. For instance, I was reminded of how
much I was like those two travelers in Luke's
Gospel Chapter 24, when I was invited to go to
the Walk to Emmaus at a place called Bishop
Masson. For them Emmaus was a place to go when
it seems as if your life is headed nowhere. It
was a place where they didn't have to talk or
think about the awful events of the last couple
of days. It was a place to go where others may
never know that they had lost hope. And when
Jesus showed up on their walk, it became a place
where they felt like they had nothing worth
saying. But Jesus pressed them for the
information that they would have rather not
shared. As a result, with some reluctance they
shared their broken-hearted story, the admission
of their failures and the confession of their
loss of hope.
That
pretty much sums up where I was at the time of
my first Emmaus experience as well. I had been
preaching for 15 years and pastoring for 13. My
21 years of marriage had just ended in divorce
and it seemed that my ministry career would soon
end as well. I felt perhaps as though I had lost
the ability to do this ministry at all, even as
a volunteer. I prayed harder than I ever had in
my life but there was no reassurance from above.
I had lost hope. I was on the road to nowhere
with nothing to say and all these strangers were
talking about my life. How did they know? My
hope was buried in the ground miles behind me
and all I wanted to do was hide, but they wanted
to chat. After listening to all this chatter I
recognized it was Jesus all along.
I was reminded of all of this during our little
short walk down the Emmaus road. As we
approached the village, I invited Him to stay
with me. It was in the evening. The table was
set. We had entered the remains of a fifth
century church and I was granted the blessing of
preaching and serving communion at Emmaus,
Israel. My sermon was all about how it was at
Emmaus, that as I broke bread together with
Jesus; He himself met me in the midst of my
deepest isolation and hopelessness and reminded
me that He never left me. Words cannot express
the joy and tears that mixed together on my
chest as I blessed, broke, and shared the bread
from the table at Emmaus, Israel. It all made
sense!
Has anybody besides me ever been there? Have you
been to a place called Emmaus? Have you been to
this place called Emmaus where the lost can be
found? Have you been to this place called Emmaus
where the faith in your creed is restored? Have
you been to this place where strangers show up
in your space and talk to you even though you
thought you were running away to a quiet retreat
where you could quietly give up and there be no
one around to try to talk you out of it? Have
you been to this place called Emmaus where Jesus
shows up and your life is changed forever?
If you answered yes to any of the questions
above, then I have good news for you. Jesus has
been to Jerusalem too! In fact, if you have
been there you can be assured that He walked
with you along the way. If you know someone who
needs a walk with Jesus, why not invite that
person to experience Emmaus too.
De Colores,
Rev. Ella M. McDonald
Walk #54
Table of Esther
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Personal Walk Testimonies
My
Journey - However Long It May Take Me!
There is
a long standing joke about me in my circle of
friends. I am a self-proclaimed "Remedial"
Christian. What this means, at least to me, is
that it took me so darn long to finally hear
Jesus knocking on my heart and even to this day,
I seem to be the last one to finally "grasp" a
biblical concept, or any concept really...
I know
that I knew nothing about Grace before my walk
to Emmaus. I had been walking with Jesus for a
long time, walking slowly, grasping things as I
could, but walking nonetheless...
You see,
I was 43 years old before I recognized the void
in my life and actually heard the knock on my
heart. It was during my Walk that I realized
that this was Prevenient Grace. The Lord wooed
me for a very, very long time but it was his
will and wooing that drew me in. God had my
heart in his hands for 43 years and by His
grace, I felt the tug upon my heart.
Little
by little everything in my life gained new
meaning. I was trying to learn everything about
God that I could get my hands on.....Still
feeling totally incompetent because so much
stuff didn't make sense! I dove into a Women's
Bible Study and always asked so many questions
that I was afraid that the other women would get
tired of my "non-understanding".
About
three years into my new found Christian life, I
was now a mature 46 year old (Ha!) and feeling a
bit more secure in my relationship with
Christ. Beware! This is truly when you are
tested! Anyway, I began to feel the now familiar
tug at my heart but had no idea, as usual, what
the tugging meant, was supposed to mean or if I
was just imagining it. Remedial still.
Turns
out that the tugging on my heart was a nudge to
journey on the "Walk To Emmaus". I started
seeing brochures about the walk, heard stories
from random people who had been on the walk and
then, as if by accident, was thrown into a hotel
room with another church member at a non-church
related gathering and she somehow agreed to be
my sponsor for my "Walk to Emmaus". That is some
master planning in action!
I attended Walk #217 and sat at the Table of
Mary. Words cannot express my experiences there
nor can they express the experience that many of
you encountered, I am sure! What I do know is
this.....I am NOT remedial in my Christianity!
God opens my eyes when I am prepared to accept
and understand what I need to grow closer to
Him. It is His timing, His will and His grace
that has guided me my whole life - the fact that
it took me longer to "figure it out" is just the
way that He had it planned.
I still
don't know all there is to know about God, life,
or anything for that matter, but I am living my
life intentionally, secure in my relationship
with Christ and counting on Him because I know,
for a fact, He is counting on me...
De
Colores,
Tonja Bridges
Walk #217
Table of Mary
My
Emmaus Walk
Everyone needs time to get away from the daily
experiences of life that distract them from
their true purpose, which is to focus on God. I
really needed this time however did not realize
it, but someone did. My reason for going on this
walk was a friend's encouragement and his
lifestyle which showed a true commitment to
Christ. Even before arriving, I could feel the
power of prayer even though I did not know I was
being prayed for. After seeing the prayer lists
and agape, I realized what was happening. This
walk was a very powerful experience for me and I
was able to focus and reset my priorities with
God as number one. For a group of people to do
something for me personally on this scale was
difficult to accept, but now I understand that
it is the same as accepting God's free grace.
The presence of the Holy Spirit was quite
evident during the entire walk and continues.
There are numerous experiences I could describe
which made an impression on my heart which would
include the candlelight, talks, services,
fellowship, etc., but I'll just say that I
experienced the three of the best days of my
life on the Emmaus walk. I have been changed and
am forever thankful to God, the team, and my
sponsor. Prayer is powerful!
And that was just the beginning. The Reunion
Groups, Candlelights, 4th day, study, etc. have
continued to strengthen my relationship with
God. One of the main things I have gained from
this experience is the ability to recognize that
there are no coincidences in this life. The Holy
Spirit is guiding us and we need to be able to
recognize the signs. The signs are there and we
need to be able to see the connection.
Their eyes were opened and they recognized him,
and he disappeared from their sight. They asked
each other, "Were not our hearts burning within
us while he talked with us on the road and
opened the Scriptures to us?"
Luke 21: 31 - 32.
DeColores,
O'Keefe Scallan
Walk #214
Table of Peter
My
Experience
I went on my Walk to Emmaus with anticipation
and uncertainty of what to expect. I hoped to
get away from the busyness that seems to be my
life. I hoped to spend some quality time in
prayer. And I thought that if I could meet some
new Christian women, that would be cool, too. I
really had no idea what was in store for me.
Because there weren't watches or clocks, I soon
got out of my routine of concerning myself with
what comes next. Because there were no cell
phones, I was able to focus on my own needs and
not those of my friends and family. Because
there was no talking, pressure of socializing
with my new cabin mates was gone, and it freed
me up to focus on the task at hand which was
focusing on my walk with Jesus Christ.
My Emmaus Walk took place last September. I
remember feeling charged with the Holy Spirit
like never before. Afterwards, I couldn't stop
talking about it at work, home, church, or
anywhere people would listen. I hummed the fun
and crazy songs I learned. I found places for my
agape at home, in my office, and even in my car.
I followed many of the suggestions of my
wonderful table leader regarding daily living.
Recently, I have found a reunion group, and I
look forward to my weekly meetings because it
helped me refocus and stay focused on my daily
walk with Jesus Christ.
Because of my Walk to Emmaus experience, I now
call on God throughout the day, everyday for
guidance, forgiveness, and thanksgiving. I know
he loves me unconditionally, and for that I am
grateful and feel wonderfully blessed.
De
Colores,
Mary Kirkpatrick
Table of Sarah
Walk 213
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New Emmaus
Purple Worship Books
The
Upper Room has released new Emmaus purple worship books
(officially titled, “Worship Booklet for Pilgrims”). The
new Emmaus purple worship books are significantly different
from the old books. Beginning with Walk 216 (February
19-22, 2009 at Mount Lebanon), the new worship books will be
given to Pilgrims and used throughout the Walk. This means
that the new Purple Worship Books will be used at
Candlelight and Closing for Walk 216 and for all subsequent
Dallas Emmaus events. The new Emmaus purple worship books
will be available for sale to the Community at all
Candlelights and Gatherings for $3 each. A brief
orientation to the new Emmaus purple worship books will be
conducted at Candlelilght for Walk 216 and for the rest of
the 2008 Walks as needed.
Announcement from the Emmaus International Director regarding new
Emmaus purple book
Rev. Victor Perez
[reprinted from
http://www.upperroom.org/emmaus/article/default.asp]
Dear
friends:
A long process of
transformation has preceded the revision of The Walk to
Emmaus Worship booklet, better known as the “Emmaus purple
book”. We have engaged in prayer and dialogue with clergy
and lay persons, members of our International Advisory
committee, our Lay and Clergy Regional Leaders, and leaders
from several Emmaus communities. We feel confident that we
now have a better resource with updated liturgies, more
modern prayers, and helpful aides for our pilgrims Fourth
Day journey.
As of now your Board can
order the 2008 revised version of the Emmaus worship
booklet. The new item number is E-9810. The booklets will be
shipped in packets of ten at a price of $12 per packet. The
few remaining old worship booklets have been removed from
our warehouse to guarantee that only the revised edition
will be shipped to you.
There are a couple of
things we want to remind you. If your board still has copies
of the old worship booklet and plan to use them during this
year’s walks that would be perfectly fine. However, once you
start placing new orders you will receive the 2008 revised
version. Eventually, you would need to make a shift to the
revised version. As we mentioned earlier the revised version
looks quite different from the old one.
Also, within a few more
weeks, the Chrysalis Worship booklet will be available to
the Chrysalis communities. The liturgy for Holy Communion is
now the same in both Emmaus and Chrysalis Worship booklets
to facilitate the participation of butterflies and pilgrims
during community gatherings, candlelight services as well as
regional events.
We are grateful to God for
the revised Emmaus worship booklet that will enhance not
only our community worship time, but our individual Fourth
Day journey. If you need additional information regarding
this new resource, please don’t hesitate to contact your
Emmaus regional leader whose contact information appears on
our Emmaus webpage. You can also contact either Deana or
Laura at 1-877-899-2780, ext. 7227 & 7230 respectively.
To order your revised
worship booklets you can contact one of our customer service
representatives at 1-800-972-0433. Please make sure you have
your community account number which is found on page 3 of
your finalized Letter of Agreement, as well as your ordering
item number E-9810.
Within a couple of weeks
your community will receive a sample copy of this new
product. We look forward to our serving together side by
side during this New Year.
De colores!
Rev. Victor Pérez,
International Spiritual Director
The Walk to Emmaus
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