July 1992

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The time has finally come.  Fredericksburg Emmaus has completed its by-laws and elected its first Board of Directors.  So the time for the Steering Committee to step aside is at hand.  Actually, the transition will occur officially at the first official Board meeting, which will happen between the July and August Gathering, and the Steering Committee retains its responsibility until that date.  But for all intents and purposes, our work is done.  The Board will elect a Community Lay Director from its membership who will write to you from this column next month.  

In this, my last letter as Steering Committee Chairman, I want do two things.  First I want the Community to recognize and thank those whose hard work has made Fredericksburg Emmaus a reality.  Our first thanks should go to Joe & Pat May and Joe & Sandy Pace who had the vision to hear the Lord's call and the faith to take the initiative to follow.  Their hard work resulted in the creation of the original Fredericksburg Steering Committee over two years ago.  A special personal thanks goes to Joe May who accepted Jesus' call to leadership, and without whose hard work, F'burg 1 & 2 could never have happened.  Equal accolades go to Brenda Biler, Whitey Rowell and Tom Berish for their support, and to all the members of the Steering Committee including Butch & Judy Cover, Pearl Eastburg, Karen Frazier, Larry & Kathy Garfield, Elton Glenn, Bill & Sandy Klingenstein, Joe & Pat May, Joe & Sandy Pace, Ron & Pat Penninger, Dave & Phyllis Russell, Steve & Sylvia Seiden, Bill Smith & Dave Young.  Special thanks also goes to those who held, or now hold Community volunteer job positions such as Newsletter Editor, Agape Coordinator, etc.  You know who tehse people are.  Untold hours behind the scenes have been put in to make the Community a success.  Finally each of you deserve our thanks for your role, whether on a team, as a sponsor or pilgrim, or as a prayer warrior or source of agape.  Jesus has used us all to bring his work to full fruit.  A phrase I heard in a Discipleship talk once comes to mind, "The duty is ours, the results aare His."  Look around us at the results of your labors.  I am certain that our Lord has a "Well done, good and faithful servant" for each one of us.

Second thing I want to do is leave Fredeicksburg Emmaus with continued focus on Jesus Christ and the local church.  Luke 15 begins with the Pharisees and Saducees grumbling that Jesus "talks with sinners and eats with them too".  We are nothing more than these sinners, whom Jesus has invited to His table.  At the United Methodist Men's Congress at Perdue in 1989, Rev. Lloyd Saitjain, a Methodist District Supt of Armenian descent, gave several scriptural statements from the Middle East perspective.  In one, he described a Middle Eastern meal at which the meal, such as a stew, was served from the common pot.  Pita breads are given to each member at the table, and these breads are the utensiles through which each person eats directly from the pot.  Without the bread, there is no way into the pot.  He used this to illustrate that "Jesus is the Bread of Life".  Jesus Christ is our bread of life, and despite our frailities and sin, He invites us to his table.  Without Jesus, there is no life.  My prayer for Fredericksburg Emmaus is that we never loose sight of this message, and that His purpose for us is that we take that message back to share in our local churches.  Emmaus is not the message.  Jesus is.

And the march goes on •••!  

Steve Seiden

Summer Gatherings

In July, August and September, Gatherings will be at Mitchell's Presbyterian in Mitchell's, VA. near Culpeper.  A map is provided elsewherein this Newsletter.  Because of space limitations at Mitchell's, we will not have a Pot Luck during these summer months.  Rather, we will start with music at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary, and will ask the Community to bring light snacks and beverages for refreshments and fellowship in the fellowship hall after the closing of the Gathering.

The Next Fredericksburg Gathering

What:	Fredericksburg Emmaus Community Gathering
Where:	Mitchell's Presbyterian Church, Mitchell's VA.
Why:	Worship and Fellowship
	Worship	- 7:00 PM, July 11, 1992
	Begin music for the Gathering	- Promptly at 7:00
	Opening Prayer of Gathering	- 7:20
	Fellowship & Refreshments	- 9:00 PM (after Gathering)
How:	In Grace of Our God & Fellowship of His Holy Spirit

The Fredericksburg Emmaus Community looks forward to seeing each of you at the monthly Gatherings (known as "Ultreyas" elsewhere).  Our Gatherings are open to fellowship for all Christians whether you have been to an Emmaus/Chrysalis/Cursillo Walk or not.  Feel free to bring friends or guests from your church to share in the Grace of our God.  For directions, see the map elsewhere in this newsletter.

Upcoming Weekends

Dates	Weekend	Dates	Weekend
August 13 thru 16, 1992	Nat. Cap. Coed Chrysalis 16	Sep. 9 thru 12, 1992	Maryland Emmaus Men's 24
Sep. 24 thru 27, 1992	Nat. Cap. Emmaus Men's 49	Sep. 24 thru 27, 1992	Richmond Emmaus Men's 17
Sep. 24 thru 27, 1992	VA Kairos (Prison Min.) Men's 6	Sep. 24 thru 27, 1992	West VA Emmaus Men's 26
Oct. 1 thru 4, 1992	Maryland Emmaus Women's 25	Oct. 8 thru 11, 1992	F'burg Emmaus Men's 5
Oct. 15 thru 18, 1992	Richmond Emmaus Women's 18	Oct. 15 thru 18, 1992	Southwest VA Emmaus Men's 11
Oct. 22 thru 25, 1992	Nat. Cap. Emmaus Women's 50	Oct. 29 thru Nov. 1, 1992	Harrisonburg Emmaus Men's 1
Oct. 29 thru Nov. 1, 1992	Maryland Emmaus Men's 26	Oct. 29 thru Nov. 1, 1992	Southwest VA Emmaus Women's 12
Oct. 29 thru Nov. 1, 1992	Tidewater Emmaus Men's 18	Nov. 5 thru 8, 1992	Harrisonburg Emmaus Women's 2
Nov. 12 thru 15, 1992	Tidewater Emmaus Women's 19	Nov. 19 thru 22, 1992	F'burg Emmaus Women's 6

Reunion Groups

Small groups are the backbone of keeping the fires burning.  The weekly challenge to Study, Piety and Action as well as the special fellowship and the power of His Presence amongst you are a continuing inspiration.  I encourage all of you to join or start a group.  If you want your group to be open to others, we will periodically list groups in this column of the newsletter.  Some of us group as listed below.  These are open groups and you are welcome to join in.  We'd love to see you!!

When	Place	Contact	Address	
Saturday @ 7:00 AM	Hardee's	Steve Seiden	Route One across from Aquia Town Center
Wednesday @ 8:00 PM	Sammy T's in rear	Joe May	Caroline Street in Fredericksburg

Newsletter Articles

Please submit newsletter material to Sandra Herrell by the first Saturday after each Gathering so that the newsletter can be mailed at least two weeks before the next Gathering.  Sandra can be reached at:

Sandra Herrell
14726 Barksdale Street
Woodbridge VA 22193
703-792-4854 (Work 7:00-12:00 AM)

Applications

It is not too soon to submit applications for both team and pilgrims for Fredericksburg 5 & 6.  The team for Fredericksburg 5 has been chosen, but the team for Fredericksburg 6 is still forming.  Encourage potential pilgrims to apply without worrying if their calendar is clear.  We will ask 32 maximum and applicants are invited according to the date the application is received, so don't delay.

Prayer Requests

A column will be open each month for Prayer Requests.  Submit your praises or needs to the newsletter editor, Sandra Herrell @ 703-792-4854 (Work 7:00-12:00 AM), by the first Saturday after each Gathering:

Food for Thought

The following is an excerpt from "The Upper Room Disciplines 1987".  This devotional publishes a series of seven weekly devotions written by a single author to address the Scripture published in the Common Lectionary.  During the week of April 27-May 3, 1987, the entire series was devoted to Luke 24:13-35, the story of the walk to Emmaus.  This coincided with the National Capital's Emmaus 19 (April 30-May 3, 1987), to which I sponsored two Pilgrims from Virginia Beach.  The coincidence was rather striking.  I am reprinting one devotion from this series each month.  Here is the sixth:

ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS	
April 27-May 3, 1987	Marjorie J. Williams†
Saturday, May 2	Read Luke 24:30-31.

Hospitality has almost become a lost art.  Yet the Bible addresses this issue many times.  In Hebrews 13:2 there is a classic example:  "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

The two disciples shared their home and perhaps frugal meal with the stranger who had joined them on the road to Emmaus.  In Jewish fashion, they reclined at the table.  Neither of the two thought it strange when Jesus took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.  Since Jesus had acted as a teacher on their journey, they saw this as a natural gesture because of that relationship.

Verse 31 tells us that as Jesus handed them the bread, "their eyes were opened and they recognized him."  They may have seen the scars left by the nails, or there may have been something unusual in the way he broke the bread.  But their recognition was sudden and unexpected.  Then, because he had accomplished his purpose, Jesus vanished out of their sight.  They had seen the risen Lord!  Their hospitality was richly rewarded.

Prayer:  Lord, even though my home may be small and my food common, help me to share them with someone in need.  Amen.

†Freelance writer, member of First Assembly of God Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado.  

Copyright 1987 © The Upper Room.  Permission to reprint granted by the Upper Room on 1/14/92.

25 Things
Emmaus Pilgrims Can Do To Renew Their Local Church 1
Rev. Larry Martin, Twins Falls ID
	It is easy to forget in the excitement of the Walk to Emmaus weekend that the purpose of our retreat is to develop Christian disciples to renew their local churches.  I was pondering this recently and decided to brainstorm twenty-five possibilities.  It didn't take long at all.  The possibilities are endless.  What would you add to my list?  Is God calling you to any of these ministries?

1.	Share your Walk experience with your pastor.  Ask how you can help him/her minister.  (Bring smelling salts!)	12.	Make hospital calls for your church.
13.	Join the United Methodist Women.	
3.	Teach a Sunday School class.
4.	Start a prayer group.	14.	Join the United Methodist Men.  Don't have one?  Now what could you do about that?	
5.	Sponsor a congregational leader for the next Walk to Emmaus.	15.	Be an usher at worship.
16.	Volunteer to serve on the worship work area.	
6.	Start a Bible study group.
7.	Volunteer to help with the Youth Group and introduce 	17.	Volunteer to serve on the mission work area.
18.	Volunteer to serve on the evangelism work area.	
them to Chrysalis.
8.	Sponsor your pastor and spouse for the next Walk to 	19.	Volunteer to serve on the (fill in the blank) work area.
20.	Help with the church library.	
Emmaus.
9.	Help the church secretary with the newsletter, etc.	21.	Serve on the trustees and open your building to the larger community.	
10.	Write an article about the Walk to Emmaus for the newsletter.	22.	Tithe.  (Hmm.  Why didn't I think of this one sooner?)
23.	Send Agape to church members in crisis.	
11.	Visit the homebound for prayer and fellowship.	25.	Start a program to shelter the homeless.	

Remember, the real fourth day of the Walk 'to Emmaus involves the renewal of your church.

1  Reprinted from "Walk to Emmaus International Newsletter", vol. 2, no. 2, April-June 1992