Cross 

 Point

MONTHLY GATHERINGS (7:00 p.m.)				WALKS
April 5		Men's Candlelight		Men’s Walk #69		04/03/08-04/06/08
April 12		Women's Candlelight		Women’s Walk #70		04/10/08-04/13/08
April 14		Fourth Day		Men’s Walk #71		09/25/08-09/28/08
May 10		Gathering		Women’s Walk #72		10/02/08-10/05/08

Baltimore, Chad		Harkins, Jeremy		McCullers, Tim
Burns, Roger		Hartin, Joe		Midgley, James
Castillo, Eric		Heaton, Fred		Plesher, David
Coffey, William “Butch"		Heindselman, Jon “Corky”		Quinones, Gene
Dalton, Larry		Hightower, Stephen		Rousey, Tim
Drake, Jim		Ivan, Steve		Shadle, Chris
Drummond, Rick		Laird, Mike		Weaver, Tom
Edge, Brian		Lemaster, Gary		Woertz, Ronald
Ford, Ralph		Lovelace, Gary Don		Worcester, Matthew
Frederick, Chris		Lowry, Trey		Wright, Robert
Youderian, Ryan		Rowe, Shannon

Autuono, Christi		Harrison, I Claudean		Rowe, Lauri
Baltimore, Angela		Hartin, Michelle		Tivis, Kerri
Bart, Janis		Heindselman, Merry Bryan		Warren, Jerrie Beth
Bigbee, Gina		Ivan, Angela		White, Sherri
Black, Geneva		Laird, Melinda		Williams, Carol Ann
Castillo, Benita		Lovelace, Barbara		Woerz , Becky
Dalton, Pamela		Lowry, Teena		Worcester, Shelli
Dennis, Lynnsey		Midgley, Tommie		Wright, Debbie
Drummond, Diana		Paulsen, Ashley		Yeager, Jimi
Evans, Thursa		Plesher, Pam		Youderian, Lori
Fitzgerald, Carolyn		Quinones, Dorothy		Richard, Julie
Harkins, April		Shadle, Gail		Steele, Carol

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Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, "What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?" They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?" He asked them, "What things?" They replied, "The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him." Then he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures. As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?" That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

-Luke 24:13-35 (NRSV)

EBEDE is a young, unmarried man who works in my office in the capital city of Cameroon, Yaounde. He was given a week off from work, so I asked him how he would spend the time.

"I'm going to my village!" he said excitedly.

In Cameroon, central Africa, returning to one's home village is not simply a physical voyage; it is a spiritual and emotional retreat, a return to what is most important in life. Ebede's village is only 70 kilometers from Yaounde, and there he is able to visit his aging father, drink palm wine with the village elders, and eat traditional food. I knew that when Ebede returned to work his spirit would be renewed.

It is interesting that the response of some of Jesus' disciples to the death of Jesus was to go to "a village called Emmaus." Did they return home, where they could calm the confusion they felt inside and reorient their lives?

Regardless, when they reached the village, they found what they needed. Jesus was revealed to them as they broke bread together. He was alive, and he gave them peace and hope. When they returned to the city, their hearts were burning and their spirits were renewed.

Wes Magruder (Centre, Cameroon)

We need churches to volunteer to host our monthly gatherings and board meetings on the second Saturday of each month. Please make arrangements to host one soon! Contact Rev. Paul Reed, FUMC, Ringling, OK , (580) 662-2266

2008 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 let us know if you have email access so we can save printing and postage expense on the newsletter. You can also check your address on the Cross Point website at www.crosspointemmaus.org to be sure your’s is correct and that you are listed. If you need to make changes you can do so on the website. While you are on the website you can check contact information on other members also.

OUR NEXT GATHERING IS ON May 10, 2008, AT 7:00 P.M. Make it a priority to stay connected to your brothers and sisters in Christ! Come to the gatherings and bring a friend!