New
Life News – January 2008
(A
monthly publication of the New Life Emmaus Community)
FOOD FOR THOUGHT – Please forward items that you feel might be appropriate for this section to Rakbuck@flash.net . This month’s Food for Thought was sent in by Thomas Becker.
During her late twenties she was an eighth grade
science teacher. She taught at a private
school which allowed her the freedom to discuss her Christian faith. She used the truth of Scripture to back up the
science she taught. The grand natures of
“God, The Creator” were always a part of the daily lessons. She also found time to guide her students in
life lessons and the how to find answers in the Bible. This Christian woman
would daily share the truth of Jesus Christ and discuss her faith
candidly. She would talk of the Savior's
love and grace, and what it truly meant to be saved. The class for the most part was accepting of
her teachings and understood her truths.
However there was one young man of a rebellious
nature. He would openly tell this
Christian woman that he did not want to know this Jesus and that he was
governed by a god of death and darkness.
This antagonist did not detour the Christian woman from her mission.
Despite his rebellious nature she continued to be the witness she was called to
be. She continued to pray for this boy
and try to reach him through her teachings.
A decade passed and this Christian woman no longer
worked as a teacher. The Billy Graham
Crusade was coming to her city and she felt the call to participate in some
manner. This Christian woman volunteered
to be a counselor following the altar calls.
She was given a New Testament and literature to give to those who came
forward to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.
She would share some personal testimony of knowing the Savior, guide
them in their decision, and finally pray with them, as they became new
creations.
During the altar call one evening, as the crowd
gradually dispersed, she recognized someone.
Was this young man she was watching her former student from years
ago. Yes, she realized this was the same
person. Her heart raced and her mind was
full of questions. Did he come down to
accept Jesus? Was he here to turn from
his past? No! He was not answering the
altar call. He too had a New Testament
and literature. He was a "Crusade
Counselor" just as she. Now filled
with emotion and wonderment she realized he knew Jesus and was helping others
find Christ.
The young man soon recognized the Christian woman. The young man approached her and they were
immediately caught up in conversation. The young man explained how he recently
became a Christian and the joyous difference Jesus has made in his life. He continued by thanking her for her bold
witness so many years ago. He explained
how her words remained with him all those years even though he refused to hear
them until just recently. She was moved
with emotion to hear how her simple words and straightforward approach of the
Gospel revealed Christ to this young man.
They departed with a long embrace and tear-filled eyes. Right then and there she thanked God for
allowing her to see the harvest from a seed she planted so many years ago.
Points to consider: Do
I plant seeds in my daily life?
How
can I be a bold witness for Jesus Christ?
Make a New Year’s Resolution to tell someone about Christ – and KEEP IT.
NEXT GATHERING - The
monthly New Life Gathering will take place at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, January 15th
at
2008 GATHERING SCHEDULE:
January 15 St Andrew's UMC, 7222
Robinhood,
February 19 Bracken UMC, 20377 FM 2252,
March 18 Northern Hills UMC, 3703
April 15 Universal City UMC, 90
Winn,
May 20 New Braunfels 1st UMC,
June 17
July Joint Gathering: TBA
August 19 Schertz UMC 3460
September 16 New Hope UMC, 10155 Old Cimarron Tr,
October 21 Bethany
UMC, 4102 Eisenhauer, SA, TX 78218 210-655-5473
November 18 Rolling
Oaks Christian,
December (no gathering scheduled)
If your
church/community is interested in joining the New Life Emmaus community for
LOCAL
CHURCH GATHERINGS:
We are posting the day & date of local church gatherings
in the newsletter to invite others to come.
Please update this information by replying to this newsletter if your
church changes/cancels your meeting.
Local Gatherings scheduled:
First UMC
Northern Hills UMC: Last Monday of every month, 7 pm.
Schertz UMC: 1st Tuesday of every month, 7 pm.
St Andrew's UMC: Fridays, quarterly.
Universal City UMC: 1st Sunday, every even month 7 pm – Next
Gathering will be in February.
NEW
LIFE ELECTIONS: New Life
elections were held at our November Gathering.
Congratulations and thanks to all whom have agreed to serve. The slate of officers for 2008 is as follows:
Lay Director: Jim Talbott
Assistant Lay Director: Ross
Hoover
Board Representative: Barbara Becker
Spiritual Director: Jim Jacob
Secretary/Treasurer: Pat Hoover
(positions are joined, after acceptance by Pat)
Agape Coordinator: Neil Bys
Newsletter Editor: Bob Buck
Prayer Vigil Coordinator: Joanne Lawrence
Male Team Selection 08: Ron Trafton
Female Team Selection 08: Leah Wetstone
Male Team Selection 08/09: Joe Painter
Female Team Selection 08/09: Elaine Gerlach
2008
WALK SCHEDULE:
Walk# Dates Lay
Director Site
1445W Jul 10 –
Jul 13 Mary Robertson Mt Wesley
1468M Oct 16 –
19 Rick Bernhardt Mt Wesley
WALK
NEWS:
Walk 1445 – Team selection for Walk 1445 has been rescheduled for early February.
It is still not too late to be part of this team, please call or email me as soon as possible. We still have some slots for people with 0, 1, or 2 Walk experience. Help us make this the best walk ever for these pilgrims!
Mary Robertson, Lay Director
PH: 830-609-7665
Email: mrobertson004@satx.rr.com
EMMAUS LEADERSHIP TRAINING: – New Life sponsored Emmaus Leadership Training Date: Saturday, February 9, 2008, at 8 am, until 3:00. There will be training for Lay Directors, board representatives and clergy to attend at the First UMC New Braunfels, in the church Assembly room. Please make your reservations through the Emmaus website link, go to Emmaus and Chrysalis Leadership Training to sign up (at no cost).
PURPOSE: Training Lay Directors, Board Reps and Spiritual Directors Leadership teams for the Walks to Emmaus. The ELTS (Emmaus Leadership Training) is required for all incoming Lay Directors, Board Reps
and Spiritual Directors. Lay Directors and Board Reps need to attend training with in 15 months of serving; Spiritual Directors need to attend training at least once every 3 years. However ELT is open to anyone interested in learning more about Emmaus Leadership. This is a great time for the Lay Directors, Board Reps, and Spiritual Directors to develop effective Communication and Leadership skills. The outside support coordinators are invited to attend as well. Training will be conducted by the Southwest Texas Conference Emmaus Lay Director and Spiritual Director or their appointees. What to bring: purple worship book, cross, name tag, Director Manuals for the LD, SD and Board Rep. If you don't have your books you will be able to purchase them at the training.
FROM THE NEW LIFE
LAY DIRECTOR: The first New Life Gathering of 2008 is at St Andrews UMC
on January 15 at 7:00 PM. Please make a
special effort to come to the New Life Gathering to fellowship and praise God
for all our blessings. It would also be nice to come and thank Mary and
Lenny Robertson for all their time and effort over the past two years as your
New Life Lay Directors.
I have had some concern about our spotty attendance lately
and would like to suggest that any new ideas to improve attendance should be
presented and discussed at either the Gatherings or the Board meetings.
If you have any ideas you would like to be considered, please send them
to me, or your local EMMAUS Lay Leader and we will give them strong
consideration. Our community will only
be as viable as our commitment to it.
I look forward to seeing you at the gathering this coming Tuesday, and feel free to bring along a friend, neighbor, acquaintance or anyone else you know who could use great mid week pick me up. Let's invigorate New Life in 2008.
Jim Talbott, Lay Director
Calling All Future Lay Directors: The New Life Board will be tentatively be selecting our Lay Directors for 2009 early in 2008. Additionally we will start to chart out potential Lay Directors for 2010 and 2011. If you have expressed an interest in being a future Lay Director, even if you are not sure about 2009, please make sure you get your Lay Director interest form turned in to our Board Rep no later than the end of January 2008. Forms can be downloaded from the New Life WEB Site at http://www.gbgm-umc.org/newlife-sanantonio/forms.htm
EVERYDAY-USE TIP OF THE MONTH: Car Thieves steal your car or truck without any effort at all!
Here is info worth the price of
your car....WHAT WILL THEY THINK OF NEXT?
Seems that car thieves have found
yet another way to steal your car or truck without any effort at all... The car
thieves peer through the windshield of your car or truck, write down the VIN #
from the label on the dash, go to the local car dealership and request a
duplicate key based on the VI N # . My friend didn't
believe this, so she called Chrysler-Dodge and pretended she had lost her keys.
They told her to just bring in the VIN #, and they would cut her one on the
spot, and she could order the keyless device if she wanted. The Car Dealer's
Parts Department will make a duplicate key from the VIN #, and collect payment
from the thief who will return to your car. He doesn't have to break in, do any
damage to the vehicle, or draw attention to himself. All he has to do is walk
up to your car, insert the key and off he goes to a local Chop Shop with your
vehicle. You don't believe it? It IS that easy.
To avoid this from happening to you, simply put some tape (Electrical tape, duct tape or medical tape) across the VIN Metal Label located on the dash board. By law, you cannot remove the VIN, but you can cover it so it can't be viewed through the windshield by a car thief. I urge you to forward this to your friends before some other car thief steals another car or truck. I slipped a 3 x 5 card over the VIN NUMBER. This can also be done when you have parked your car for the day at a shopping mall, hospital, or work place parking lot!
PUN OF THE MONTHJJJ –
New Feature - Courtesy of Neil Bys
A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of
them goes to a family in
PRAYER REQUESTS
– In order
to provide timely response in this area, we request that you forward any prayer
requests that you have by “reply” to this letter. Those requests will be sent out VIA immediate
distribution to all members of the New Life e-mail chain. Please be in prayer for Debbie
Krause New Life member from Universal City UMC who has been diagnosed with
Uterine Cancer. Debbie will be scheduled
for surgery in the next few weeks. Chivi
Dagg, UCUMC………….Our close
neighbors, Kim and Tom Derion are asking for prayers to be lifted up for their
7 years old son, Ryan. They found a lump under his armpit during the
Christmas holiday and they are very worried. They are scheduled for another
doctor appointment this week. Kim stated both families have history of
Hodgkin’s type cancer. Please add Ryan and the family to your prayer list
as they go through this period of medical discovery of what’s going on. Dave Wagoner, UCUMC………….
I am asking for prayers for my brother in law Mike Dant. He has cancerous
tumors on his aorta and heart lining. He also has tumors in his lungs and
lymph node involvement. He has developed a blood clot in his lung and his
white cell count was too low for him to receive his last chemo treatment
(although it has come up a bit and he will be able to receive a treatment in a
couple of days). He is 56 and lives in
PRAYER
VIGILS –
If you are a Prayer Vigil coordinator for your local church, don’t hesitate to
reply to this email if you are having trouble filling your requests. We’ll put out an e-mail alert and get them
filled ASAP.
NEW
LIFE WEB SITE –
Check it out at http://www.gbgm-umc.org/newlife-sanantonio
.
CLOSING THOUGHTS –
“Death” – sent in by Bill
Wolley.
A sick man turned to his doctor,
as he was preparing to leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I
am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.'
Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.'
'You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not
know what is on the other side?'
The doctor was holding the handle of the
door; on the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened
the door, a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of
gladness.
Turning to the patient, the doctor said,
'Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't
know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, and when
the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is
on the other side of death, but I do know one thing... I know my
Master is there and that is enough.'
May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.