Tres Dias of North Georgia Newsletter

Upcoming Tres Dias of North Georgia Weekends
Men's #100 - Steve LaMarsh - Jan 28-31, 2010 Women's #113 - Debbie Kroko - Feb 4-7, 2010 Men's 101 - Bundy Sanders - Apr 8-11, 2010 Women's 114 - LouAnn Pressell - Apr 15-18, 2010

From our Chairman's Heart

Withstanding the "Andrews" of Life

"I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things."

2 Peter 1:12

In August 1992, My Dad lived in Coral Gables as Hurricane Andrew blasted across south Florida with 160 mile-per-hour winds, causing terrible destruction.

In the midst of all the debris, reporters were amazed to find one house still standing firm on its foundation. A reporter approached the man who was doing a little sweeping around the house and asked, "Sir, how did you manage to avoid the damage of this hurricane?"

"I built this house myself," he replied. "I built it according to the Florida State building code. I guess the other people didn't follow the code."

There is some good theology in that homeowner's statement. He did it the right way. Yet many people today are not following the "code" when it comes to building their faith. They haven't properly laid a biblical foundation.

Perhaps this is one of the dynamics of Tres Dias that bears so much fruit. We come to a place where we experience the reality of grace and the power of His Word to define for us our ideal. Our priorities change and we desire to be vessels through which His life can flow to our families, friends and those He bring along our path.

Often we come as candidates and realize we don't know as much as we think we know. We may intellectually agree with certain truths that are taught, but we couldn't make a biblical case for those things ourselves.

Tres Dias is "a short course in Christianity" and we hear those building blocks of truth being laid one upon another through each Rollo for 3 days.

The apostle Peter wrote, "For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth" (2 Peter 1:12).

Let's continue to establish a strong foundation for our faith. Let's remind ourselves of the tripod: Study, Action and Piety. Let's follow the "Builders" code by studying the Bible and immersing ourselves in His life-giving truth throughout our "Fourth Day".
When we build our foundation on the "Chief Cornerstone" we too will withstand the storms of life.
DeColores,
Bill

Sponsorship

Sponsorship and the Responsibilities of a Sponsor

This is the third article in a series about the joys and responsibilities of being a sponsor.

Sponsoring candidates is only one of the many joys we have as members of the TD community. However, sponsorship brings with it several serious responsibilities to the candidates, to the community, and ultimately, to God.

It has been said that the most important part of Tres Dias is sponsorship.

Why Sponsor?

To bring spiritual revitalization to Christians who will, in turn, bring new life and vision to the work of the church, home, workplace, and community.

Practical application - I think it is safe to say that most of us who have been to Tres Dias, leave the weekend with a deeper understanding of Christ's love and of our responsibility to share and spread that love. Electricity does not light a bulb by flowing TO it, it lights the bulb by flowing THROUGH it. If we are to be the light of the world, Christ's love must not only flow to us, it must flow through us, and those we sponsor, into the church, the home, the workplace, and the community.

Message Board
Don't forget to use the message board, http://ngtd.activeboard.com for prayer requests, praise reports and other community member announcements.

Tres Dias Essentials

There are come components of the weekend that are "essential", some are "optional", some are "accidental", and some are "divinely orchestrated". The essentials are proscribed by Tres Dias International. Here are more. (continued from previous newsletters):

3.2 The essentials of the weekend phase

2. That the Spiritual Directors be qualified to teach and counsel in spiritual matters.

3. That at least one of the Spiritual Directors on the Weekend be ordained and be authorized to regularly celebrate Holy Communion by his/her denomination.

For the purpose of these Essentials, "clergy" is intended to refer to those persons qualified to serve as Spiritual Directors.

4. That men and women attend separate weekends. The Spiritual Directors are exempted.

5. That team members represent a spectrum of Christian denominations.

6. That team members have previously made either a TRES DIAS Weekend or a similar experience recognized by TRES DIAS.

(continued next issue)

Secretriat Information
The Secretariat exists to serve the community. For list of current Secretariat Members, see www.ngtd.org There are several Secretariat positions open, or coming open soon, If you would be interested in the blessing of serving the community, contact any of the Secretariat members for more information.

Weekend Fees Changing
Effective January 1, 2010, Fees will be $125.00 The expenses for our weekends continue to rise and, after much prayer and consideraton, we find it necessary after many years to raise the weekend fee to $125.00. This will apply to team and candidates.

TRES DIAS GUIDE FOR TEAM MEMBERS

The following begins a series of excerpts from The Tres Dias Guide for Team Members.

The Role of The Team Member

Introduction

After prayerful consideration, you have been invited by a rector to serve on a Tres Dias team. You have examined your responsibilities to God, family, church, work and your Reunion Group. Your commitment will probably cover a period of about three months from the first team meeting until the post-weekend critique is completed (and reunion, if your team/new pescadores have one). Congratulations! You are now allowed to anticipate, and well as participate!

(more next issue)

Secretariat Reminders

The Secretariat would like to remind you that it is inappropriate to bring children to send-off, closing, serenade or other Tres Dias functions that are not "family affairs"

Further, only those that have attended a recognized 3-day weekend my attend Tres Dias functions.

We appreciate your understanding and compliance with these Tres Dias requirements.

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Also a reminder to sponsors - Please urge your candidates to leave all cell phones & electronic devices at home so that they can block out the outside world & spend 3 days focusing totally on God & what He has in store for them.

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The Word
"God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning - the first day. And God said "let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above it. And it was so." Genesis 1:5-7