Cross 

 Point

MONTHLY GATHERINGS (7:00 p.m.) (Board Meeting at 5:00)
Aug 12		First United Methodist Church, Sulphur		Men’s Walk #63 9/28/06-10/1/06
Sep 9		First Christian Church, Ardmore		Women’s Walk #64 10/5/06-10/8/06
October		Send Off, Candlelight, & Closing

The apostle Paul in The Message says, "While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk--better yet, run!--on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere." (Ephesians 4:1)

I was recently meditating on this passage for a Bible study I'm taking this summer and this came back to me. When I first began in ministry, I worked one summer helping to start a new church in Fairborn, Ohio. I got tired of making "cold calls" and inviting people to participate in a new church which had not even been built. I was tired and frustrated with my efforts. So, I went to the barber shop and waited my turn for a haircut. The last customer left and I jumped into the barber chair. After putting the apron over me, the barber paused behind me--no movement, no conversation for about a minute. As I was about to turn to see what was going on, the barber came around, looked me in the eyes, and quoted Ephesians 4 in its entirety. Because of that experience I felt God was with me and encouraging me on to greater efforts.

I want to spur you on to greater efforts for the Kingdom. If you are reading these words, it's most likely because you have been on the Walk to Emmaus. How long ago was your Walk? What efforts have you made on behalf of the Emmaus Community since then? Have you gotten tired and frustrated?

I encourage you to be faithful in your worship, your witness, and your works for the Cross Point Community. Worship at our monthly Gatherings and at the Candlelight Services and Closings this fall. Witness to someone about your experience on the Walk to Emmaus and sponsor them on the fall Walks. (There are still openings!) And, offer to work in the conference room or behind the scenes on one of the Walks. Pray for the pilgrims and for the teams of Walks #63 & #64. Through a scholarship provide the way for a team member or pilgrim to be able to attend. Send in a Fourth Day testimony to Charley Roberts, PO Box 387, Marietta, OK 73448 or email him at croberts70@yahoo.com.

If one of these opportunities doesn't fit what you can do, call me and I'll think of some more. To quote The Message-- Get out there and walk! Better yet run on the road God called you to travel! Don't sit around on your hands! Don't stroll off down a path that leads to nowhere! God wants to use you for the up-building of the Cross Point Emmaus Community, so that it can continue to be a vital tool for evangelism and Christian growth in the lives of many.

De Colores,
Dan Patman
Cross Point Community Spiritual Director

In our last Cross Point Emmaus Newsletter, Community Spiritual Director Dan Patman addressed the importance of the Walk to Emmaus as a primary way of making and developing new and strong friendships with fellow Christians. As we discover in our daily living it is often very difficult to maintain a close and viable relationship with more than a few friends, if these friendships are to be what Christ has instructed them to be. Recently I came across an article in one of our local newspapers that discussed the importance of having some close friends and how hard it is to make friendships work and how to keep them from failing. The author listed some “friendship busters” and some “friendship boosters” that can make or break those relationships we hope to nurture and draw upon as we strive to be like Christ in our daily living. Please take time to read this article printed below, and meditate on the author’s suggestions.
Garmon Smith, Community Lay Director

“Not enough time to clean the house. Not enough time to exercise. Not enough time to cook. Not enough time to .... We live in a fast-paced society. Both parents often work. Children are involved in extracurricular activities. There's never enough time to do all the things we think we should do or want to do. One of the biggest losses is the lack of time to make friendships, let alone nurture them. Journalist Marla Paul realized this void and wrote a book titled "The Friendship Crisis: Finding, Making, and Keeping Friends When You're Not a Kid Anymore." This book gives useful tips about what makes friendships work and how to keep them from failing. She calls these "friendship busters" and "friendship boosters."

Friendship busters

Repeatedly canceling scheduled plans. She believes this is insulting and implies your life is more important than your friends.
Expecting an orange to be an apple. Imposing your standards on other people. Make peace with imperfections and differences.
Living in Emerald City. Jealousy and envy of your friend can snake into your comments or actions. She suggests when you realize this is what you are feeling, simply understand it as a useful emotion to stretch yourself and grow.

Friendship boosters

Paying attention. Keep tabs on significant events in your friend's life. Did she get a promotion? Send her a note or take her to lunch. Did his mother have bypass surgery? Check in to see how she is doing. Did her twins just go to camp for the first time? Call to see how it is going.
Being honest when something's important to you. One of your closest friends overlooks a significant milestone in your life. Even when you wish it didn't matter, it does. Say so. Understand it matters because the friendship is important to you.
Returning calls and e-mails promptly. Lengthy delays or not calling back at all can hurt. If nothing else, leave a brief message on her machine explaining you'll be in touch when you're able.
Practicing artful listening. Not trying to fix. Not interrupting. Not giving advice. Simply be a safe harbor when your friend is working through a difficult situation. If he or she says, "What do you think?" you can offer your thoughts. Friends are a necessity, not a luxury, and a busy schedule doesn't mean you do without. Grab a quick lunch. Work out together. Phone. E-mail. See a movie. Meet for coffee. The visits don't always have to be hours in length. There are periods when it is just staying in touch, but it is a process that needs to be attended to.”

From: FRIENDSHIP IS NECESSITY IN DAILY LIFE By Charlotte Lankard, The Daily Oklahoman 6/26/2006

If you have any photos of the Cross Point Camp or an Emmaus activity you would like to share with the community you can email them to Joe Sherbert and they will be considered for posting on the website

MUSICIANS UNITE! Or at least volunteer to help with music at gatherings, Candlelight and closing. We know there are lots of talented people who we would love to hear share their gift of music by singing or playing an instrument. Please contact Patty Laramore at 436-1553 to help with this ministry!

Chrysalis News: 14 boys and 16 girls went on the Chrysalis flights held in June at Asbury Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. It was a tremendous experience in the Lord and had a Godly impact on the younger participants and the teams. Remember our Chrysalis community in your prayers and with your gifts of time and money. Volunteers are needed for the flights and to serve on the board.

“…(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

Opportunities to serve as Kairos inside team members and outside volunteers (men and women) are needed for Mabel Bassett (Women’s) Correctional Center #23 scheduled for October 19-22, 2006. There are also opportunities for servants to bake cookies, make agape, attend Closing, etc. For more information or to volunteer, contact Rita Henze at 918-592-2531 or 918-557-6215 or rjhenze@cox.net or Tami Marshall at 405-692-9784.

There are similar opportunities to serve at Great Plains (Men’s) Correctional Facility #1 in Hinton, Oklahoma, on Nov. 9-12, 2006. For details or to volunteer, contact Curtis Marshall at 405-692-9784 or curtismarsh@yahoo.com

For information on other Kairos opportunities statewide, visit the Kairos website at http://www.kairosoklahoma.org

2006 Cross Point Emmaus Board of Directors

Adult Members:
Steve Dyer* (Community Lay Director) 405-823-0571 or sdyer@dyerlawcenter.com; Tim Israel (Secretary/Team Selection) 580-799-0566; Mark Kent (Treasurer) 405-224-1610; Cally Southern (Registrar) 580-237-7210; Nancy Striegl (Kitchen) 405-375-5702; Steve Strong (Agape) 405-692-0591; Julie Zielinski (Hoots/Gatherings/4th Day) 405-947-7535; Jack Roper (Logistics) 405-603-6191; Barbara Wood* (Prayer) 580-226-3576

Youth Members:
Robbie Dyer* (Internet); Keisha Wood* (Prayer); Anna Shipley (Kitchen); Nick Timmons (Hoots/Gatherings/4th Day); Kirk Israel (Team Selection); Michael Southern (Logistics); Sarah Ali; John Schneider; Jessica Wills, Katie Creed*.

Clergy Members:
Steve Byrd 405-631-8997; Nancy Hamilton 580-225-0964; Charles Watson 405-222-1637, vacant*

*Denotes Cross Point Emmaus Representative.

ATTENTION: We are now emailing notices the Newsletter has been posted on the website. If you receive yours by email, it’s cheaper for the community!! Please send me your email address if this is possible.

PLEASE SEND your address changes to Charley Roberts, PO Box 387, Marietta, OK 73448, or email to croberts70@yahoo.com Thanks! ALERT: Thanks to our website guru Joe Sherbert you can now update your mailing and email information through the website!

	Men’s Walk				Women’s Walk
Spring	#65	3/22/07-3/25/07		#66	3/29/07-4/1/07
Fall	#67	9/28/07-9/30/07		#68	10/4/07-10/7/07

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

application forms

Please remember to pray for Doug Pfau and Julie Altom as the Lay Directors for Walks 63 & 64 this fall. Please pray also for Jody Hamm and Tony Caro as they lead their churches and prepare to be the Spiritual Directors for these walks. Team formation is going well and several pilgrims are signed up for these walks! God is good and is leading our community in His will concerning the Walk to Emmaus!

The gathering in Ada in July was a great time of worship! Make plans to come to FUMC in Sulphur, OK, on August 12 at 7:00 p.m. to join with others to praise and worship. Contact someone special to you and bring them along!

VOLUNTEER AND SPONSOR SHEETS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB