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Blue Ridge Emmaus Community Newsletter
Volume 15, Issue 1, February 2008
A Message from Mountain Ridge Chrysalis Community Lay Director
Mountain Ridge Chrysalis is excited to have Blue Ridge Emmaus come share our home for the Walk to Emmaus. For over three years, Camp Tekoa in Hendersonville has been host to seven college-aged Journeys and five high-school aged flights. We have been truly blest with the facilities and are anticipating many future blessings for Blue Ridge Emmaus as well.
We would like to invite you to come visit the camp during our next girl's flight March 28-30. You do not have to call ahead, just show up to tour the camp, help serve a meal or two (or three!), visit the prayer chapel, and take time to relax by the lake.
Volunteering behind the scenes is just one way to help with these weekends. We are always looking for new Emmaus adults to serve on Chrysalis or Journey teams. They are similar to Emmaus weekends, but get ready for a whole new blessing through interaction with youth, music, and more. Chrysalis has been called by many people, "Emmaus on Steroids." Please contact me or the Chrysalis Liaison, Russ Davis, if you want to get more information about serving - we would love to have you!
In the coming years, you will start to see more Chrysalis youth who are becoming 27 and older come through Emmaus as team members. I recently had the opportunity to serve on my first Emmaus the last Men's Walk and was blessed beyond belief. Please welcome these young adults and new generation as they enter the "Emmaus age!"
Blessings and welcome to our home! 2 Corin. 5:17
Adam Bennett
Community Lay Director
Mountain Ridge Chrysalis
828-684-3040
adam@mountainridgechrysalis.org
Future Walk & Flight Dates
Girl’s Flight #50 – March 28-30, 2008
Camp Tekoa, Hendersonville NC
Men’s Walk #56 – April 3-6, 2008
Camp Tekoa, Hendersonville NC
Women’s Walk #57 – April 10-13, 2008
Camp Tekoa, Hendersonville NC
Boy’s Flight #51 – May 24-26, 2008
Camp Living Water, Bryson City NC
Girl’s Flight #52 – Sept. 12-14, 2008
Camp Living Water, Bryson City NC
Men’s Walk #58 – Sept. 18-21, 2008
Christmount Christian Assembly
Women’s Journey #16 – Oct. 17-19, 2008
Camp Tekoa, Hendersonville NC
Boy’s Flight #53 – Nov. 8-10, 2008
Camp Tekoa, Hendersonville NC
Women’s Walk #59 – Nov. 20-23, 2008
Christmount Christian Assembly
 Please be in prayer for the pilgrims who will be
attending Walk #56 and Walk #57 and the
Caterpillars who will be attending Flight #50!
Notes from the Blue Ridge Emmaus Community Lay Director
This year, the two Spring Walks will be held at Camp Tekoa in Hendersonville. This is the home of Chrysalis and Journeys currently and we're excited about having two Walks out there. These two Walks are scheduled one week apart with a joint Follow-Up one week later. This method is done in other communities with great success. Dates were not available for Fall 2008 so we'll be back to Christmount for those.
After these two ‘trial' Walks at Christmount we'll make some determinations about where future Walks will be held for 2009 and beyond. Some reasons for holding Walks at Camp Tekoa.
- 1. Beautiful natural setting that permits Pilgrims an opportunity to rest away from technology.
- 2. Prices for renting space at Camp Tekoa are less. If these Walks are successful, then we may be able to reduce the price in 2009.
- 3. If price reductions are approved for 2009, this will mean Community members will pay less for Pilgrims or when they serve on a team. The hope here is that lower prices may make it easier to sponsor Pilgrims and encourage more willingness to serve on a team.
- 4. By having it at Camp Tekoa we help support them by providing income on dates that might otherwise have none. This helps them provide year-round staffing and ministry.
- 5. Having Chrysalis & Emmaus at the same venue simplifies coordinating schedules some.
- 6. Volunteers can spend the night; the cost is $17/night which is of 1/3 of other places.
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7. No contractual commitments. In November 2006 we postponed a Men's Walk because there were only around 14 Pilgrims scheduled. Christmount assessed a hefty fee because our contract with them requires substantial advance notification of cancelation.
Please note that volunteers can spend the night there inexpensively. In general, we have noticed that volunteers and servants on weekends have slowed some. We would hope that this inexpensive cost might encourage people to come out for more that just a breakfast, lunch or dinner. Also on nights where events happen late, one might consider staying and serving breakfast the next morning.
We know that Camp Tekoa may be a farther drive for many but it will be less for others. We know that extra drive time can be a concern. To that end the Board has approved that anyone who comes out to serve and chooses to spend the night for either of the weekends at Camp Tekoa in 2008, the Board will pay the cost for you to spend the night! You can contribute the cost if you like but certainly this is not required. Perhaps we will begin to develop a group who serves one or more nights every weekend and stays. This is similar in some ways to the Big House at Chrysalis. A brief form is provided below if you would like to reserve a night (or more) to stay at Camp Tekoa during either of the Walks. With this we can plan how much space we need for our invisible servants. You can also register to spend the night by sending the form's information to Community@BlueRidgeEmmaus.org
May God bless the Blue Ridge Emmaus Community. DeColores! Phil Crouch
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I plan to serve on one of the upcoming Walks at Camp Tekoa and desire to stay the night. Please plan on my staying on the nights of . . .
Check the blanks of all dates that apply
Walk 56-Men's
Thursday, April 3rd: ___
Friday, April 4th: ___
Saturday, April 5th (Candlelight): ___
Walk 57-Women's
Thursday, April 10th: ___
Friday, April 11th: ___
Saturday, April 12th (Candlelight): ___
As noted above, you can stay any or all of the nights at no cost for your room. (The actual cost is $17 per night per person). The Community will pay your cost for you. If you want to pay all or part of the cost, please mark the amount you want to contribute. I will pay $_______ towards the cost of staying at Camp Tekoa. Mail check with this form, if contributing. Please note, you must bring your own sheets, blankets and pillows! All accommodations are group style and heated. The Meals are a $4 donation apiece if you want meals. Mail to P.O Box 8256, Asheville NC 28814 or e-mail info to Community@blueridgeemmaus.org no later than March 26th to be assured a space!
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That was the walk that was . . .
Blue Ridge Emmaus Walk # 55 was unforgettable - for the team and the Community.
Some of the comments heard at Closing from the Pilgrims:
"I have been a Christian all my life and I have never felt the love I felt this weekend."
"Thursday, I was a flight risk!-and I know how to hotwire cars!"
"What am I going to do about it? Go Home and take my wife out on a date!"
"The ability to accept a tremendous amount of love."
Incredible love! What am I going to do? Plow fields, plant seeds, prepare for harvest."
"I am going back to my church and be a power source there."
"Again, I handed my life over to God to be a better man to walk the walk and talk the talk."
"I was in a bubble of protection of lover and the devil couldn't pop that bubble!"
"You don't know what kind of roller coaster you're signing up for!"
"Impossible to tell you what this weekend meant. I realize I haven't done things right and I'll leave here a better man."
"It means change a lot of things. What am I going to do? As the song says ‘pass it on'."
"It means love, compassion. As we walked through the Candlelight last night, I imagined that is what it will be to talk through the pearly gates."
"What has the weekend meant? About 5 additional pounds. What am I going to do with it? I am gonna have to walk back to Hendersonville."
"When we get caught up in ‘the doing of things', now I'll put some love in it."
"I never thought I could be in a place like this. I didn't know I was deserving of it."
"I don't know why you have to holler out and ask everybody to say their name . . . don't you know they all have name tags on!?"
"I heard some of the best messages on Grace that I have ever heard in my life."
"This walk has been about grace . . .being able to accept it."
"The most awesome Communion I have ever experienced in my life happened yesterday. I took a piece of bread and held a funeral for {my sin}! But I went back through that [Communion] line and experienced a resurrection! I got to lay that stuff in a tomb but Amazing Grace rolled it away."
"I asked Jesus, ‘what one thing He needed to tell me?' He spoke up!"
" What it meant to me? Letting go of my past and moving on."
"I knew what a Christian was but I didn't know how to be a Christian."
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Thinking about sponsoring someone but not sure how to approach it. You can give them a What is Emmaus book. We have received a donation for the What is Emmaus books. Now, they are free so pick one up at the next Gathering, Follow-up or other Blue Ridge Emmaus event. Mailing them is expensive so please don't ask. Let's use this resource to recruit more Pilgrims. Please remember these books are donated so please take all you want but only what you will use!
 AGAPE
INFORMATION
Our first two walks this year will be back to back weekends. So, let's start planning early for our agape goodies. If each reunion group would make 1 or 2 items, we would have a good amount of agape. Individuals are also encouraged to make agape. Just a reminder, that things should not be signed except for a reunion group name. Rule of thumb for amounts: 70 for table and 40 for pillow agape. Then maybe one or two extra if something gets lost or broken. If you need ideas, please feel free to call or email me. Lori Freeman; 890-4220 or lawfreeman@aol.com.
Also, it would be helpful if you could let me know what your group is making so we don't double up on treats.
Do you eat Altoids?
Empty ALTOID tins needed ASAP to be transformed into Chrysalis agape. Please contact Julie Bagamary at Gods6bags@gmail.com or (828) 628-1746. Thank you very much.
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Signed up your Pilgrim for the April Walks? Well what are you waiting for? There is still time if you hurry! Click here and print the application today!
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Kate's Kitchen
Great Fun - Great Food - Great Fellowship
Please join us in the kitchen!
We are so blessed to live in a region that offers fine local produce so we are working now toward a "keep it local" Emmaus kitchen - using as much local organic farm-fresh eggs, fruits, vegetables and meats and dairy as possible, to make it a tasty & healthy Walk for all.
And yes, we 're even serving home-made ice creams from Asheville!
Your helping hands are welcome at any time over the Weekend - Join us as we gather to nourish body & soul to the pilgrims and team - and serve Him as we serve others with joy! Contact Kate if you have any questions:
(828) 252-7271 De Colores!
Currently, we have one person to be added to the Board. Russ Davis!
To confirm Russ, who is running unopposed, clip this and mail it to P.O. Box 8256, Asheville NC 28814
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Russ Davis is ____accepted or ___ rejected for Blue Ridge Emmaus Board Membership
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or send an e-mail accepting (or rejecting) Russ Davis to Community@BlueRidgeEmmaus.org.
More positions are available so contact Phil Crouch at (828) 274-4554 or philcrouch@charter.net if you are willing to serve the Community in this way.
Dear Emmaus Community,
I would like to challenge everyone who was touched by their Walk to Emmaus. Jesus calls us to be His hands and feet. If something blesses us, I believe He would have us pass the blessing on. Just as the woman at the well was blessed and went and told everyone, so should we. The point of Emmaus is to strengthen our churches and one another.
There are several ways to accomplish this. One is to sponsor those brothers and sisters we love and respect by offering them the opportunity and blessing of being a pilgrim on a walk. Another is to come to the walk weekends and serve others just as others served us. I don't believe we are to be selfish with our blessing. I know how many people go on walks and how few come back and give back to the community. It is sad and a sad commentary on how selfish and self centered Americans have become.
I am entering my fifth year on the board. This is the second time we are at a lack for workers, committed Christians to help lead our community. Where are all the men and women who have been blessed by our community? Why are you not active and blessing others. I'll tell you a little secret about Emmaus; the blessing doesn't stop with your walk. Oh no! It keeps right on as you come out to the walks to serve in the kitchen, dining room, prayer chapel, etc. Please prayerfully consider the part you have a privilege to play in our community.
DeColores, Dianna Harrison, Secretary
 GATHERINGS
And we start over again. If you have never considered your church for a Gathering, please do. Step up to the plate. We'd like to be hosted by each church represented in the Community at some time-- small or large. Please check your church calendar for the second Sunday of a month to see if your church can host us or as a Follow- up for a Walk.
This time of gathering is very important. New and old get to visit and know each other and keep us in touch with each other. It helps keep us focused. Mark you calendars for these dates. Dates will rarely change, but locations might. Be sure to pay attention to Mack Salley's Yahoo! email. If you get this email, please contact someone without email with this information might. We'll try to have hand outs at the next Gathering for those email deprived. If you would like to host a gathering at your church, please notify Carolyn Dickens, (828) 456-2829
Sponsor someone on walks in April, September and November. You know what it meant to you, pass it on! My mother told me I never had to pay her back, just promise her I would pass it on. I've tried to make good on that effort in all situations. I hope you can as well. Commit to Walks and Gatherings and Reunion groups like you commit to being at church every Sunday. Remember the community has scholarships for participants and they are there to be used. Where did you learn to see your relationship with Christ different than you saw it before? DeColores! Carolyn
The newsletter is most enjoyable when there is fresh information each time. The Board welcomes submissions from Blue Ridge Emmaus Community. How did the Emmaus experience change or improve your life? Maybe you had a special experience in service during the Walk. Share about your Fourth Day if you wish. Please submit your experiences via e-mail to vanessacrouch@charter.net or mail to Vanessa Crouch, 311 Onteora Blvd, Asheville NC 28803.
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 Have you checked out our web page? It's a great source for up-to-date information! Especially between newsletters. To get to it, enter www.blueridgeemmaus.org in your browser. (Oh, you've already done that!) But some of the information is of a more confidential nature so we require a password for that! Here's what it looks like on the home page (on the lower left).
You have to enter the username and passwords ao you can see the confidentail material. It's published in the paper version of the newsletter but to obtain it online, please send an e-mail with your name and Walk # to Community@BlueRidgeEmmaus.org. We'll confirm that information with our database and then send you the Username and Password. Please allow up to a week for a response. If you need a quicker response, call Phil Crouch at (828) 274-4554 with your information and he'll call you back as soon as possible with the Password.
** Please note, the password is NOT capitalized! **
If you want to be on the e-mail list for the Blue Ridge Emmaus Yahoo! Group so that you can get updates and prayer concerns, enter your e-mail in the box like this one (above left) which is on the lower left of the home page. You'll get an e-mail that you must confirm before being added. Click that link and you're all set! How easy is that? Now, go do it!
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