Cross 

 Point

MONTHLY GATHERINGS (7:00 p.m.) (Board Meeting at 5:00)
May 12		First United Methodist Church, Madill		Men’s Walk #67	09/27/07-09/30/07
Jun 9		Asbury United Methodist Church, Ada		Women’s Walk #68	10/04/07-10/07/07
				Men’s Walk #69
				Women’s Walk #70

I just returned from a pastor's retreat on spiritual formation. In recent months I've felt like I needed something, i.e., that is, new direction, renewed energy, more intense focus. So I thought this retreat might be just the medicine I needed. And it was!

I got to sit down and visit with other clergy, talk about our struggles, share the exciting things happening in our churches, pray for one another, and worship with one another.

I had the opportunity to share with the Rev. Bob Metcalfe. Many of you remember when he was serving a church in Elmore City. He's now serving two churches in Union City and Cogar. Anyway, Bob's eyes lit up when talking about the Cross Point Emmaus Community. And he still regularly points people toward Emmaus when he thinks about personal spiritual renewal.

I have to admit that my eyes lit up when talking about my recent mission to Kenya. At least Bob told me they did. It caused me to realize that I get a great deal of personal satisfaction in my calling to go on and coordinate missions. And I have rededicated myself to offering our church a fully-orbed mission program. I feel renewed inside and out! I truly am doing what I feel called to do.

When thinking about matters of Christian life and service, what makes your eyes light up? Is it the Walk to Emmaus? Is it teaching a Sunday school class? Is it going on a mission? Or is it something else? I encourage you to find out what you are called to do. Whatever it is, when talking about it I guarantee that your eyes will light up.

De Colores,
Dan Patman
Cross Point Walk to Emmaus #1, Table of Mark

COMING TO MADILL…COMING TO MADILL…COMING TO MADILL
We are coming to Madill’s FUMC for the gathering May 12 at 7:00 p.m. Please plan to be there to worship, to greet old friends and to make new friends! We will even have snacks(don’t forget to bring some). Call someone and remind them that you miss them and want to see them at the gathering! We will all be blessed if you do!

Dear Friends:

Mike Allen, Cross Point Walk to Emmaus 65, Table of Mark, and I were married on March 31, 2007, with the infamous Rev. Dan Patman officiating. I wanted to share this blessing with our Emmaus Family.

De Colores!, Beth Murrah-Patterson, Cross Point Walk to Emmaus #22, Table of Naomi

Please share your Emmaus experience or Fourth day testimony through an article. Others need to hear how your life has been impacted by the grace of our loving Lord. Readers might be encouraged, inspired or even feel more loved when they learn what God has done for or through you! Email articles to croberts70@yahoo.com or mail to Charley Roberts, P.O. Box 387, Marietta, OK 73448.

God changed my life forever during Cross Point Walk to Emmaus #15. When I accepted the truth that God loved me no matter who I was, where I had been or what I had done, a burden was lifted from my mind and heart and blinders were removed from my vision. I had heard God’s message many times before in churches or revivals but it had never been presented like this! Although I want to, I will never be able to even begin to repay my Lord and Savior for this priceless gift of His grace and love.

After Walk #15 was over I couldn’t wait to work the following walks. On every walk I worked I learned more of God’s love and experienced more of God’s love through hearing it and seeing it acted out by His servants. This made worship and service at my home church more meaningful and rewarding. It made scriptures come to life and increased my desire to work for others.

The most important change for me has been a deeper and stronger love for my wife. In one talk Rev. Tom Riley advised couples to have an Ephesians chapter 5 marriage and taught that where both partners are moving toward Christ they are moving toward each other. I thank God that my wife Pat and I have taken this to heart and grown closer as a couple.

It is easy for me to encourage friends to attend a walk. Our all-powerful God through the tool of Cross Point Walk to Emmaus, and my brothers and sisters in Christ, has improved and changed my life forever. Thanks first to Him and then to all of you!

De Colores!
Charley Roberts, Walk #15, Table of Peter

The amount of table agape grows as the walk progresses kind of like the good news of God’s unconditional love becomes more and more real during a walk. Please start now planning your gifts for the Fall Walks so that we will be able to overwhelm the pilgrims this fall with unconditional love in the form of table agape! Thanks to each one for your dedication and gifts in the past. For information contact Laura Mitchell, Board Rep., Table Agape

How long has it been since you attended a Gathering? Well, THAT'S TOO LONG! On the Walk to Emmaus, we all hear how important it is to be in Reunion Groups, to attend Gatherings, to sponsor new Pilgrims, and to support the Community financially. Many of us aren't in Reunion Groups (a topic for another day!), most of us do not attend Gatherings, some of us actually Sponsor Pilgrims, and all that means we are not supporting the Cross Point Emmaus Community financially!

The Purpose of Emmaus is to develop church leadership and help us set our priorities. Sometimes it may feel like we are so busy working in your local church, taking care of your family and the needs of your local community that we are just unable to participate in Emmaus. Maybe being that busy is a good reason to be in a Reunion Group, to worship with other Emmaus saints once a month and take the time to share the gift of God’s grace through the tool of a Walk!

Some have stated that Gatherings aren't all that great. Of course not! You aren't there to support it! Some think we need to have a gathering somewhere other than where it has been held. Great! This is YOUR chance to change that! I am in charge of setting where the gatherings are supposed to be held. INVITE US TO YOUR CHURCH! Not only that, but volunteer to handle a speaker, hosting the fellowship time/food afterward, even have your local folks handle the music (I am sure Jeff Hiller would love for you to volunteer - but coordinate with him please!)

Frankly, I miss you, my old friends, and would like to meet and get to know many of the rest of you who are newer to the community and I haven't had an opportunity to get to know yet. The first talk of the Walks is Priorities. Go to your calendar, day planner, computer, refrigerator --- anywhere you keep track of when and where you are supposed to be -- and mark the SECOND SATURDAY of EVERY MONTH! That is when the Gathering will be held, in case you have forgotten or never knew. (Except Walk months of course, but then you will be at Sendoff, Candlelight, and Closing!)

De Colores
Paul Reed, Crosspoint Walk to Emmaus #7, Table of Luke

SUPPORT EMMAUS! COME TO GATHERINGS!
OUR NEXT GATHERING IS MAY 12, 2007, AT 7:00 P.M.
AT THE FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, MADILL, OK!

2007 Cross Point Emmaus Board of Directors

In April the board reluctantly accepted the resignation of Rev. Kyle Clark who will be moving to a new church in June. Kyle and his family have been active and valuable members of our Emmaus community and will be greatly missed. We pray God greatly blesses their new ministry opportunity!

“…(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

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!

VOLUNTEER AND SPONSOR SHEETS AVAILABLE ON THE WEB

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

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