Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Nashville Emmaus Community
September 2015
Looking Positively We have all experienced time of happiness and sadness. Times that are easy to handle and some that are hard to understand. We have just reached a disappointing time in the life of our Nashville Emmaus Community – cancelling our Fall Walks. It was hard to let the lay director’s know and then to tell you, the community. We could complain about it. We could have negative thoughts about where we are as an Emmaus community. We could say we are never going to recover. We could grumble and look at changes made that we don’t like. We could point fingers. Yes, we could – but we won’t. This is hard, but we know God's timing is in the middle of all this, and out of our devastation, His new life for us will bloom. We will look at what we, as the Board, can do to help us move forward. We will continue to look positively and make plans. There are external factors we may need to look at as well as factors closer to all of us. Please keep us in prayer as we move forward. 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9 Blessings and peace, Edna Vaughan
You are invited to support a new program in the Walk to Emmaus family specifically for young adults: Journey to the Table. We are testing the program October 7th – 9th at Cedar Crest Camp near Lyles, TN in partnership with Martin Methodist College. There are opportunities to help with background roles, called the ‘Big House’ in JTT, as well as participate in candlelight. If you would like to attend, please contact Brandi Belcher at (931) 424-7363 or bbelcher@martinmethodist.edu. You can also follow the story of JTT at www.journey.UpperRoom.org.
In This Issue The Oyster Man ............................................................................2 Need Your Help.............................................................................3 Gatherings ........................................................................................3 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and began walking with them... Luke 24:15
Events .................................................................................................4 Board Members & Assignments...........................................4
The Oyster Man I don’t know if you have ever heard this story or not but has a powerful message for us all! In the days of John Wesley, lay preachers with limited education would sometimes conduct the church services. One of these lay preachers used Luke 19:21 as his text: “Lord, I feared Thee, because Thou art an austere man” (KJV) Not knowing the word austere, he thought the text spoke of “an oyster man.” He explained how a diver must grope in the dark, freezing water to retrieve oysters. In his attempt, he cuts his hands on the sharp edges of the shells. After he obtains an oyster, he rises to the surface, clutching it “in his torn and bleeding hands.” The preacher added, “Christ descended from the glory of heaven into . . . sinful human society, in order to retrieve humans and bring them back up with Him to the glory of heaven. His torn and bleeding hands are a sign of the value He placed on the object of His quest.” After the lay preacher preached, 12 men received Christ. Later that night someone came to Wesley to complain about unschooled preachers who were too ignorant even to know the meaning of the texts they were preaching on. The Oxford-educated Wesley simply said, “Never mind. The Lord got a dozen oysters tonight!” Every time an Emmaus Walk or Face to Face is held Christ and God’s grace is presented by lay and clergy and lives are changed for the Kingdom of God. Thank you to those lay and clergy who faithfully serve on the teams and help to gather the “oysters” in! Do you
remember toward the end of your Emmaus Walk or Face to Face when you were presented your cross with these words, “Christ is counting on you!” and you responded, “And I’m counting on Christ!” Remember this and help on an Emmaus Walk or Face to Face next spring or next fall in 2016! Remember this and offer yourself as a lay or clergy to volunteer your name to be put on the ballot to possibly be elected to serve on the Emmaus Board and help guide the Nashville Emmaus/Face to Face Community to continue to faithfully to offer Walks and Encounters to all God’s people. In fact contact me, Allen Weller, Nashville Spiritual Director 2015 or Edna Vaughn, Nashville Lay Director, 2015 and simply say, “Christ is counting on me!” and I want to help others to hear those words on an Emmaus Walk or Face to Face Encounter by serving on a team or by serving on the Emmaus Board. A man by the name of Hess wrote, “The Master can use what you have to offer, though you may consider it small; His work here on earth is done through His children, so give Him your best, give your all.” God Bless! De Colores! Allen Weller, Nashville Emmaus Spiritual Director
We Need Your Help! Dear Nashville Emmaus Community, Doug Ball & I currently serve on the set-up/take down committee of the Nashville Emmaus Community Board. This is my third year on the board and Doug’s first. I am writing to you, Nashville Emmaus Community, because we are requesting your help. During my tenure on the board, the pilgrims have expressed that they prefer sleeping on cots rather than air mattresses. The problem is we only have a few cots, and they are not very comfortable. As for the air mattresses, we have been replacing 3 to 4 mattresses each walk due to wear and tear. Holes are being found in the seams making the repair process extremely difficult and tedious. Over the past few months, the Board has been discussing this issue to decide the best solution. The Board has concluded it is in the best interest of the pilgrims to purchase additional cots. This
is where we need the help of the community! Good cots that are wide enough to be comfortable and sturdy enough to be safe are expensive. We are starting a cot campaign, asking for your monetary support. You may mail your donation to Jon Bell; 854 Goodwin; Hillsboro, TN 37342 or, you may donate by using the link entitled “Donate to Nashville Emmaus Community”. Thank you very much.
Gatherings New opportunity to attend an Emmaus Christmas gathering! Place: Andrew Price United Methodist Church 2846 Lebanon Pike Nashville, TN 37214 Date: Saturday, December 5th Time: 6:00 pm What to bring: Yourself and a covered dish Contact person: Jeanne Bell (931) 267-6291 Make plans to attend and enjoy our Christmas gathering. Come and celebrate your Christmas holidays with your Emmaus friends!!!
DeColores, Sam Trot
Dec 5
Gathering Andrew Price United Methodist Church 6 pm Men’s Walk #193 Hermitage UMC
Mar 31-Apr 3 Apr 14-17 Women’s Walk #194 Hermitage UMC
Emmaus Board Members & Job Assignments: Name
Job Description
Ball, Doug
Dabball42@gmail.com
Set up/take down
Bell, Jeanne
jonbell0213@gmail.com
Prayer/Gathering
Bell, Jon
jonbell0213@gmail.com
Treasurer/ASD
Bill Owen, Rev.
revwowen@gmail.com
ASD
Chavis, John David
Johnchavis7@gmail.com
Team Selection
Glover, Sandie
sandie.glover@comcast.net
Co Chair/Prayer
Grayson, Steve
sdgrayson@vbhcs.org
Secretary
Griggs, Sandra, Rev
sandragriggs@comcast.net
ASD
Hunt, Carla
CF.Hunt@comast.net
Kitchen
Mabry, Loyd, Rev
loyd.mabry@gmail.com
ASD
Mason, Hugh
masonhugh@tds.net
Sat. Entertainment
Melrose, Jane
jane.melrose@suntrust.com
Agape
Mishler, Pat
pmish5@comcast.net
Face 2 Face
Perez, Victor, Rev
visaperez@bellsouth.net
ASD
Snodgrass, Carla
carla@preventchildabuse.org
Registrar
Street, Wilda
wjstreet@att.net
Kitchen
Trott, Sam
Jtrott0409@gmail.com
Set Up/take down
Vaughan, Edna
evaughan@gbod.org and evaughan@tds.net
CLD
Wedekind, Cathy
cathy.wedekind@comcast.net
Newsletter/Com.
Weller, Allen, Rev
wellerrev@comcast.net
CSD
Williams, Randy
rwilliams@covenantservicesTN.com
CLD ChrysalisEx-officio