Blue Ridge Emmaus

Community Newsletter

Volume 15, Issue 4, November 2008

       Please be in prayer for the

Pilgirims and Team (sign-on required)

of Women's Walk #59

 November 20-23, 2008, Christmount, Black Mountain

Notes from the Blue Ridge Emmaus Community Lay Director

            I have been thinking this week about the challenges the board has faced this year.  We still have some open positions to fill on the board and in January we will have even more.  But most of us have faced many challenges in our lives.  This has been a year when people in the community have lost jobs and we are all struggling with today's economy.  But we can rest assured we are not alone. (Hebrew's 13:5) says I will never leave you or forsake you.

            There are many areas where we need community members to serve.  The board is a place to serve and help as we face new challenges in the year ahead.  I am confident we will have challenges to face, and if not, it's still a great place to serve.  We always need mew people who can give us fresh ideas, etc.

            We have the Women's Walk coming up on November 20-23 and we are God's servants to provide for these pilgrims.  I ask that you come out to Christmount and serve in the dining hall (always lots of fun), prayer chapel (lots of great music, prayer and praising our awesome God) or how about signing up on the 72 hour prayer vigil.

            Remember the Lord is our strength and we need to put our trust in Him to face all of our challenges.  (Psalm 28:7-9) The Lord is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him.

            I challenge each of you to ask God where he would have you serve Him now and in the coming new year!

                                    DeColores

                                    Eva Farren

                                    Community Lay Director

AGAPE INFORMATION

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.

PERSONAL AGAPE: If you wish to give your pilgrim any personal agape, please do so on the ride home AFTER leaving Christmount.

Do you eat Altoids?  Empty ALTOID

tins needed ASAP to be transformed into Chrysalis agape. Please contact Julie Bagamary @ Gods6bags@gmail.com or (828) 628-1746. Thank you very much.

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!

Q:  What can I do This Weekend?

A:  Come and Serve!     

Please note that you do

not have to have a

pilgrim on the Walk

to participate in any of these

Community wide activities throughout the weekend.  All members of the Emmaus Community are encouraged to attend send-off, sponsor's hour, candlelight, closing & follow-up. You are also encouraged to work in the dining room, lift up prayers in the prayer chapel, place your name on the prayer banner & pray up the Walk.  Always remember the need for baked goods, snack foods and drinks.  You may not have a pilgrim on this Walk, but the Pilgrims and Team still need the support of the Blue Ridge Emmaus Community in all facets of the weekend.

 We Need A New Cook in the Kitchen!   

The Board of Directors is looking for a person to head up the Kitchen Committee.  The Committee chair DOES NOT have to run the Weekend from beginning to end by themselves.  They can have an entire group of volunteers under them perhaps each running a day or just a couple of meals.  Perhaps organizing by ReUnion Groups to be servants.  If you can serve in this role, please contact Eva Farren  at 665-1646 or evafarren@charter.net

For this Walk, Christmount's cooks will be preparing the food using our menu.  We get to use a lovely dining room. Even though someone else is cooking we still need volunteers.  We can still contribute by plating the food, serving the food, busing the tables, and creating the festive atmosphere - basically all the dining room functions.  Also, there are other ways to serve.  This would be a great time to try the Prayer Chapel or working as an outside servant.  We'll have someone posted in the Dining Room to help in getting volunteer jobs assigned.

Note: With food costs rising at such exorbitant rates over the last 12 months, we've had to raise our meal costs to all. As a result, we ask those sharing the meal with us to contribute Kitchen agape $4.00 per meal.

Dining Room Servant Schedule:

Friday                 Served at                      Arrive at

   Breakfast            8:00 am                        7:30 am

   Lunch               12:30 pm                        12 noon

   Dinner                5:30 pm                        5:00 pm

Saturday

   Breakfast            8:00 am                       7:30 am

   Lunch               12:30 pm                        12 noon

   Dinner                5:30 pm                        5:00 pm

Sunday

   Breakfast            8:00 am                       7:30 am

   Lunch                 12 noon                      11:30 am

                    Prayer Vigil

        From the Prayer Vigil Team

            Thanks to ALL of you who signed up for the September Prayer Vigil! The spaces were all filled by Send-Off!  God answered your prayers and it was an awesome walk.

Please take a few minutes to sign up for the Women's walk November 20-23.  Of all the gifts of Agape' showered on the pilgrims during the weekend, this is the one with the most influence as it goes from you straight to God!  What a privilege for us.  Sign up today for a time that is perfect for you!

                                                -Trudi Peters

PRAYER CHAPEL

Come and join us in the Prayer Chapel. We have a great time on every Walk singing, reading scripture and praying. What a treat it is to see the Holy Spirit at Work! It is an experience you won't forget.

Virginia and Lee Wilkinson, Prayer Chapel Chairpersons

Women's Walk #59 events

we want you to attend!

Send off:

  Thursday, Nov. 20 @ 6:45 pm in the ‘Old' Dining Hall. Bring a snack to share!

Candlelight:

  Saturday, Nov. 22^nd @ 7:45 pm in the "Old Dining Hall"   Please come to support the Pilgrims and join in on that great Emmaus Fellowship, see your old friends, worship together, singing praise music and hearing a message. Service begins at 7:45 PM.  Please remember to be quiet while arriving and departing so as not to disturb the Pilgrims. What a wonderful way to show God's love and support to the Pilgrims and the Community. So come to Candlelight! 

Closing:

  Sunday, Nov. 23^rd @ 4:30 pm in the ‘Old' Dining Hall.

  Come an empty vessel and get filled.

Follow-Up:

  Friday Dec. 5^th @ 7:00 pm at Trinity United Methodist Church

  587 Haywood Road Asheville NC. This Follow-up that not only serves to welcome the newest Community Members from Walk 59 but as our last Community Gathering for 2008. Bring a snack to share.  We're still hungry!

Feel like sometimes

you've lost your direction?

Well here are some

to help you along the way.

        Directions to Christmount:

~Drive east on I-40 to Exit 64.   

~Turn right onto Hwy 9.  After you drive past Wendy's, the road will split.

~Stay on Hwy 9, bearing left at the fork in the road. Go about 1 mile.  

~Turn left into Christmount and proceed up the hill, main Bldg on left. 

Directions to Trinity UMC:

From West Asheville:

~Take I-240E to exit 2

~Turn left onto Hanover Rd

~Turn west onto Haywood Rd at the light

~Trinity is 2 blocks on the right after you cross back over I-240.  Please park in back.

From East or North Asheville:

~Take I-240 W to exit 2

~Turn right at the light onto Haywood Rd

~Go approximately 2 blocks on the right. Please park in behind the church.

Sponsor's Responsibilities

*BEFORE THE WALK

•v       Provide application & "What Is Emmaus" book for your applicant.

•v       Begin praying for your applicant.

•v       Pick up completed application & book.

•v       Fill out sponsor's form.

•v       Mail completed application, sponsor's form & $50 deposit.

•v       Meet with the applicant & family. Tell them about possible changes & answer all questions.

•v       Begin collecting agape letters from family & friends, well in advance.

•v       Sign up for a slot on the 72-hour prayer vigil.

•v       Pay the remaining money for the Walk.

•v       During the Walk, do something special for your Pilgrim's family this weekend.

•v       Check on them and answer any questions they may have.

*Thursday

•v       Pick up your Pilgrim. 

•v       Take them to dinner (optional).

•v       Have them at Christmount registration by 6:45pm.

•v       Carry their bags to their room.  Turn down their bed for them.

•v       Take them to the send-off location by 7:00pm (bring a snack to share at send-off).

•v       Introduce them to their roommate.

•v       Turn in the agape letters, approximately 12, label them if possible with a description like "Spouse, Friend, Child".

•v       Bring a special snack (to be shared by everyone) for your Pilgrim.

*Friday

•v       Work in the dining area if possible, your Pilgrim should not see you.

•v       Visit the Prayer Chapel and pray for Pilgrims, Walk and the Community.

*Saturday

•v       Work in the dining area if possible, your Pilgrim should not see you.

•v       Visit the Prayer Chapel and pray for Pilgrims, Walk and the Community.

•v       Attend Candlelight at Christmount. Community gathers at 7:45pm. Remember boundaries - No touching or hugging!

•v       PRAY FOR YOUR PILGRIM AT CANDLELIGHT.

*Sunday

•v       Work in the dining area if possible, your Pilgrim should not see you.

•v       Visit the Prayer Chapel and pray for Pilgrims, Walk and the Community.

•v       Be at Closing. Closing is scheduled for 4:30. This will be the first time your Pilgrim will see you - Smile J

•v       Help your Pilgrim with their bags.

•v       Take Pilgrim home.

*AFTER THE WALK

Call your Pilgrim on Monday evening to see how their first Fourth Day went. Be prepared for a long conversation. Have your pilgrim at follow-up on Friday night, December 5^th. Bring a snack to Follow-Up.

Get your Pilgrim into a Reunion Group!  Better yet, take them to one!

The most important next step after your walk is to join or form a reunion group. Reunion groups serve to keep you accountable for living your life to the Glory of God.  They also serve as all important sources of strength when you needed it the most.   The group provides opportunities to study the ways of the Lord and how to use the Word practically in everyday life. So join or create with others a reunion group.  You will forever be grateful for taking this step.  When you form your new group, please let the Chairperson of the community know the name, meeting time, meeting place and who the members are.

Click Here to view the ReUnion Group Page

 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)!.  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!