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 July-August 2014 issue

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 In This Issue

Mapping Tres Dias Communities Worldwide

 
 
 
mapMapping Tres Dias Communities Worldwide

 

As the time for another Annual Assembly approaches, it's appropriate that we feature the Tres Dias Worldwide map. We like to do this once a year as a way of showing how the Lord has blessed Tres Dias with growth around the globe. It also gives you opportunity to connect, via the links between our database, a Google map, and the images on your computer screen, with all those communities, chartered, emerging, and budding.

     See for yourself. The image below is a static screenshot of the Tres Dias Worldwide map, but the boldface link takes you to the Google map itself, which is interactive. Expand the map to focus on a region, then click one of the drop pins. The names of the community, the location, and the community leader will appear. In locations where communities are clustered, as in Korea, you will need to expand the map significantly to separate the drop pins.

     So, set aside some time. Travel the world in your imagination, stopping to say prayers for pescadores in each location you explore. Then, continue in an attitude of prayer as you read our next feature story, which shows God's love as a sanctuary as political tensions mount in Russia and Ukraine.

     After news from the Tres Dias VP of Membership, our "Miracles from the Weekend" series continues with one of the most astonishing and powerful life stories we have published. Don't miss it.

Link to the Tres Dias Worldwide Map  

 
ukraine

Ukraine and Russia Hold Weekends as War Threatens

In May of this year, the Kiev Tres Dias community chose to hold its weekends as scheduled, even as the buildup of Soviet armaments continued along the eastern border. To support the team and candidates, Tres Dias President Bruce Cato used the mailing list for this newsletter to send a worldwide appeal for prayers and palanca. A few weeks later, we received this report from Lesya Pasechnek, president of the Kiev community:

  

We were so excited to receive about 60 palanca and prayer letters for our weekends. We read them and cried. We had 17 male and 22 female pescadores. They were from different cities of Ukraine, including East Slaviansk, Zaporizha, Odessa and others. We read your letter and explained that another side of Earth is covering Ukraine with prayers, for our future, for our people, land and families. God is with us, even in those times when we feel alone.

  

       Then, as we were preparing this issue, we received an email newsletter with the headline, "Greetings to You with Jesus' Love from Russia!" Titled The Dubrovsky Update, the newsletter is published by Anna and Andrei Dubrovsky to report on events in all Russian Tres Dias communities.

      In the opening paragraphs, the Dubrovskys deplore what they call the "information war," the distortion of information in the mass media and the foolishness of people who accept the distortions. Even more disturbing is the way the propaganda has pitted Christians from the different Orthodox confessions, Ukrainian and Russian, against each other. "We are children of One Father! We are citizens of  a Heavenly country. We are peacemakers!" the newsletter states.

      The heart of the newsletter, which transcends the political tensions, comes from a report on the Voronezh Men's and Women's number 10 weekends. The location takes on special meaning; the city of Voronezh is in western Russia, and the Voronezh Oblast (district), which borders Ukraine, was one area were Russian troops were reported.

      "Many tears washed people's hearts during the weekend. The Holy Spirit changed our hearts and souls," the newsletter states. Those words provide an introduction to more than a dozen testimonials from the candidates. Selections from those testimonials follow, edited to smooth out some of the roughness of the original translation from Russian to English.

 

Such love, such light, and such unrepeatable conditions I have never had! Tres Dias is the light of God. . . . Now I am like an Olympic torch with light of Jesus' love, which I need to carry to people.

 

I didn't want to go to the weekend because of my business but God called me to come. I am happy. My faith has become stronger; my attitude to God has been changed. I want to learn about Him more; I want to spend time with Him. There is no such love in the world as here, and we can bring Jesus' love to the world.

 

I am a doctor and I was a very concentrated person. I used to control myself. At the weekend I realized how I was tired because of that. I opened my heart to Jesus and relaxed in Him. I understood that I could trust Jesus with all aspects of my activities. Tres Dias is a miracle of God. I saw how our faces were changed by the Holy Spirit and our eyes shine brighter. The tears washed my heart.

 

I am not emotional and sociable man, but here I laughed and tried to speak with people. I didn't recognize myself. The De Colores song made me angry at first . . .but today I want to sing cock-a-doodle-do!

 

The expressions form a familiar chorus of people surprised by discovery of a deeper, more personal relationship with Christ's love. They might have been spoken at any Tres Dias closing anywhere in the world. Wherever they are spoken, they express a joy and peace that gives the resiliency to deal with whatever comes after the weekend.

     Subsequent messages from the Kiev community ask for prayers for those families whose members have been constricted into military service. The Dubrovsky newsletter asks for prayers for specific individuals who have lost employment because of economic sanctions imposed on Russia.

    The people matter, not the politics. As the Dubrovsky newsletter says, "Let's pray for wisdom and peace among our brothers and sisters in Christ all over the World."

 

Editor's notes: Images in the story are of community banners carried during the Annual Assembly. Anna and Andrei  Dubrovsky can be contacted at [email protected]. Lesya Pasechnek can be contacted at  [email protected].

 

membershipMembership Report:

Welcome New and Emerging Communities

 

By Frank Yarbrough, Membership Vice President

 

As we are getting ready to close out another year, I enjoy looking back at what the Membership Committee has accomplished, thanks to the hard work and dedication of the members who work with me. Perhaps our greatest achievement was drafting a document titled "The Tres Dias Emerging Community Agreement, Procedures and Best Practices Model." This procedure, which includes a newly revised Emerging Community Agreement, will help new communities build their own identity at the same time that they receive support from the sponsoring community and Tres Dias International. That support will start from the beginning and continue until the community is chartered. (Editor's Note: That procedure is described in the December issue of this newsletter.)

     My other source of enjoyment is closely related--seeing new communities chartered, others emerging. Let me mention a few of the most recent. We are pleased to welcome Grace Gulf Coast Tres Dias and Northeast Texas Tres Dias as our newest emerging communities. Grace Gulf Coast TD, from the Houston Texas area, held its first weekend in March, while Northeast Texas TD, in the Tyler Texas area, will hold their first in October.

    While speaking of new communities having their first weekends, we need to mention that Chiclayo Tres Dias of Peru held a very first weekend just a few weeks prior to publication of this issue. I had the honor, along with John Bohlayer of North Georgia TD, Walt Maner of North Texas TD, Paul Vasquez of Tres Dias Con Cristo, and Wilson Burton of Music City TD of traveling to Chiclayo, Peru, to serve. It was a great success--God really showed up. Peru Tres Dias, the sponsoring community, did an awesome job to insure that success.

     If there is anyone who would like to serve on a weekend of a community outside the United States or in the US, please contact me and we will help in making the arrangements. Members in the international communities go out of their way to welcome their US Tres Dias brothers and sisters who come and serve on their weekends.We have worked hard to be service minded to our communities this year.

      We have been honored to visit with several of our communities here in the US and abroad, and we hope to be able to visit more in the coming year. If we can be of assistance to any of our communities, we are only a phone call or email away.I hope to see everyone at the Assembly in Atlanta July 25-27. May God continue to bless this ministry that we love, and may God bless each of you.

Frank can be reached by email at [email protected].

 

 

 

lifeA "Miracles from the Weekend" feature

A Gift of Life
By Margie Wallis
 
When I learned I was pregnant in October 1996, I was less than happy. Harley and I already had two sons, one with significant health challenges. The idea of another child was more than overwhelming and impractical. It was highly unlikely.

     I had been fighting bronchitis for several months that year, leading to chest x-rays and the need for stronger antibiotics and steroids. My doctor insisted I take a pregnancy test first. When completed, I had an odd--very fleeting thought--a voice saying, "You are pregnant, but the test will say negative." It must be a figment of my over-tired imagination, I thought. When the doctor came back in, he confirmed the test was negative and I left with a handful of prescriptions.

     Two days later Harley left for Tres Dias. In the next twenty-four hours, out of the blue, three people asked me if I was pregnant. Why would they even think that? Spooked by the memory of that "fleeting thought," I dashed to the drugstore for a home pregnancy test. The results were a definite positive. I cried. I did not want another baby.

     My husband's fourth day began with a trip to the obstetrician. Yes, I had conceived a baby, but the pregnancy was not viable. There was no heartbeat, no yolk sack, and the fetus measured far too small for its age. I was secretly relieved. But when the doctor tied the loss of the baby to my medications, I realized the truth---I was to blame. Now, I was conflicted three ways. I felt guilty for not wanting to be pregnant, guilty for the relief that it wasn't viable, and guilty for taking the medications that ended up killing my child.

     Harley insisted I attend the upcoming Tres Dias weekend. My church friends urged me to take this time away, but being with a group of women I didn't know while anticipating a miscarriage--it was the last place I wanted to be.

     But, Tres Dias was exactly where I needed to be. The weekend's theme was "rebirth," and the symbol a butterfly. My tablemate had a newborn, and one of the rollistas shared a powerful story of her struggles with infertility. The Lord began healing my broken heart.

     On Saturday night, a spiritual director prayed life over me. I felt certain of many things, especially that another baby was in our future. The next week, my physician called. "We need to discuss the need for surgery, to reduce the risks of miscarrying." What? According to my lab work, which had been completed during my Tres Dias weekend, my pregnancy hormones had quadrupled. I was in awe at what the sonogram revealed--where there was scarcely evidence of conception, I now had a yolk sac, a baby, and a heartbeat.

      Eight months to the day after Tres Dias, we birthed a healthy 10-lb baby boy. Many say that Tres Dias is a source of healing and new life. I have literal proof of that.

 

Margie Wallis is a member of North Texas Tres Dias

 

 

 

 special 
An  invitation to... 


 "Dessert with Bruce"

 

 A special event prior to the Assembly

 Friday evening, July 25, 2014

North Atlanta Church of Christ, 5676 Roberts Drive, Dunwoody, GA 30338.

 

     I am inviting all community presidents or chairmen (whichever title you use) to this special event. This will be a time to enjoy an informal sharing with your Tres Dias International Secretariat Leadership. I would love for every one who can to be there so we can discuss together the future of Tres Dias and where you see us heading. The International Secretariat is charged with conducting the day-to-day business of Tres Dias, and often it feels like we are disconnected from our communities.

      For the past several years, we have been making an effort to be more service minded to our communities, and we need to hear from you so we can learn more about what you are looking for from us. It will also give us an opportunity to share the reasoning behind many of the changes you have seen in the past few years.

    Looking forward to seeing you there!

 

Bruce Cato

President

Tres Dias International Secretariat

 


assembly
It's not too late to make plans for the...
 

35th Assembly of Tres Dias International
July 25-27, 2014
Hosted by Tres Dias of North Georgia

 

 
Welcome!  We are so very excited to welcome each of you to Atlanta, Georgia, where  Southern Hospitality awaits you!!!  We at Tres Dias of North Georgia are thrilled to host the 35th Tres Dias International Assembly with pescadores from around the world!
     We have prepared for you fun entertainment, great food, awesome worship, blowing of the Shofar, terrific workshops, an abbreviated Parade of Banners, and "Dessert with Bruce" for all secretariat chairmen and presidents (current and upcoming).  We are so glad that you will share this great fellowship with other pescadores in Christ, here in Atlanta, Georgia! Please register at
 
We Love you in Christ's name,
Cathy and Jim Brooks
Co-Chairmen of Executive Planning Committee

 




And it's not too soon to think about 2015 Annual Assembly, when representatives from every community worldwide will join together to praise the Lord
 

The International Secretariat is currently laying the groundwork to make the 2015 Annual Assembly a landmark event, the first time in Tres Dias history that delegates from all chartered communities will gather together in one place. Because this involves planning on a global scale, your community will soon receive a letter asking you to mark the dates well in advance and explaining how financial support can be provided to those communities, including those overseas, that may not have the resources to send a delegate.

The dates are July 10-12, 2015. Abundant Life Tres Dias and Northern Illinois Tres Dias will co-host the event.

 

announcements1

Announcements

Future Meetings





July 25-27, 2014: Assembly & SecretariatTD of North Georgia (Atlanta area)
October 10-12: SecretariatNorthern Virginia TD
March 13-15, 2015: SecretariatNorth Florida TD (Tallahassee area)

July 10-12, 2015: Assembly & SecretariatAbundant Life TD & Northern IL TD
October 2015 (dates TBD): SecretariatTBD
March 4-6, 2016: SecretariatTampa Bay TD (location TBD)

 

 


The Colors of Tres Dias International is published by the Services Committee of the Tres Dias International Secretariat.  Don Bohl and Jan Coleman are co-editors. Ned Heffington chairs the committee and serves as associate editor and proofreader.
Ned also deserves credit for creating and maintaining the Worldwide Map.
  Send comments to [email protected].
 
Our objective is to publish five or six issues a year. To read prior issues, use this link: Newsletter Archive

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