Cross 

 Point

MONTHLY GATHERINGS (7:00 p.m.) (Board Meeting at 5:00)
				Men’s Walk #65 3/01/07-3/04/07
Dec 9		First Presbyterian Church, Ardmore		Women’s Walk #66 3/08/07-3/11/07

James Thurber once told of a thin and lanky prophet who went around his boyhood hometown crying, "Get ready! Get ready! The world is coming to an end!" The community called him the Get-Ready Man.

That tag could have been applied to John the Baptist. He was a get-ready man if there ever was one. "A voice crying in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of the Lord...'"

This is the season of getting ready. That is the purpose of Advent. It is a time to get ready for the celebration of the Lord's birth.

I heard about two friends who were visiting over coffee. One of them was very harried. Frazzled, in fact. It was just a few days before Christmas, and she wasn't ready. Hadn't gotten the cards out! Hadn't gotten any presents yet! Didn't have a tree yet! In fact, the friend was complaining that Christmas was a terrible time because she was never ready. "But, my dear," her friend commented (in all sincerity and friendship), "didn't you know it was coming?" Advent gives us the opportunity to get ready for the celebration of the Lord's birth.

Advent should also urge us to step out in our commitment to the Walk to Emmaus. To see Christ born anew and rekindled in our hearts at the next Gathering at the Ardmore First Presbyterian Church on December 9 at 7:00 p.m. To see Christ born again in the lives of that special someone we might sponsor on the next set of Walks (the first two weekends of March, 2007).

Advent means "Get ready!" Keep the Cross Point Emmaus Community in your thoughts and prayers during this Advent season.

Advent Blessings,

Dan Patman, Community Spiritual Director

Cross Point Walk to Emmaus #1
Table of Mark

Congratulations to our newly elected board members! Paula Pfau, Vicki Swigert, and Ben Owens of Ardmore and Jeff Hiller of Ringling were elected as laity members. Les Bussell of FUMC, Marietta, was elected as a clergy member. They will join the board in January, 2007, for three year terms. Anyone and everyone is invited to attend our Cross Point Emmaus Board meetings which are held at 5:00 p.m. immediately before our gatherings and in the same churches.

On the second issue the majority voted to retain 7:00 p.m. as the time for gatherings.

Dear Cross Point Emmaus Community:

What an awesome weekend we had on Walk #64. Each and every moment was just perfect, and I was truly overwhelmed by how the team went above and beyond to make each moment special for the pilgrims.

One of the many “most awesome moments” was the glorious sunrise on Friday morning. As we celebrated Holy Communion together at the point, a breath-taking, beautiful, orange sun began to rise. I feel sure that it was the most perfect sunrise I have ever witnessed. God is so good!

The weekend of course had many serious moments during meditations and times of reflection. I so appreciate all the prayers from the prayer team and Emmaus family during the weekend that helped us get through these heavy burdens. I know a lot of us went home a little lighter and not because of food! We also had a lot of fun and laughs. A couple of groups brought down the conference room with Aretha Franklin’s R-E-S-P-E-C-T, and we have now seen what it looks like to put on your big girl panties thanks to the ALDs…good job girls!

My continuous prayer for each member of the team was to be a vessel of mercy, to empty of self, and to be willing to be used in order to show our love through service to Him. This prayer was definitely answered. The entire weekend brought about confirmation of the team God had so carefully molded. I have no doubt that each pilgrim on Walk #64 felt the love of each team member. You were an outstanding group of pilgrims, and it was absolutely our pleasure to be in service to you on the weekend. Welcome to the Cross Point Emmaus Community.

Yours in Christ-

Julie Altom
Lay Director
Walk #64

2006 Cross Point Emmaus Board of Directors

“…(I was) in prison and you visited me….I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me!” Matthew 25: 36 & 40
Kairos is the branch of the Walk to Emmaus that brings the walk into our prisons. For information:

kairosoklahoma.org

Please remember to pray for Keith Wallis and Pam Caro as the Lay Directors for Walks 65 & 66 this fall. Team formation is going well and several pilgrims are signed up for these walks!

As we celebrate the successful completion of another set of Walks (Men’s #63 and Women’s #64) and begin the preparation of our next set (Men’s #65 and Women’s #66), I would like to share an image of how the Walk to Emmaus and the Church partner together to build stronger disciples for Jesus Christ. The image is referred to as “leaven in the loaf.” Emmaus provides us with the opportunity to see how God renews and how WE can participate in the spiritual-renewal process. Jesus says the change God brings about “is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened” (Luke 13:20-21). The leaven is small in comparison to the whole, but it transforms the three measures of flour by giving up its identity as leaven and releasing its qualities within the whole. The leaven’s work is hidden and patient. The yeast does not remain distinctive unto itself but blends in and betters what is already there.

The Emmaus Movement is intended to be such a leavening influence in the life of the church. Just as leaven does not work by turning all of the flour into leaven, renewal does not require getting everyone in a church to go on a Walk to Emmaus. Renewal does not come about by getting the whole church into Emmaus but by getting the gifts of Emmaus into the church. Not all, or even most, church members will ever participate on Emmaus Walks; this is not a realistic strategy for the renewal of most churches. But the quiet, persevering influence of a few leaders and members who return to their congregations with a renewed spirit and vision can be transforming and contagious. Those who do participate in Emmaus are challenged to find creative ways to involve themselves in the life of the church and to share the gifts they have received, not as “special persons”, but as Christ Followers and members of Christ’s body.

Unfortunately some Emmaus pilgrims become like leaven that will not mingle with the flour. Though their Emmaus experience touched them in some individual way, they do not become a positive ferment within the church and the larger Christian community. Rather they keep to themselves or to their Emmaus group; and as a result, their influence is either none at all or negative and may be perceived as more harmful than helpful. May this never be a concern within the Cross Point Emmaus community, where we strive to draw all Christ followers into a closer relationship with our Lord and with fellow church members. Be encouraged to share your spiritual gifts, either by sponsoring others on a Walk to Emmaus, being a part of an Emmaus Team, or by accepting a leadership role within your local church. The Body of Christ will be strengthened to love and serve others. (Taken from the Upper Room Handbook on Emmaus, 2nd Edition)

DE COLORES!!

Garmon Smith, Community Lay Director

We have posted our entire community membership list on the website. Please check it to be sure that you are on the list and that your mailing address, email address and other information is correct. We are trying to obtain and maintain a complete list so that we can keep all members of the community as informed and involved as possible. If you know a community member who doesn’t get this newsletter or whose name isn’t on the list please help us!

	Men’s Walk				Women’s Walk
Spring	#65	03/01/07-03/04/07		#66	03/08/07-03/11/07
Fall	#67	09/27/07-09/30/07		#68	10/04/07-10/07/07

VOLUNTEER NOW TO WORK THE FALL 2007 WALKS! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT TO SEND IN YOUR VOLUNTEER SHEET FOR THE FALL 2007 WALKS. GO TO THE WEBSITE, COMPLETE THE APPLICATION AND SEND IT NOW TO AVOID BEING RUSHED LATER OR EVEN FORGETTING!

application forms

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS! SUPPORT EMMAUS! COME TO GATHERINGS!
OUR NEXT GATHERING IS DECEMBER 9, 2006, AT 7:00 P.M.
AT FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ARDMORE, OK!

For to us a child is born, To us a son is given, And the government will be on his shoulders,
And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace, There will be no end. (Isaiah 9:6-7a)

VOLUNTEER AND SPONSOR SHEETS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB

PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO SAVE THE POSTAGE!

application forms