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!

                          

 

AgapeIf 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