New Life News – November 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 Neil Bys and is entitled “How to Dance in the Rain”

 

How to Dance in the Rain

 

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb.  He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00am.  I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him.  I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

 

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

 

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.  He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's disease.

 

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.  He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

 

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?' He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

 

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'  True love is neither physical, nor romantic.

 

True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

 

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

 

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.

 

 

NEXT GATHERING - The monthly New Life Gathering will take place at 7:00 pm this coming Tuesday, November 18th at St Andrews United Methodist Church.  Directions: Take I-35, Austin Highway, or Harry Wurzbach south from Loop 410 and turn right on Eisenhower.  Take Eisenhower west (past Harry Wurzbach) and turn right on Chevy Chase Dr.  The church will be one block down on the left.

 

 

2008-09 GATHERING SCHEDULE :

 

November 18             St Andrew's UMC, 7222 Robinhood, S.A., TX 78209 210-824-2465

December                   (no gathering scheduled)

January 20, 2009         Rolling Oaks Christian DOC, 7150 Stahl Rd, SA, TX 78247 210-654-1744 

February 17                 Bracken UMC, 20377 FM 2252, Bracken, TX 78266 830-606-6717

March 17                     Northern Hills UMC, 3703 N Loop 1604, SA TX

April 21                       Universal City UMC, 90 Winn, Universal City, TX 78148 210-659-5555

May 19                        New Braunfels 1st UMC, 572 W San Ant St, New Braunfels, TX 78130 830-625-4513

June 16                        Alamo UMC, 4071 Foster, SA, TX 78244 210-661-6265

July                              Joint Gathering: TBA

August 18                   Schertz UMC 3460 Roy Richard Dr (3009), Schertz, TX 78154  

September 15              New Hope UMC, 10155 Old Cimarron Tr, Converse, TX 78109 210-658-1220

October 20                  Bethany UMC, 4102 Eisenhauer, SA, TX 78218 210-655-5473

November 17              St Andrew's UMC, 7222 Robinhood, S.A., TX 78209 210-824-2465

December                    (no gathering scheduled) 

January 19, 2010         Rolling Oaks Christian DOC, 7150 Stahl Rd, SA, TX 78247 210-654-1744 

 

If your church/community is interested in joining the New Life Emmaus community for Northeast San Antonio, please contact the Lay Leaders to be added to the 2009 listing. 

 

 

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:


Alamo UMC: 2nd Sunday of every month, 12:15 pm, pot luck.
First UMC New Braunfels: 4th Tuesday of every month, 7 pm. 
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 (except Dec) 7 pm – Next Gathering will be in February. 
 

 

2009 WALK SCHEDULE :

 

Walk#              Dates                           Lay Director                Site 

 

1503                June 11 – 14                Chivi Dagg                  Concept Therapy Center

1524                October 8 – 11                        Seth Walters                Concept Therapy Center

 

 

FROM THE LAY DIRECTOR :  As you all know, our country just had a record turn out for the presidential elections.  It is an honor and a privilege that we all get to vote and so it is with our upcoming New Life elections.  I realize the scale is a lot different however, the concept remains the same.  We will be presenting a slate of officers in nomination for the upcoming year in January.  If you are interested in serving please let any of the current officers know you are interested.  I would like to see a lot of names on the ballots so we can truly hold an election.  We have deferred the election month to February, so the holidays will be over and I hope people will be refreshed and ready to serve New Life.  I have enjoyed serving for this past year and I will offer to serve one more year but if someone else is interested please speak up and we’ll put your name on the ballot.  I plan to ask the other officers to serve again as well and hopefully some of them will.  I’m sure they would like to see others run as well.  Most of our officers serve one year at a time.  The board rep and members of the team selection committee serve for two years and we elect two members each year for continuity.  This year we need to elect:


Spiritual Director – After serving many years as our spiritual director, Jim Jacob would like a much deserved break.  

  
Lay Director – 1 year term


Assistant Lay Director  - 1 year term


Secretary – 1 year term


Treasurer – 1 year term   This past year Pat Hoover graciously agreed to serve as both secretary and treasurer.  

Team Selection – will serve 2 years


Male member
Female Member
 
Prayer Vigil Coordinator  - 1 year term

Agape Coordinator – Neil Bys has done this for years but I think we elect him annually.

Board rep – Barbara Becker has 2 years remaining on her term.

We also have a newsletter editor that Bob Buck has held faithfully serving as for years.  He is willing to continue unless someone else would like to do it.

If you have any interest in serving, please talk to one of your current officers to get more details and express your interest.  I would like to see our numbers grow for gatherings and new ideas are welcome.    

Jim Talbott, New Life Lay Director

 

AGAPE NEEDS/GUIDELINES : The New Life Fourth Day Community has a reputation for putting on GREAT walks.  The recent Men’s Walk 1468 is no exception.  The outside team, however, mentioned we had a shortage of agape on our last walk as compared with previous walks. Of course the pilgrims never knew the difference, but the outside team spent several hours making additional agape for the pilgrims, and they also had to make several trips to the store to buy food agape.  Let’s not let this happen to next year’s walks.   We have a Women’s Walk 1503 in June and a Men’s Walk 1524 in October.  NOW is the time to start making agape for these walks!  You will make it much easier on the outside team if you make 70 pieces of EVERYTHING.  If we have 32 pilgrims and you make 32 pieces of agape, and another pilgrim shows up unexpectedly at the last minute, NO ONE will receive that agape.  (It’s happened!)  There must be enough for EVERY pilgrim or it won’t be handed out.  It’s also a nice gesture to ensure the Lay Director gets a piece of ALL agape.  Again, if at all possible, please have 70 pieces, and let’s start making it NOW.

 

Finally, the National organization strongly recommends you place reunion group or church names on the agape instead of personal names.  This is the same reason the outside team stays OUTSIDE the Conference Room. True servants don’t serve for the recognition they receive, but as a simple act of service.  Let’s make our 2009 walks the BEST WALKS EVER!

 

Neil Bys

Agape Coordinator

 

 

NEW LIFE NAMETAGS : Anyone wishing to order a New Life Emmaus Community name tag can still do so for the cost of $5.00, please see Mary Robertson, with the correct spelling of your name.  It will take about two weeks, and it will be brought to the next gathering for you.

 

 

 ROLLING OAKS CC (DoC) EMMAUS NEWS :  Many of you may have noticed that Rolling Oaks CC (DoC) has reappeared on our list of sponsoring churches…IT ISN’T A MISSPRINTJ  Their new pastor, Rev Al Adams had been actively involved in Emmaus before moving to San Antonio from Colorado and is actively seeking to reinvigorate Emmaus within their church.  They had a "Seeds of Reunion Groups" event on Nov 1 to renew and revitalize their reunion groups!  Praise the Lord! They have a couple of restarted reunion groups!

One is a mixed group that meets at the Jim's at 1604 and Nacogdoches Saturdays at 8:30AM and the other is a men's group that will soon set a time and place.  We look forward to seeing many old friends at our scheduled gathering in January.  Let’s all pray for the success of ROCC as they strive to pump up their program and at the same time pump up ours.  Welcome back ROCC.

 

 

EVERYDAY-USE TIP OF THE MONTH :  Homemade Solutions (forwarded by Neil Bys)

Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
 
Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I finally decided that this would  be much  more economical. Now a box of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the scissors get 'sharpened'' this way!

Blood stains on clothes?  Not to worry!  Just pour a little hydrogen peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.   Works every time!  (Now, where to put the body?)    
 
Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside and horizontal for inside  windows. This way you can tell which side has the streaks.  Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean.  Don't wash windows on a sunny day.  They will dry too quickly and will probably streak.

 
UPDATE ON CARE BEXAR  :  Greetings.  I wanted to bring everyone up to date on developments in the Care Bexar Fourth Day Group.   Some of this may be repetitious to you but it is all good news and I wanted to be sure it was fully circulated to our Pastors and Lay Leaders.  Here is a recap of the latest news regarding Care Bexar and future Walk events:
 
*A formal Letter of Agreement giving Care Bexar official Fourth Day Group status has now been signed by the Upper Room and is on file with the Conference office.
 
*Walk #1533 has been assigned to Care Bexar to be held at Mt. Wesley October 29 through November 1, 2009
 
*A Team Selection Committee meeting will take place on Sunday, November 23 to decide the gender of Walk #1533 and to select a Lay Director.
 
*A Care Bexar business meeting was held on November 9 at which time the Board reviewed a revised set of FDG By-Laws.  When approved, the By-Laws will be put on file with the Conference and National office.
 
All of this activity is a sure sign that Care Bexar is back on track to be a functioning and vital Fourth Day Group which will help make the Emmaus experience available to a larger number of churches and individuals.  It also triggers some action items that deserve immediate attention within your Church:
 
*We need to have an accurate point of contact and contact information ˆ Pastor or Lay Leader - for each Church.  Please confirm or furnish that information.
 
*In the interest of future Walks, we need to know who might be a qualified Lay Director candidate or Team Member candidate.  You can forward the names to me or you can encourage anyone interested in that role to complete a Lay Director or Team Member Application form.  Either can be downloaded from the Conference web site.
 
*Along those same lines ˆ please encourage sponsorship of a Pilgrim among your Emmaus alumni.  This is particularly important for the upcoming 2009 Walk.

Here is a special reminder - the next Care Bexar Gathering is scheduled for Sunday, January 25, 2009 at Alamo Heights UMC.  Details of the Gathering will be forthcoming but I wanted you to get it on your calendars and start talking it up.   Thanks for your continued support.
 
Jim Kleypas  - jim@bkads.com -  210-349-3609

 

 

PUN OF THE MONTHJJJ :   Courtesy of Neil Bys 

 

 
"Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.'" "That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome." "Is it common?" Well, "It's Not Unusual."

 

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.  Ollie Pierce has had the full knee replacement reported in last month’s newsletter.   The leg surgery continues to look good, but she started to retain fluid and heart rate started to climb and blood pressure drop.  That's when they found the embolism. Wednesday they did a sonogram and found a blood clot in the groin area. They put a shield in the vein to catch the clot if it moved, and at the same time installed a pick line so they won't have to stick her arms so much.  She has had 10 units of blood and also 8 units of plasma.  Please continue to keep Ollie in your prayers.   Lyle Pierce……Please ask all to pray for Alan Wisian from Gruene UMC. Alan was admitted to St. Davids North Austin Medical Center.  The good news is he does not have an aortic aneurysm as first thought.  The  bad news is that in the process of ruling out the heart problem  they located large masses around the aorta, kidneys, and pancreas.  He will be having biopsies.  We would appreciate your prayers.  Sincerely  Brenda and Alan

 

 

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.  If you have questions contact Joanne Lawrence at Granny9001@hotmail.com .

 

 

NEW LIFE WEB SITE : Check it out at http://www.gbgm-umc.org/newlife-sanantonio . 

 

 

CLOSING THOUGHTS :  Sent in by Bill Bennett

 

THE U IN JESUS

 

Before U were thought of or time had begun,

God stuck U in the name of His Son.

 

And each time U pray, you'll see it's true,

You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.

 

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name,

For U, He was born; that's why He came.

 

And His great love for U is the reason He died.

It even takes U to spell crUcified.

 

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand

He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?

 

The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,

and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

 

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,

He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

 

'Go into the world and tell them it's true

That I love them all - Just like I love U.'

 

So many great people are spelled with a U,

Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?

 

It all depends now on what U will do,

He'd like them to know, But it all starts with U.

 

Will YOU pass it on

 

 

NEW FEATURE STARTING IN JANUARY :  We will be starting a new feature called “Testimonies”   If you would like to offer a testimony as to what Emmaus has meant in your life please email that testimony to Rakbuck@flash.net .