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 | Upcoming Emmaus Events
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July 19th - 22nd
Women's Walk 240
Camp Copass
Sep 13th - 16th
Women's Walk 241
Sabine Creek
Oct 11th - 14th
Men's Walk 242
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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Women's Walk #240
July 19th - 22nd
Women's Walk #241 September 13th - 16th
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 BoardFourth Day Opportunities
While sitting at the Closing of Walk 239 at Camp Copass, I was caught off guard. As I listened to the Pilgrims share what the Weekend meant to them and what they were planning to do about it, I was renewed. Their comments were applicable to my own walk with God:
God really does love me.
I am a vital part of the body of Christ.
God wants to use my hands and feet to accomplish His plan.
"For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." NLT Ephesians 2:10
The reason I was at Closing was because I had volunteered to work on the Fourth Day Team. Fourth Day Team members come and go over the course of the Weekend, from Wednesday night through Sunday afternoon. The Fourth Day Team handles a wide variety of responsibilities, providing many different ways for folks to serve.
On Wednesday night, we help prepare the camp for the Pilgrims' arrival. There is an excitement in the air of anticipation. Even though the Pilgrims are told not to anticipate, we know what is coming. On Thursday, we get to welcome the Pilgrims and help with the potluck dinner. Yum! That is always a good meal to share in! Then on Saturday, we come back to the site and participate in Candlelight. After another good night's rest at home, we come back Sunday afternoon to gather everything back up and put it all in the trailer. Then our reward is hearing from the Pilgrims at Closing. That makes it all worth it.
God's agape love is poured out on us in so many different ways. On the Walk to Emmaus weekend, one of the ways we see that love visible is in the multitude agape trinkets we receive and the gifts of servanthood by the Emmaus Community. Sponsoring and sharing the Emmaus weekend with others, is one of the greatest agape gifts there is. Being one of the team members is also a way to share the gift of agape. The Fourth Day Team is always open for members. You can volunteer for all four days or just a couple of them, whatever works for your schedule. God will bless you for your willingness to sacrifice your time and energies in serving on a Fourth Day Team.
If you are interested in Fourth Day service, you can find the names of upcoming Fourth Day team leaders on the Dallas Emmaus website (www.dallasemmaus.org). Just email them and let them know that you would like to serve.
We need you!
De Colores,
Kathie Johnson
DEC Fourth Day Chair
Walk #185
Table of Elizabeth |
Message from the Community Spiritual Director
What Time Is It?
 I am always running - from here to there, from one task to another. I seem to always be behind and I seem to be rushing to get to the next meeting, rushing to finish my work before the day ends, rushing to the grocery story, rushing to throw in a load of laundry, rushing to prayer and devotional time - the list is endless and (deep sigh) exhausting. I am a slave to the clock and a victim of my "to do" list. Yes, victim is a good word to use here because really, it is a bad word to use in this context. A victim has no control over what happens to them - and really, even though I may feel like a victim, I have to admit I do it to myself. Can a person be victimized by themselves? I'm pretty sure true answer is no. Now, I must sigh even more loudly. Will I ever get it? What is there for me to gain?
When I spend time with those who have little time left, I do begin to understand how precious another day, another week, another month is. When I spend time with someone who is truly thankful that they were given another day, I am humbled. It puts it all in perspective - at least temporarily. Is it not miraculous that we were given Scripture to guide us? The Third Chapter of Ecclesiastes reminds me that there really is time for everything, but maybe what I am to learn is that everything does not have to be done at one time. It is summertime . . . enjoy the season and enjoy the time that God has given you for this day.
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
A time to be born and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to uproot,
A time to kill and a time to heal,
A time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance,
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
A time to search and a time to give up,
A time to keep and a time to throw away,
A time to tear and a time to mend,
A time to be silent and a time to speak,
A time to love and a time to hate,
A time for war and a time for peace.
What do workers gain from their toil?I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race.He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-11
Rev. Cathy Partridge
Assistant Community Spiritual Director
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Message from the Community Lay Director Celebration
Late fall and early summer have two of the most meaningful secular holidays, Memorial Day and Independence Day. The first celebrates those who have laid down their life for our freedom and in the latter, we give thanks for our freedoms in this country and our forefathers who bought that freedom, through their blood and sacrifice, by establishing our independence from Great Britain. For many of us, though, they have become no more than a day away from the office, perhaps sprinkled with a picnic and some fireworks. We all value our time off from work as much as we are thankful we have jobs and can provide for our families. No matter how much we like our job, having a paid day off is almost as much fun as playing hooky from high school!
Emmaus Walks have a consistent schedule, beginning on Thursday (Wednesday for most of the team with set up) and ending on Sunday. The entire conference room team and the TAs are there on Saturday and Sunday, working hard to bring the love of Jesus to the Pilgrims as they have never experienced it before. Fourth Day Team members come to the site to enable the inside team's work and serve the Pilgrims. Many from the Emmaus Community come to the site on their "day off," Saturday, for Candlelight. I don't know about your experience but serving on an Emmaus team or attending Candlelight is one of the best ways I know to celebrate, rejuvenate and enjoy "days off."
When I sat down to write this, I would have thought from my long ago (long, long ago!) high school Latin that the word "celebrate" has a root (cele) that would mean higher, a natural tie in to lifting things up to the Lord. The dictionary app on my iPhone, however, says the root is the Medieval English word, celebratus, which means to solemnize and honor. Don't we do that, honor our Lord, when we give as much of His love and grace to pilgrims that are within our human capacity? Don't we do that, honor the pilgrims as well, through our service. As we celebrate holidays, let's bring that same spirit of freedom, joy and "playing hooky from school" to our service on the Walks. It is a true expression of being His hands and feet on this earth. The next time you serve on a team, in whatever capacity, or attend a Candlelight or Closing, I pray it brings you peace, joy and rejuvenation.
"...Truly I say to you, what you do for the least of them you did for one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did for me." Matthew 25:40
De Colores,
Chuck Rohre
Community Lay Director
Walk #186
Table of Paul
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Message from the Community Communications Chair
The First Hours...
 I had signed up to attend a Walk to Emmaus weekend in April 2004. My thoughts are all over the place about what will transpire during the Weekend. The idea of spending a 72 hour retreat with women - some that I know but most I do not - is a bit daunting. My sponsor (my husband), another sponsor and another Pilgrim from our church decide we will carpool out to the camp together. The mood in the car is excited and happy. The food smells good. We arrive and get set up in our cabins and head to dinner. The mood in the dining hall is joyous; but I'm a bit apprehensive. "Don't Anticipate" is what I have been told. Hard for me to not do!!! Roll Call...and now I'm totally worried, nervous, anxious, and a bit reluctant! But OH, the places we will go.........With Christ!
Any of the above sound familiar to you? I think that God puts us in places that he wants and needs us to be in. The Walk to Emmaus is a vehicle that he uses. As in Luke 24:31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. The Walk to Emmaus was a big step on my own personal journey with Christ. What about your journey? Are you spiritually growing? Consider sponsoring a Pilgrim or working on a Fourth Day Team. It will uplift you!!
Community Communications Chair
Walk #178
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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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