The 
Wilmington Emmaus
May Newsletter

Greetings from the Community Chairperson:  

Randy Riley - Walk #21

Unfortunately, I had to deliver the eulogy at the memorial service of friend recently.

It was a hard job to complete. It’s very difficult to sum up a friends life in just five or ten minutes. I told a few true stories that described his impact on the lives of his friends, but it was difficult to find a way to sum up his passage from this life to the next.

Then I found this short story. It is a beautiful story and poem about understanding God’s plan for us, and how it’s impossible for us to understand God’s will and that we must just trust that His plan is designed with Love.

Two ministers, one very young and anxious to learn about God’s will and the other a very old, seasoned and wise pastor, were walking through a garden discussing God’s plans for the young man’s life.

The Old Pastor plucked a rosebud from a bush and told the young man to open it one petal at a time. The young man tried but failed as almost every delicate petal tore as tired to open it.

He couldn’t figure out the significance of opening the rosebud and was getting a little frustrated and confused when the Old Pastor started reciting a poem…

It is only a tiny rosebud, A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals with these clumsy hands of mine.

The secret of unfolding flowers is not known to such as I.
GOD opens His flower so sweetly, then, in my hands, they die.

If I cannot unfold a rosebud, this flower of God's design,
Then how can I have the wisdom to unfold this life of mine?

So I'll trust in Him for leading each moment of my day.
I will look to Him for His guidance each step along the way.

The pathway that lies before me, only my Heavenly Father knows.
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments, just as He unfolds the rose.

God loves us so much that He came to earth in human form; to live with us as Jesus Christ. And, Jesus was just dying to love us all and to forgive us our sins and trespasses.

In fact, He died to show us that love. He died that we might live.

Never forget that His Love; His forgiveness is available to all of us. Tell your friends.

DeColores,

Randy Riley

Tom's Tidbits

The Easter story is nothing but a myth,” Tom’s high school teacher announced to his class a few days before Easter break. “Jesus not only didn’t rise from the grave,” he continued, “but there’s no God in heaven who would allow his son to be crucified in the first place.”  “Sir, I believe in God,” Tom protested. “And I believe in the resurrection.”  “Tom, you can believe what you wish to, of course,” the teacher said, “However, the real world excludes the possibility of miracles like the resurrection. The resurrection is a scientific impossibility. No one who believes in miracles can also respect science.”

Then the teacher proposed an experiment. Reaching into his refrigerator, he produced a raw egg and held it up. “I’m going to drop this egg on the floor,” he said. “Gravity will pull it toward the floor that the egg will most certainly break apart.” Looking at Tom with a challenge, he said, “Now Tom, I want you to pray a prayer right now and ask your God to keep this egg from breaking when it hits the floor. If he can do that, then you’ll have proven your point, and I’ll have to admit that there is a God.”

After pondering the challenge for a moment, Tom slowly stood up to pray: “Dear Heavenly Father,” Tom prayed, “I pray that when my teacher drops the egg, it will break into a hundred pieces. And also, Lord, I pray that when the egg does break, my teacher will have a heart attack and die. Amen.”

After a unison gasp, the class sat in silent expectation. For a moment the teacher did nothing. At last he looked at Tom and then the egg. Without a word he carefully put the egg back into the refrigerator. “Class dismissed,” the teacher said, and then he sat down to clear his desk.

The teacher apparently believed in God’s existence more than he thought. Many people, like that teacher, deny that God exists.  Yet they run from him, question him, and attack him whenever they get the chance. Tom’s teacher wasn’t willing to bet his life that God didn’t exist.

Many people doubt the existence of God. Many people doubt the resurrection. On that first Easter, the disciples were hiding in the upper room in fear.   What were the Jewish leaders going to do? Would they be arrested now?  Would they be accused of stealing the body?  Would they suffer the same fate that as Jesus?   Suddenly, Jesus was standing among them and he said to them, “Peace be with you.” Jesus’ “peace be with you” meant much more than our idea of peace. When He said those words it was more than just a greeting, more than just an announcement.  It literally meant well being, wholeness, completeness.

 It means be at peace with your past.  There are so people who spend so much time looking through their rearview mirror that they not only miss the view that’s ahead of them, but they eventually crash in the process. Jesus simply told the disciples and us that forgiveness is attainable.

It can also bring peace to our present as well.  Let’s face it, life unmanageable at times. We live in a broken world.  People’s lives are daily being torn apart and challenged. And often, when there’s no faith to bring the person through whatever trial they’re facing, everything seems to fall apart.  But for those of us who know why Jesus died, we know that he wants to bring peace in our greatest storms. The gospel song says it all when we sing, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand!”

As Christians, we know our net-worth is much less important than our eternal worth! Struggles we experience today build the foundation for a greater faith in Jesus Christ tomorrow! We walk by our faith, not by our sight, because we know that there is only one person qualified to deal with the present realities that we face, and it is not us!  It’s Jesus who can take the “brokenness and strife and still make something beautiful of our lives.”

Peace be with you” speaks healing to our past and to our present, but it also speaks wholeness to our future.  The disciple Thomas experienced that wholeness.  I can relate to Thomas. Can you? In fact, I think that the whole “doubting” label is harsh when we look at Thomas’ full history. The disciples had gathered to celebrate the Passover with Jesus, and he was trying to tell them what was going to happen in his death, resurrection, and ascension.  Do you remember the scene? Jesus had just finished saying that he was going to prepare a place for them in his Father’s heavenly house, and that, one day, they would join him there. Jesus said, “And you know the way to the place I am going?”

And the rest of the disciples sat there like typical men, having no clue of the directions, but not wanting to sound stupid by asking the question, figured that they would wander and get there eventually.  But it was Thomas, not that doubter, but the realistic thoughtful disciple that said, “Wait a minute, I need some directions!” “Lord, we do not know where you are going so how can we know the way?”  We all now Jesus’ response:  “I am the way, the truth, and the life - no one comes to the Father but by me.”

Thomas couldn’t believe in the resurrection. He was devastated by what had happened in the past and would not admit to it. He had been there when Jesus was murdered upon that cross and his present faith, his present hope, his present direction had been shattered.

No doubt there are people in churches today who are in the exact same boat as Thomas. Life has dealt some crushing blows. In many ways, we may call ourselves Easter people, but we still feel like we’re living in a Good Friday world.  But when Jesus showed up the second time and , and proclaimed, “Peace be with you,” Thomas believed.  He doesn’t even bother to check Jesus’ ands or side before he responds, "My Lord and my God!"

When Jesus said, “peace be with you.” He was giving Thomas, the disciples, and even us, the hope we so desperately need in our continuing journey with Him.  Hope that because He lives, we too will live. Hope in the future that people, events, or circumstances cannot change. Hope that says we don’t have to live in our past, struggle in our present, or fear our future.
 

Tom

Other Important Updates: Ž We are planning on converting the gym to the Emmaus room.   We will be putting in carpet, blinds, and painting.  Volunteers to help are welcome!  Ž Please give your updates (address and phone number) for the Community Roster to Randy Riley or Chuck Tabor.   Once this is updated, we will have them printed and available to the community for a small fee. Ž Please support the upcoming walks with: · Agape · Prayer Vigil · Candlelight · Kitchen help · Logistics     Gatherings * Second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m.  (Board meeting 6:00) * When attending a gathering or closing, you may wish to bring food to share during the fellowship time. * Please come and invite a friend!                              Agape—If you are sponsoring a pilgrim, please get your letters out to people early.  © Please remember to put the pilgrim’s first AND last name on all letters.   Name Badges Are Important! Don’t forget to wear your name badge to all Emmaus events. This includes working in the kitchen, scrubbing bathrooms, gatherings, candlelight’s, and closings.   Music / Singing Interested in sharing a musical talent?  Volunteers welcome.  Please call Loraine Harner-Jarrell at 740-505-8108.   Chrysalis Interested in finding out more about Chrysalis, go to www.cincinnatichrysalis.com     The Board of Directors 2008   Area or Responsibility Name Phone Number Chairperson Randy Riley 937-382-6204 Leadership Judy Bracht 937-382-4897 Secretary Jancy Tissandier 937-783-4781 Treasurer Mary Jane West 513-625-6733 Agape Chandra Bills Jennifer Brown 937-289-2480 937-783-3048 Chrysalis Eileen Cline 740-335-2256 Kitchen Sam Jimison Sandy Quigley 937-387-3896 937-685-9269 Logistics Ken Ogelsbee 937-584-4321 Men’s Good Shepherd Jim Wingo 937-486-3694 Men’s Registrar Virgil Workman 937-584-2784 Men’s Sponsorship Bob Brown 937-783-3048 Music Loraine Harner-Jarrell 740-505-8108 Newsletter Laura Parker 937-289-4042 Newsletter Subscription Pat Meranda 937-393-3373 Purchaser Dean  and Joy Hall 937-382-1576 Social Mary Brose Ida Jo Allison 513-875-3533 937-783-5519 Women’s Good Shepherd Sue Ellis 937-725-8187 Women’s Registrar Debbie Mitchell  937-393-4051 Women’s Sponsorship Betty Starkey 937-685-5002 Worship and Outreach Christy Mitchell 937-393-4051 Church Liaison Sharon Newton 937-382-6128 Spiritual Director’s Tom Brunner Maurice Mitchell Joy Stanforth Chuck Tabor 513-856-7842 937-393-4051 740-335-8857 937-393-4653