Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Nashville Emmaus Community
May 2015
Our Fourth Day/Forth Day I have recently been helping my 96 year old mother transition into the Wellness section of her retirement center. It has been a difficult time, but a rewarding one too. You see, my mother has been in depression for the past year, trying to deal with the loss of her sister and another friend of 14 years within two weeks of each other. She lost her friends and her ability to continue on without them. Our Emmaus community has been in transition, too. As in life, we have gone through the peaks and valleys; Times of having full walks and gatherings, great attendance at send-offs, candlelight’s and closings. Then slowly going into times of smaller attendance at walks, gatherings and low attendance at the weekend events. We even had to cancel Walks. Our time of loss. We could have stayed in that place. But we didn’t!! We are a strong and faithful board and community of believers!! We talked about what was wrong. We began looking and talking about what had gotten us to this place – the place of having to cancel Walks. We began looking at positive ways to help our community to become rejuvenated - to focus on these positives and to make plans for more positive actions.
weekends. We know it is the working together that will help our Nashville Emmaus Community to become strong again as an active community. My mother is coming back and going forth in her new area. She has begun pulling out of her depression and starting to socialize and enjoy her life again – going back to church and being with friends who missed her! She is enjoying her Fourth Day! We too are growing into another rewarding time of our community: new signs of life and new growth with two successful Spring Walks, Gatherings expanding, Face to Face growing, Chrysalis rebuilding, and a renewed feeling of optimism looking to our future. We formed our circle of friendships, we held hands and reached outside our circle to others, we began walking together and now we are enjoying our Fourth Day walk together moving forth! Blessings and joy, Edna
P.S. My mother experienced her Emmaus Walk at the age of 80 in Sidney Area Walk to Emmaus in Ohio. She said it was one of the best times in We are now turning to you. her life and she came off Walk and We are working to get committees to help us with began a new way to let people know weekend responsibilities – kitchen, agape, set up, etc. We are they are loved. Her greeting to everyone: “God loves you, and forming a new committee that will be our Outreach into I love you and there is nothing you can do about it!” while she churches and our community and we will be asking for your gives them a hug. She now continuing her “hug ministry”. help with these. We started Gatherings again with a new look and the help of community members. We are becoming part of the Emmaus community, not just a board who helps put on
In This Issue
While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and began walking with them... Luke 24:15
Earworms ..........................................................................................2 Meet Our Newest Members ...................................................3 Our Community at Work .........................................................4 A Plan, Support, and Tools .....................................................5 Chrysalis ............................................................................................6 Has Your Pastor Been on a Walk? .......................................6 Board Members & Assignments...........................................7 Upcoming Events .........................................................................7