Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Nashville Emmaus Community September 2015

We have all experienced time of happiness and sadness. Times that are easy to handle and some that arehard to understand. We have just reached a disappointingtime in the life of our Nashville Emmaus Community – cancelling our Fall Walks. It was hard to let the lay director’sknow and then to tell you, the community. We could complain about it. We could have negative thoughts aboutwhere we are as an Emmaus community. We could say weare never going to recover. We could grumble and look atchanges made that we don’t like. We could point fingers. Yes, we could – but we won’t.

This is hard, but we know God's timing is in the middle of all this, and out of our devastation, His new life forus will bloom. We will look at what we, as the Board, can doto help us move forward. We will continue to look positivelyand make plans. There are external factors we may need tolook at as well as factors closer to all of us.

Please keep us in prayer as wemove forward.

2 Corinthians 4: 8-9

Blessings and peace,

Edna Vaughan

You are invited to support a new program in theWalk to Emmaus family specifically for young adults: Journey to the Table.

We are testing the program October 7th – 9th atCedar Crest Camp near Lyles, TN in partnership with MartinMethodist College. There are opportunities to help withbackground roles, called the ‘Big House’ in JTT, as well asparticipate in candlelight. If you would like to attend, pleasecontact Brandi Belcher at (931) 424-7363 orbbelcher@martinmethodist.edu.

You can also follow the story of JTT atwww.journey.UpperRoom.org.

While they were talking and discussing,

Jesus himself came near and

began walking with them...

Luke 24:15

In This Issue

The Oyster Man............................................................................2

Need Your Help.............................................................................3

Gatherings ........................................................................................3

Events .................................................................................................4

Board Members & Assignments...........................................4

Looking Positively

I don’t know if you have ever heard this story ornot but has a powerful message for us all! In the days ofJohn Wesley, lay preachers with limited educationwould sometimes conduct the church services.One of these lay preachers used Luke 19:21as his text: “Lord, I feared Thee, becauseThou art an austere man” (KJV) Not knowing the word austere, he thought the text spoke of “anoyster man.”

He explained how adiver must grope in the dark,freezing water to retrieve oysters. In his attempt, hecuts his hands on the sharpedges of the shells. After heobtains an oyster, he risesto the surface, clutching it“in his torn and bleedinghands.” The preacheradded, “Christ descendedfrom the glory of heaveninto . . . sinful human society, in order to retrievehumans and bring them backup with Him to the glory ofheaven. His torn and bleedinghands are a sign of the value He placed on the object of His quest.”

After the lay preacherpreached, 12 men received Christ.Later that night someone came to Wesley to complain about unschooledpreachers who were too ignorant even to knowthe meaning of the texts they were preaching on. TheOxford-educated Wesley simply said, “Never mind. TheLord got a dozen oysters tonight!”

Every time an Emmaus Walk or Face to Face isheld Christ and God’s grace is presented by lay and clergyand lives are changed for the Kingdom of God. Thankyou to those lay and clergy who faithfully serve on theteams and help to gather the “oysters” in! Do you

remember toward the end of your Emmaus Walk or Faceto Face when you were presented your cross with these

words, “Christ is counting on you!” and you responded, “And I’m counting on Christ!”

Remember this and help on anEmmaus Walk or Face to Face nextspring or next fall in 2016! Remember this and offer yourself as a lay or clergy tovolunteer your name to beput on the ballot to possiblybe elected to serve on theEmmaus Board and helpguide the Nashville Emmaus/Face to FaceCommunity to continueto faithfully to offerWalks and Encountersto all God’s people. Infact contact me, AllenWeller, Nashville Spiri-tual Director 2015 orEdna Vaughn, NashvilleLay Director, 2015 andsimply say, “Christ iscounting on me!” and I want to help others tohear those words on anEmmaus Walk or Face to

Face Encounter by serving ona team or by serving on the

Emmaus Board.A man by the name of Hess

wrote, “The Master can use what youhave to offer, though you may consider it

small; His work here on earth is done through Hischildren, so give Him your best, give your all.”

God Bless!

De Colores!

Allen Weller, Nashville Emmaus Spiritual Director

The Oyster Man

Dear Nashville Emmaus Community,

Doug Ball & I currently serve on the set-up/take down committee of the Nashville Emmaus Community Board. This is my third year onthe board and Doug’s first. I am writing to you,Nashville Emmaus Community, because we are requesting your help. During my tenure on the board,the pilgrims have expressed that theyprefer sleeping on cots rather thanair mattresses. The problem iswe only have a few cots, andthey are not very comfortable.

As for the air mattresses,we have been replacing 3 to 4mattresses each walk due to wearand tear. Holes are being found inthe seams making the repairprocess extremely difficult and tedious.

Over the past few months, the Boardhas been discussing this issue to decide the best solution. The Board has concluded it is in the best interest of the pilgrims to purchase additional cots. This

is where we need the help of the community! Goodcots that are wide enough to be comfortable andsturdy enough to be safe are expensive.

We are starting a cot campaign, asking for yourmonetary support. You may mail your donation to JonBell; 854 Goodwin; Hillsboro, TN 37342 or, you maydonate by using the link entitled “Donate to NashvilleEmmaus Community”.

Thank you very much.

DeColores,

Sam Trot

We Need Your Help!

New opportunity to attend an Emmaus Christmas gathering!Place: Andrew Price United Methodist Church 2846 Lebanon Pike Nashville, TN 37214Date: Saturday, December 5thTime: 6:00 pmWhat to bring: Yourself and a covered dishContact person: Jeanne Bell (931) 267-6291

Make plans to attend and enjoy our Christmas gathering. Come and celebrate your Christmas holidays withyour Emmaus friends!!!

Gatherings

Dec 5 GatheringAndrew Price United Methodist Church 6 pm

Mar 31-Apr 3 Men’s Walk #193 Hermitage UMC

Apr 14-17 Women’s Walk #194 Hermitage UMC

Emmaus Board Members & Job Assignments:Name Email Job Description

Ball, Doug Dabball42@gmail.com Set up/take down

Bell, Jeanne jonbell0213@gmail.com Prayer/Gathering

Bell, Jon jonbell0213@gmail.com Treasurer/ASD

Bill Owen, Rev. revwowen@gmail.com ASD

Chavis, John David Johnchavis7@gmail.com Team Selection

Glover, Sandie sandie.glover@comcast.net Co Chair/Prayer

Grayson, Steve sdgrayson@vbhcs.org Secretary

Griggs, Sandra, Rev sandragriggs@comcast.net ASD

Hunt, Carla CF.Hunt@comast.net Kitchen

Mabry, Loyd, Rev loyd.mabry@gmail.com ASD

Mason, Hugh masonhugh@tds.net Sat. Entertainment

Melrose, Jane jane.melrose@suntrust.com Agape

Mishler, Pat pmish5@comcast.net Face 2 Face

Perez, Victor, Rev visaperez@bellsouth.net ASD

Snodgrass, Carla carla@preventchildabuse.org Registrar

Street, Wilda wjstreet@att.net Kitchen

Trott, Sam Jtrott0409@gmail.com Set Up/take down

Vaughan, Edna evaughan@gbod.org and evaughan@tds.net CLD

Wedekind, Cathy cathy.wedekind@comcast.net Newsletter/Com.

Weller, Allen, Rev wellerrev@comcast.net CSD

Williams, Randy rwilliams@covenantservicesTN.com CLD ChrysalisEx-officio