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 | Upcoming Emmaus Events
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Spots are available
for each Walk below.
Oct 20th - 23rd
Men's Walk 235
Sabine Creek
Nov 10th - 13th Women's Walk 236 Mt. Lebanon
The 2012 DEC Walk Schedule is now available!
Feb 16th - 19th Men's Walk 237 Mt. Lebanon Sign Up for 4th Day
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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 #235
October 20th - 23rd
Sabine Creek
The Community is invited to attend:
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.
There are still spots available for this walk.
Walk #235 Prayer Rosters : Pilgrims, Team
Also available on the DEC website is the online Prayer Vigil which 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.
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KEEPING THE FIRES BURNING
Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.
~ Matthew 18:20
A wise old Scoutmaster was trying to demonstrate to his troop of Boy Scouts the value of fellowship. He stood before the glowing campfire and taking a stick, moved one of the embers away from the others. It quickly began to dim and lose its glow. After a few minutes, he moved it back to the larger fire and it immediately began to glow again.
How often do we need to be moved back to the larger fire? Do we lose our fire, our motivation and our energy when we lose contact with the larger community? One of the best and most fulfilling ways for a pilgrim to keep that fire, that energy and commitment they feel at their Walk closing, is the group reunion or accountability group. We have members of the Dallas Emmaus Community who are seeking that support and warmth from others.
Please go the Dallas Emmaus Web site, www.dallasemmaus.org, and list your reunion group there with the date and time it meets and a contact person, especially if your group is "open" to new members. Even if your group is "closed, you can be a point of contact in steering that pilgrim in the right direction. For those of us with the blessing of a fulfilling group reunion, how can we not share the experience with others?
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Message from the Community Spiritual Director
To Grow or Not to Grow?
 Obviously a growing Emmaus Community is a changing community - you can't grow without change. But, a declining Community is also changing. Even a plateaued Community is changing, although perhaps less noticeably. It is helpful for us all to understand the constant changing dynamic going on everywhere - and not just with the Dallas Emmaus Community.
From personal experience I have found that change from growth is more exciting than change from stagnancy or decline. If people can have their vision expanded and see the wonder of others finding new life in Jesus Christ, it should bring them joy. Positive change begins with the vision of the people. The people! Positive change does not come about just because the Board has a vision, or because a Lay Director has a vision, and not just because a Spiritual Director has a vision. It is the vision of the people of the Community that will bring about positive change. You, my brothers and sisters, are a part of change (whether it be growth or stagnation)! Frightening thought? Yes it is! A spiritually healthy community will be focused on spending its energies and resources making disciples of Jesus Christ. People are wooed to Christ by the power of love, and God uses loving relationships to make this happen. How are we doing as a Community? How are you doing as a member of the Community? We seek to be a Community changed through growth. We do not strive to grow the Emmaus Community to simply increase the number of Pilgrims - that is not it at all. We should honestly and earnestly seek to grow the Community so that as many people as possible have the opportunity to experience the gift of grace as exhibited through the acts of agape love and through the means of grace which is offered to all God's children on a Emmaus weekend experience. Will you be a part of that change?
DeColores!
Cathy Partridge
Assistant Community Spiritual Director
Walk #145
Table of Ruth
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Message from the Community Lay Director
Life is Good!
I absolutely love this time of year! School has started back and football season has started with "Friday Night Lights", College Game Days and Sunday NFL games. The hot weather is giving way to the cool, crisp fall air and teams are in preparation for another set of Emmaus Walks.
Life is good!
As teams are preparing for the Walks and sponsors are praying for those on their hearts, it brings me back to a recent sermon about having an authentic witness. It continues to be heavy on my heart that as we serve for our church's or on Walk teams; we must be authentic in our witness to others. We are to be the "salt of the earth" and "the light of the world" as referred to in Matthew 5:13-16.
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Here are three ideas for this authentic witness:
Be real from the inside out:
Not only does God desire us to be honest, but so do others.
Humbly admit our failures/mistakes
It is never too late to apologize or set things right. This does require humility and a dose of courage. Proverbs 11:2 says "When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom".
Live out your witness boldly
Take a stand on what you believe and be willing to take a risk. Ask yourself if you have the courage to do what is right. Remember Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"
I conclude with some thoughts from a recent devotional I read:
God has a specific purpose for each of us as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who declared that he came not to be served but to serve. Christ Jesus is our perfect example -- giving himself in obedience to God for the sake of others, both in his life and in his death. The apostle Paul's prayer was that the Christians of ancient Philippi would continue increasing in love, knowledge, and insight as they passed on the good news of Christ. Paul was confident that their obedience to the Lord's call would bring a rich harvest.
God has entrusted us with the role of passing on the gospel to a waiting world in our day. What a privilege and responsibility!
I find this to be very exciting and pray that you will also be excited as you respond to the obedience of the Lord's call and bring forth a rich harvest.
DeColores,
Anna Clemons
Walk #96
Table of Ruth
Community Lay Director
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Message from the Community Communications Chair
Bullseye!
Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.
~ 1 Corinthians 9:26 This past Sunday on the way to the church the Lovely Bride and I attend, we listened to the worship services of Lakepointe Church of Rockwall, always enjoying the biblically-based and insightful preaching style of their pastor. I only heard a few minutes of it before I got to our church. The minister, Steve Stroope, was telling a story about a man who was traveling through the countryside and noticed quite a few targets with an arrow right in the middle. He stopped for lunch and asked the waitress about the marksman. She snorted, "That's crazy Earnest. He ain't a marksman. He just shoots an arrow and draws a target around where it sticks." That is when we got to church and I turned off the radio, missing the minister's teaching points. In my unscholarly and amateurship way, let me offer a few that occur to me. How often in my life do I set my thinking at where things are, or where the arrow sticks rather than aiming for a higher standard, a better frame of mind or a greater expression of faith? Is my schedule what it is, with me drawing a target around its busyness, without aiming for a less hectic, more contemplative life? Are my finances what they are, with no effort to more wisely use the resources He has entrusted to me? Is my health what it is now or should I aim for a better lifestyle and stewardship of my health and energy? Are my marriage and family relationships what they are, without any effort to nurture and improve them? Is my faith limited and unsure, unable to be tested, or do I strive for a higher, more mature faith in Him? Do I fall into traps of excuses and doubts when I am called to serve others? In all aspects of my life, do I live "my utmost for His highest" as Oswald Chambers describes it? In the outline of the Obstacles to Grace talk is a Greek word, hamartia, translated as "missing the mark." On the contrary, perhaps we do hit the mark. The problem is that the mark is too low or otherwise in the wrong place. God created us for a purpose - His purposes. I challenge myself and encourage you to join me in setting goals and objectives for life as if you and I truly believe that He wants the best for us and ours and to achieve that calls for constantly stretching, growing and maturing in piety, study and action. It is our choice - our mantra can be "it is what it is" or we can seek to hit real and worthwhile targets in life; He is awaiting our choices. Is it a platitude or do I believe Philippians 4:13 that in Him I can find strength to do what He calls me to do? Will you join me in sharpening our aim and in aiming at the right targets in life? De Colores, Chuck Rohre Community Communications Chair Walk #186 Table of Paul
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 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 October 1st 2011 there are 415 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. 
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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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