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 | Upcoming Emmaus Events
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June 21st - 24th
Men's Walk 239
Camp Copass Sign Up for 4th Day
July 19th - 22nd
Women's Walk 240
Camp Copass
Sep 13th - 16th
Women's Walk 241
Sabine Creek
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and
Kairos of Texas
Inside & Outside
If you know any woman who would benefit from Kairos Outside, please contact KONT by email |
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Men's Walk #239
June 21st - 24th
Women's Walk #240 July 19th - 22nd
The Community is encouraged to attend the following events:
Send-off which starts at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Candlelight begins at 8:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Closing will start around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Please be careful not to arrive earlier than 7:15 p.m.
for the Candlelight services on Saturday.
The online Prayer Vigil supplements (but does not replace) the paper Prayer Vigil passed around at Candlelights and other DEC events for signature. Both Prayer Vigils are posted during Walks for Pilgrims to see who has been praying for them. Please follow the links above to sign both Walks' online Prayer Vigil.
There are still spots available for both Walks. Please prayerfully consider if you are being called to sponsor a friend or member of your congregation.
"The aim of sponsorship is to build up the body of Christ."
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Message from the Community Spiritual Director
God's Grace In You and Me
 "I am what I am by God's grace, and God's grace hasn't been for nothing. In fact, I have worked harder than all the others - that is, it wasn't me but the grace of God that is with me." 1 Corinthians 15:10 What makes you who you are? Biology makes you a mother or father, aunt or uncle, son or daughter. Education makes you an educator, engineer, administrator, or manager. Choices make you a friend, neighbor, or a servant. Circumstances make you a widow, divorcee, or patient. Grace makes you a child of God. There is no title more important than that! YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD! Paul says, "I am what I am by God's grace". It is interesting that, despite all of the things we do to achieve success the most important factor that makes us who we are is something we can do nothing about. You are what you are by God's grace and the question that remains is what has God called you to do with that grace-filled gift? Eleanor Powell once said, "What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God." Becoming that gift requires hard work. It will take all that God has given you but it will fulfill you in ways you never imagined. Will you join me in realizing the potential of the grace that God gives each of us?
Rev. Stacey Piyakuhn
Assistant Community Spiritual Director
Walk #204
Table of Hannah |
Message from the Community Lay Director The 2012-2013 DEC Board of Directors
It's my pleasure to welcome our new Emmaus Board members. We are thankful for their willingness to serve and use their gifts and graces in support of the Emmaus movement. The new members of the Board are: Dennis Arnold, Ruth Dunn, Kerry Goad, Stephani Huffman and Carolyn Jestis. Their term will begin June 1 and individual responsibilities will be decided by the May Board meeting and will be posted on the Community website in the "Contacts" section. Unless they are filling a vacancy, members serve a three-year term.
Three cheers for our new members of the DEC Board and a big thank you to all who voted!
Let's hear a big applause for the four members of the DEC Board who have finished their three-year terms: Will Dunn, Mike Donohoe, Nancy Higdon and Kathie Seeley. These four have served selflessly and tirelessly. The Community has functioned very well over the past three years, thanks in no small part to their contribution. They pass along a legacy of a strong and active Emmaus Community that does an outstanding job of building Christian leaders.
Please take a moment to thank these four servants of the Lord at the following email addresses until their terms expire on June 1. As it says in Mathew 25:21, "Well done my good and faithful servant."
Will Dunn - secretary@dallasemmaus.org
Mike Donohoe - music@dallasemmaus.org
Nancy Higdon - womensteamselection@dallasemmaus.org
Kathie Seeley - training@dallasemmaus.org
We are also very excited to announce that Chuck Rohre, will be stepping up and leading us for the coming year, as our new Community Lay Director. Chuck is very committed to the Dallas Emmaus Community and a wonderful person. We will all benefit from his leadership. CLD is a one year position and I have been very fortunate to serve you in that capacity for the last year. It has been fun and fulfilling. I look forward to my final year on the Board and serving the Community.
De Colores,
Anna Clemons
Community Lay Director
Walk #96
Table of Ruth
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Message from the BoardIt's All About His Love
 I was visiting at dinner a while back with a good pastor friend of mine, Cathy, who has been very active in Emmaus. I was pondering out loud to her how I might go about getting people from my church involved in Walk to Emmaus. I couldn't quite put into words for them why they should bother. Why devote three days and some cash to going on this "retreat"? Like you, probably, I am a member of a fine church that has plenty of Bible studies, men's/women's ministries, small groups, etc. But for some reason, I still have had this very strong feeling that Walk to Emmaus could really enrich the spiritual life of folks at my church.
Cathy quizzed me a bit on this, getting me to explore what it is about Emmaus that the church needed. Well, I love the time apart, the cloistered environment where you can focus on priorities, learn more about God's grace, and spiritual disciplines. But what really did it for me was the Love.
We've learned about God's grace and that God loves us enough to sacrifice His son for us, and this sounds great. But, inwardly, many of us continue to struggle with just how unworthy we are of God's love. Inside, there's this lingering doubt in us, and we have difficulty fully accepting this gift of love that God offers us in Jesus.
On Walk to Emmaus, I experienced (rather than heard about) His Grace. People I didn't know (and perhaps would never know) poured out their love on me over, and over, and over again. By the time Candlelight was over and the "angels" had left the building I was overwhelmed by the enormity of it. There was a revelation in it for me. I knew this was just a bit (maybe just a "taste") of God's unmerited love; His Grace. This agape love, this unconditional and unearned love that I'd heard God offered, was real! And it washed over me emotionally! Maybe Jesus didn't just give himself up on the cross for mankind! Maybe he did it for me!
In the Luke passage of the road to Emmaus, Jesus was revealed to the two pilgrims in a new and personal way, as he was to me on Walk #83. If there is someone God is tugging on you to sponsor, please pray about it. Consider offering them this beautiful means of experiencing God's love and grace and having Jesus revealed to them anew.
De Colores,
Mike Donohoe
DEC Music and Weekend Events
Walk #83
Table of John |
Message from the Community Communications Chair
When The Shoe Fits
If you ever feel down and distant from God, I suggest you go to YouTube (click here to view) and search for Carrie Underwood and Vince Gill singing "How Great Thou Art." If it doesn't stir your soul and make your eyes start to water, be sure to check and make sure you still have a pulse. Carrie Underwood demonstrates a love for the song and uses every bit of the talent and "pipes" God gave her. What really intrigues me, though, is Vince Gill's part. He plays the guitar, magnificently, and joins her on the chorus ("then sings my soul....") only. He is a world renowned singer and guitarist. In almost any other venue, he would be the headliner but it this case, he obviously defers to Carrie and takes a subordinate, but very necessary, role.
If you are ever called to serve on a conference room team, you will review the Emmaus Cannon. Several items from it come to mind: We are subject to the authority of Emmaus; we are called to a unique role where we can best serve; and we do not allow egos or pride to interfere (paraphrased). I don't know about you but no one would ever confuse my meager talents with those of Vince Gill. But when I am called to serve on a Walk, I do my best to fit the role God has called me to serve and to "stretch" or "shrink" myself as best fits the situation.
Those who have been called to serve as Lay Directors often relate that the most challenging spots to fill on their teams are the Table Assistants (TAs), especially experienced TAs. Fourth Day Directors sometimes go to great lengths to fill their team rosters. I challenge myself and I challenge you to never find any role on a team above or beneath me. Every role on a Walk is vital, inside or outside the conference room. Our Community Fourth Day Director challenges every Community member to serve on at least one Fourth Day team a year.
Whether you took your Pilgrim Walk a month or a decade ago, always remember you had the experience you enjoyed because people, some of whom were tired, busy, over committed, etc., stepped up and served you and your fellow Pilgrims.
Sisters and Brothers - Pray for the Dallas Emmaus Community, pray for the Pilgrims, pray for those God calls to serve on the Board, pray for the Walk Lay Directors and the conference room teams, and prayerfully consider serving the Dallas Emmaus Community in two vital roles:
1. As a sponsor, and
2. As a team member, inside or outside as called.
We can't do it without you!
Walk #186
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TECHNICALLY INCLINED VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Dallas Emmaus Community needs a group of technically inclined women and men to serve the Community on a relatively short-term and in some cases, long-term basis.
For the short term, we need volunteers to assist in designing how we want our community database to function and to automate as many functions as possible, to include on-line registration, tuition payments and report generation capacity such as Walk lists, 4th day lists, etc. Individuals with knowledge of and practical experience with database administration software and their applications are particularly sought. The effort will also include the examination of utilization of a vendor and/or purchase of new software. This commitment will last 3 to 6 months, depending upon the frequency of meetings and needed follow-up.
A volunteer or volunteers are also needed to serve for the long term as the Community Database Administrator. Terry Hershberger, who has served us admirably in this role for many years, is stepping down as soon as his replacement is identified and trained. Many thanks to Terry for his work to revitalize the database and keep it up to date. This individual or individuals should be well versed in computer technology and database administration, have a flexible schedule, attention to detail and be self motivated.
If you have an interest in either role (or both) please e-mail Chuck Rohre (communications@dallasemmaus.org), Community Communications Chair, or Anna Clemons (laydirector@dallasemmaus.org), Community Lay Director, to indicate your interest. Contact Chuck on his mobile phone 972.839.0884 for questions. |
 You can easily donate money to the Dallas Emmaus Community at any time by clicking here. PayPal is a secured donations system which directly deposits all funds into the Dallas Emmaus Community account. This is a great way to make payment for a pilgrim you are sponsoring or to keep the cost affordable for others who may not otherwise have means to sponsor a friend or loved one. |
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Help Wanted  Working on a Fourth Day Team is a rewarding way to participate in the Emmaus weekend as as the hands and feet of Christ, and the easiest way to stay connected with the Community. To sign up, email the 4th Day Director for the walk you want to serve on. |
DEC is on FB
Next time you are on Facebook, search the Dallas Emmaus Community, then select the "Like" button to be updated on the latest news and events including Candlelights, potlucks, prayer requests and more. "Share" or "Suggest" the page to your friends so they can stay easily connected to the Dallas Emmaus Community too. As of March 1st 2012 there are 445 likes!
IMPORTANT TO NOTE: You do not have to be on Facebook to see what's going on... click here to see what's it is all about. Email Melinda O'Brien with any questions.  |
Looking for an opportunity to serve in a powerful ministry? Visit Kairos of Texas online to find out about the units and areas of ministiries near you.
Kairos is a prison ministry whose success is dependent on the community of faith support in providing agape such as prayer chain signatures, cookies, and financial donations. If you are interested in knowing more about how you can participate, or to find out how to attend a Kairos closing, email the editors for information.
"... whatever you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me."
~ Matthew 24:40
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Contact Information
214-502-4072
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