Cross 

 Point

MONTHLY GATHERINGS (7:00 p.m.) (Board Meeting at 5:00)
Jul 14		Christ Community Church, Ardmore		Men’s Walk #67	09/27/07-09/30/07
Aug 11		tba		Women’s Walk #68	10/04/07-10/07/07
Sep 8		First United Methodist, Ardmore		Men’s Walk #69
				Women’s Walk #70

I just returned from a wonderful mission to Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas with nine other older adults in our congregation. Our church has supported a student at this United Methodist Hispanic high school in downtown El Paso for the past four years. But we had never been there or seen for it for ourselves. What a neat experience! We had the opportunity to talk with students, with graduates, with faculty, and with administration. 95% of these young people go on to complete their college degrees and serve as leaders in business, in the professions, and in the church. Many of these students come from the severest kind of abject poverty in Juarez, Mexico and are extremely grateful to the United Methodist Church for making a better future possible for them. And, they say so! They even indicated a willingness to come to Oklahoma and say "Thank You." These clean cut, good looking, positively focused young people impressed all of us with their walk with God, their dedication to learning, and their commitment to service. It's obvious that their lives have been greatly affected by Lydia Patterson Institute.

I have heard person after person in the congregation I serve tell of the impact of the Walk to Emmaus in their lives. Many met the Lord on their Walk. Others found an avenue of service. Others still found an accountability in their walk with God and a close, deep fellowship with brothers and sisters that they had never had before through their Emmaus reunion group. And, still others discovered their gifts and calling to ministry in and through the local church. Their participation in the Emmaus has obviously affected their lives for Jesus' sake.

How about you? Has your life been impacted for Jesus' sake by the Walk to Emmaus? How do you say "Thank You?" How do you express your appreciation? One way is to thank God for and to pray for the Walk to Emmaus, especially when the next set of Walks draws near. Another way is to invite someone to go on the Walk and serve as their sponsor. It's a way that you can let others know that your life has been impacted by the Walk, that you highly recommend it, and that you're willing to do anything so that another can experience the grace that you've experienced in your life--all through the Walk to Emmaus.

I'm going to invite others to go on the mission with me next year to Lydia Patterson Institute. And I'm going to invite others to go on the Walk to Emmaus with me next fall to Cross Point Camp. It fulfills my calling to ministry and it's a way I can say "Thank You" to God.

DeColores,
Rev. Dan Patman
Cross Point Emmaus Walk #1, Table of Mark

I don’t know how many of you are music lovers, but I am. I listen to K-LOVE all day at work, I listen in my car and at home. But there are many times that even though I am listening, I really am not L-I-S-T-E-N-I-N-G. Sometimes I will hear a song that I have heard many times before and it is like I am hearing it for the first time. The words of the song just come alive to me and really cause me to think about the meaning. This may have to do with where I am in my walk with the Lord or what is going on in my daily live. As I pondered this, it reminded me of how many times we go through the motions in our daily lives and miss so many opportunities to interact with someone. I am sure you are no different than me and I can honestly say that I probably miss several opportunities a day. Maybe we just don’t take the time or we don’t want to get involved, but we never know what a smile or a kind word can do for another person.

As we come upon this next set of walks and we begin thinking about whose life could be changed by the Walk to Emmaus, let us keep in mind how we may be used to touch the life of another every day.

Cari Dragg
Community Lay Director

Some years ago, on a hot summer day in south Florida, a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house. In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went. He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator was swimming toward the shore.

His father, working in the yard, saw the two as they got closer and closer together. In utter fear, he ran toward the water, yelling to his son as loudly as he could. Hearing his voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his father. It was too late. Just as he reached his father, the alligator reached him.

From the dock, the father grabbed his little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two. The alligator was much stronger than the father, but the father was much too passionate to let go. A farmer happened to drive by, heard his screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.

Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal. And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his father's fingernails dug into his flesh in his effort to hang on to the son he loved.

The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma, asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, "But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my Dad wouldn't let go."

You and I can identify with that little boy. We have scars, too. No, not from an alligator, but the scars of a painful past. Some of those scars are unsightly and have caused us deep regret. But, some wounds, my friend, are because God has refused to let go. In the midst of your struggle, He's been there holding on to you.

The Scripture teaches that God loves you. You are a child of God. He wants to protect you and provide for you in every way. But sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situations, not knowing what lies ahead. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril - and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. That's when the tug-of-war begins - and if you have the scars of His love on your arms, be very, very grateful. God did not and will not ever let you go.

We are coming to Christ Community Church, 920 Locust, Ardmore, for the gathering July 14 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!

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.

A yarn necklace with the rooster song…a pretty book mark…a pencil…pins and pens…a chicken hat…a beaded bracelet…a beautiful wooden cross… What was your favorite? Remember how the gifts of love steadily increased? Thanks to each one for your dedication and gifts in the past. Let’s overwhelm our pilgrims with many loving gifts of table agape again! For information contact Laura Mitchell, Board Rep., Table Agape, or just bring your table agape to each walk!

Snacks. We need you to volunteer to bring snacks to the walks for the pilgrims and teams. We will also need food for send off and the candle light services on both walks! Please contact Cherri Bradley, board Rep. for Snack Agape at 223-7235 or by email at littlec@cableone.net. TTTTHHHAAANNNKKKSSS!!!

REMEMBER TO KEEP PRAYING FOR LAY DIRECTORS MARK MARION AND JANICE SPRUILL AND THE TEAMS FOR THE FALL 2007 WALKS!

2007 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

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SUPPORT EMMAUS! COME TO GATHERINGS!
OUR NEXT GATHERING IS JULY 14, 2007, AT 7:00 P.M.
AT CHRIST COMMUNITY CHURCH, ARDMORE, OK!