Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Nashville Emmaus Community
May 2014
Circles When our new leader came to GBOD (General Board of Discipleship) he presented an image for us to think about within our work and ministry. I am sharing that image for us to think of in regards to our ministry together of Emmaus/Chrysalis/Face to Face.
Circles. We see them all around us: sun, moon, oranges, sunflowers, balloons; rings on fingers, wheels on automobiles, balls that are played with by children and pets. We have circles of friends, quilting circles, ring around the rosie circles, etc. Have you ever thought of the circle that we are part of? It is a large circle of people who are part of a larger circle of people, all who have participated in the Walk to Emmaus/Chrysalis/Face to Face. We are different communities, in different states and countries – but still all part of that big circle! Let’s look at our circle, closer to home – the Nashville Emmaus/Chrysalis/Face to Face community. Let’s look at us as a circle of friends all holding hands. We are a circle that never ends. Feels good to be so connected with others who are part of the family of God who have chosen to be part of the spiritual formation family of Emmaus.
Now, let’s picture our circle differently. How can we still be connected as in a circle but in a different way. We are holding hands, looking at each other, talking together. Now, lets turn around, still holding each others hands. We are looking out, not in. Now, take a minute and think of still another way to keep our circle. Have you figured it out? Think of an atom. Picture all of us standing in a circle reaching in with our left hands touching in the center and with our right hand reaching out……
....reaching out to invite others into the experience of Emmaus or Chrysalis or Face to Face. Our circle grows larger as we extend an invitation to join our ministry to others. This summer, we can continue extending our circle by praying for and inviting someone to attend The Walk to Emmaus or Chrysalis Flight or Face to Face Encounter. Blessings and peace. DeColores and Fly with Christ, Edna Vaughan Community Lay Director
In This Issue
While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and began walking with them... Luke 24:15
“4th Day Adventure ....................................................................2 Kairos Corner ..................................................................................3 Face to Face.....................................................................................4 Chrysalis...It’s almost time!.......................................................4 God’s Love .......................................................................................5 Up Coming Events.......................................................................5 Nashville Emmaus Board .........................................................5 Setzer Memorial Scholarship Fund......................................5
“4th Day” Adventure After experiencing The Walk To Emmaus, we go about our lives and our “4th Days” striving to live the way God wants us to live. We slowly but surely get into our routines and sometimes have a tendency not to appreciate our blessings. Then, sometimes, a challenge or an opportunity presents itself and WHAM . . . we realize something profound has occurred. Such was the case for me when I had to acknowledge that things don’t always go as we plan! I’m not talking about the big stuff like birth, death, and illness, but the day to day stuff that we think we can plan. Last month, I was planning to fly to Monterey Bay, California to visit my grandchildren (and my son and daughter-in-law) who moved there in December. It was to be my first visit and I was really excited. The night before I was to leave, I realized that for some unrealistic, but very real reason, the source of which is yet to be determined, I was not going to be able to make myself get on that plane. I was in full panic mode at the very thought of being on a plane!
machines, and commiserating with each other when the plugs didn’t work for our electronics. Travelers would come and go, but that shared experience continued to connect us as we shared our stories with each other. I met the most interesting people whose paths I would never have crossed if I had not traveled by bus. There was the retired entrepreneur who didn’t have a driver’s license and had lived all over the country, and the woman who started a food truck business catering specifically to skate parks so she could stay connected to her kids. There was the nervous young gay man who was going across the country to visit his family for the first time in several years and the middle aged black man who had found his faith in God when he fasted while he was incarcerated. He now owns an auto-body shop. A young woman from Columbia who was heading to her sister’s house in Kentucky spoke absolutely no English but just trusted the rest of us to direct her to the right bus . . . Thankfully, I had an App for that . . . so much fun to be able to communicate using modern technology. But, the traveler who touched me the most was a 33 year old black veteran who had served 2 tours in Afghanistan and now suffers from PTSD. He grew up in a gang in Los Angeles but had kicked drugs and is living in Dallas. He was headed back to LA for his sister’s funeral . . . she had been murdered. He talked to me for hours about his sister and his fear of going back home to his old haunts. He needed someone to care! I had lunch with an old friend a couple of weeks ago and I had just told her that I rode the bus instead of flying and before I had even begun the details, she asked me, “Why did God put you on that bus?” Wow . . . I really do believe that God put me on that bus . . . I’m just not sure if it was for all of those other people . . . or for me! De Colores,
Not to be deterred from visiting my beautiful Mary Main, grand-daughters, I decided to take the bus . . . Yes, I rode a Assistant Community Lay Director Greyhound Bus all the way from Nashville, Tennessee to Los Angeles, California . . . Total time from start to finish was 53 What’s Happening in Your 4th Day? hours. In case you aren’t familiar with bus riding, they don’t stop at the Holiday Inn for the night . . . we traveled 24/7 We all remember our own Emmaus experience and what stopping at the many bus stops along the way. Of course it meant to us personally. We all held that cross at Closing and I also had to return and, still unable to fly, I drove to Las Vegas answered the questions about what the Walk meant to us and and rode the bus back home . . . a mere 43 hours. This trip what were we going to about it. Well, we want to hear about became known in my family as “Nana’s Big Adventure”! what happened next! I decided to approach this adventure with great We are looking for “Fourth Day Stories” to share in the Newsletter anticipation and to fully immerse myself in the experience. and on the Website . . . What did you do about it? If you would like What I didn’t realize about bus travel is that you really get the to submit your story for consideration, please send it to Mary Main opportunity to bond with the other riders. Many of us became at News@NashvilleEmmaus.org. a family of sorts enjoying the scenery, sharing the joy of I started us out with my story . . . Please share one of yours! stopping at a Pilot instead of a tiny bus stop with only vending
Kairos Korner After almost eight (8) years, Riverbend Maximum Security Institution Kairos #1 was held on Mother’s Day weekend, May 8 – 11, 2014. We started the weekend on Thursday evening with 24 residents and finished with 19 men. Five had dropped off for various reasons. However, those that completed the weekend were the ones that God wanted there for whatever He had in store for them. Maybe it simply wasn’t the right time for the other five, we will never know. For a #1 Weekend, I believe that it went as smoothly as it could. A few little hiccups along the way, but nothing that God could not overcome. We were blessed with 30 men that said yes to God in their participation on the team. One of the residents of RMSI had built a beautiful cross to hold the neck crosses out of cherry. It is beautifully crafted and distressed with a wood lathe tool to give the appearance of “The Old Rugged Cross”. One of the Agape demonstrations of God’s love is through a prayer chain, which wrapped completely around the gym and when taken down measured 400 feet. One of the residents counted 1,431 links, this was in addition to the chart of those people that signed up to pray for 30 minutes at a particular time. For those that baked cookies, may I say the loaves and fishes were multiplied here also, approximately 1,000 dozen homemade cookies. Each man gets a dozen for himself and another dozen to give away to one whose forgiveness he seeks. While this may not seem like a big deal to us, it is to the residents of a prison.
This is a long way of saying that God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit were very present and very real to the participants and yes to the team also this weekend. We will begin planning for #2 almost immediately. Anyone want to join us? We will need more people to join us and our Advisory Council, (similar to the Emmaus Board) as several will have to roll off by Kairos rules at the end of this year. It doesn’t mean that we are quitting Kairos Prison Ministry, it simply means that we have to take a break. To God be the Glory, Dan Preston Leader RMSI Kairos #1
Face To Face Face To Face, Encounter #4 has just finished. Fellowship UMC was our gracious host this year and we all want to thank them for allowing another amazing Emmaus experience for our 18 Pilgrims (we had a few cancellations). Each of the 4 Fridays were attended by all 5 of our clergy, SD – Randy Brown, ASDs – Will Rudolph, Blake Stevens, Victor Perez, and John Greer. Thank you all for your spiritual guidance…and humor! Ann Shafer was our fantastic LD and she guided her amazing Team and the
Pilgrims through every week with love and care. Paul Gardner was my fearless partner, thank you Paul! As Coaches/ALDs we were honored to spend these 4 Fridays helping the Pilgrims (and the Team) meet Jesus in a new and special way. I think I can say for everyone that serving seniors in this unique venue, Face to Face, is a blessing to us all and we pray for our Face to Face Next Day Pilgrims as they join the Nashville Community of Emmaus who are praising God for an experience like no other. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to the Nashville Emmaus and Chrysalis Community for supporting FTF with your prayers, table agape, and food agape. It was great to see so many of you at Candlelight and Closing. God is honored by your amazing support! De Colores to all the FTF Encounter #4 Pilgrims! Pat Mishler Face to Face Nashville Emmaus Board Representative
NOW – Face to Face wants to know if you would like to sponsor Encounter #5 at your church or facility in 2015. Contact me at pmish5@comcast.net and I can give you all the requirements and details. We need to get this on your calendar A.S.A.P
Chrysalis Flights . . . It’s almost time! Chrysalis is getting ready to host our two summer flights! We will be sending the girls on their flight Saturday, May 31st at 8:30 a.m. at Fellowship Church in Murfreesboro. We are still accepting applications for the boys’ flight which starts Saturday, June 28 at 8:30 a.m. Set-up for each flight will occur the Thursday prior to the flight beginning at 6:00 p.m. and dinner will be provided. Please ask your churches and reunion groups to come out and help. We would love to have you all there to support and pray for the flights. If you would like to help with Saturday night entertainment, please contact me at 931-241-0705 or proverbspatrice@gmail.com. If you are able to provide table agape, we require 65 pieces. If you would like to sign-up for a prayer time, our chart can be found at www.3dayol.org/Vigil/GetComm.phtml Candlelight for each flight will be Sunday at 8:15 p.m., and closing will be Monday at 4:00 p.m. We appreciate the support of the Emmaus Community as these youth grow in their faith and prepare to be leaders in their home churches
Our Board continues to look for a few more members both laity and clergy. If you would like more information, please let me know. The Chrysalis Community is doing amazing things in the lives of youth and we look forward to the continuing support of the Nashville Emmaus Community. Christ is counting on YOU! Fly with Christ, Patrice Rullo Nashville Chrysalis Community Lay Director
Please Visit our Website – www.NashvilleChrysalis.com
God’s Love “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 How do we know that God loves us? That is a question that we as human beings try to answer in many different ways. We may look at our circumstances and if things are going well for us we might think God loves us. We may see all that we have in life and realize how blessed we are and say God loves us. What about the person going through difficult times or the family that lives in poverty? Is God’s love less manifest for them? I think most of us would say no. But what do we point to that demonstrates God’s love for us? Paul makes it very clear in Romans 5:8 how God demonstrates His love for us… “When WE were sinners, Christ died for US”! Wow! This is a powerful statement. It was at OUR point of greatest need that God demonstrated His love for us. It was when WE were lost in our sin that God poured out his extravagant love to us. It was when WE had turned our backs on God, our neighbor and ourselves, that God chose to demonstrate His grace in the most profound act of agape love, the giving of His Son for OUR sins. We reaffirm this reality every time we take communion. After we have made a confession of our sins corporately and individually, the pastor says these words:
“Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners: That proves God’s love towards us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!” We welcome the 60 new members from Walk #185, Walk #186, and Face to Face Encounter #4 to the Nashville Emmaus community. My prayer is that all of our fourth day journeys are filled with the continuing realization of God’s love for each of us. In fact the whole purpose of our Walk to Emmaus or Face to Face experience is to live out a grace empowered fourth day. So remember when that walk gets difficult, when that fourth day seems lonely and challenging, that you have not journeyed beyond the reach of God’s love. When hard days come and you endure times of poverty, look to the cross and see that God’s love is always, always toward YOU. De Colores, John Arnold, Community Spiritual Director Nashville Community Clergy Members – If you are moving this Annual Conference please email us your new contact information (email address, mailing address, phone number) to News@NashvilleEmmaus.org.
2014 Nashville Emmaus Board of Directors Executive Leadership Edna Vaughan - Community Lay Director Mary Main - Assistant Community Lay Director Charlene Eubank - Secretary Jon Bell - Treasurer
Emmaus Walks
Chrysalis Flights
Fall Men’s Oct 2-5 Womens Oct 16-19
Girl’s May 31 - June 2 Boy’s June 28-30
Setzer Memorial Scholarship Fund The Setzer Memorial Scholarship Fund is an ongoing memorial to Jon and Marian Setzer. Donations will go to help assist those who would like to attend the Walk to Emmaus, Face To Face, or Chrysalis in the Nashville Community and need financial help. If you would like to make a contribution in memory of Jon and Marian, please go to our website for more information. You may donate via PayPal or send a check.
nashvilleemmaus.org/Setzer_Memorial_Scholarship_Fund/
Lay Board Members Greg Engroff - Registrar • Immediate Past Community Lay Director Jeannie Bell Sandie Glover Steve Grayson Carla Hunt Nancy LeSuer Hugh Mason Jane Melrose Pat Mishler John Nance Bill Nelson Sam Trott Clergy John Arnold - Community Spiritual Director Allen Weller - Assistant Community Spiritual Director Jon Bell Loyd Mabry Ex-Officio Patrice Rullo - Chrysalis For More Info on Board Members and their areas of service, or to email a Board Member NashvilleEmmaus.org/About_Us/