Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance for what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. 

Hebrews 11: 1-2

It was almost too late when I heard them. On Memorial Day I was mowing my grass (while thinking of the reasons for the day, no doubt) when over the loudness of the lawnmower, I heard the sound - the unmistakable roar of jet exhaust. I looked up and four F-16s screamed overhead in formation and turned south. I quickly called to Noah, my 10 year old grandson who was visiting for the day; he was playing with legos in the dining room. By the time he got outside, the jets were gone but we could hear their rumble in the distance. For about five minutes, we expectantly waited in the front yard, hoping for their return from whatever air show they were a part of. Unfortunately that quick glimpse and their distant sound was all we got. At speed, their turning radius approximates the State of Montana and they were flying over someone else's home.

As I reflect on that moment, I pray for that same level of excitement and anticipation for the new Emmaus year, which began June 1^st. As I assume the role of Community Lay Director, I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to work with the Board, the Clergy and Lay Leadership, the Community membership and the Pilgrims as God calls them to attend Walks. We have much to celebrate in the work that our outgoing Board members have contributed - Mike Donohoe, Will Dunn, Nancy Higdon, and Kathie Seeley. We also have five new servants assuming Board roles - Dennis Arnold, Ruth Dunn, Kerry Goad, Stephani Huffman, and Carolyn Jestis. Please pray for them as they assume their new roles. I give special thanks to Anna Clemons for her leadership of the Community this past year and her continued presence on the Board.

We as an Emmaus Community have much to be proud of. On the other hand, we have much to do. To name only a few priorities, we will continue to work on Clergy/Church connection and relationships, always remembering that our role is to support the local church and not supplant it. We will continue to fine tune our database and move toward on-line registration. We will closely monitor our funds and try to offset Walk costs to avoid "pricing out" potential Pilgrims. Mostly importantly, we will continue to promote sponsorship and ensuring that it is effective and high quality sponsorship. As we as a community navigate through these and other issues, it is reassuring to remember the words of Theodore Roosevelt: "Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."

We often say to Pilgrims during a Walk: "Don't anticipate!" In this case I invite you to anticipate, eagerly and joyfully, the new Emmaus year we have to work together, to celebrate our successes, to learn from our missteps and to serve Him through our service to the Pilgrims and each other. As we conduct the Walks and gatherings, we should always be mindful that they are part of the Fourth Day, not the be all and end all. Like the ancients, let us be confident in what we do and have a sense of assurance even when we do not see immediate fruits of our efforts. God has richly blessed us with these opportunities and challenges - let's make the best of them!