The Official Newsletter of the Houston North Emmaus Community

NOVEMBER

2009

“Were not our

hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

--Luke 24:32,

NIV

Inside This Edition:

2 – Bulletin Board

3 – Women‘s Walk 52

Participants

4 – Men‘s Walk 53

Participants

5 – Women‘s Walk 54

Participants

6 - 2010 Walk

Dates; links to other Houston area Emmaus communities

7 – Contact List for

Church Emmaus Fourth Day Communities

8 - 2009 Board

Members

9 – From the Editor‘s

Desk

The leaves are turning, the days are getting shorter,

and cooler weather has finally come to southeast

Texas. We have turned the calendar over to the

month of November, and we look forward with

anticipation to a great Thanksgiving feast, time with

family, and some respite from work.

As a Board, we would like to express some special

words of gratefulness to the Lord for the blessings

He has brought to our Emmaus community this past

year.

After getting off to an unsure start with the

cancellation of our January Walk, we ended up

conducting five Walks, the last two with waiting lists!

We now have 168 new pilgrims from 2009 out of a

total possible of 180. The sponsors did a great job.

Team members stepped in at a moment’s notice to fill

various positions. Fourth Day came through with all

kinds of agape—material gifts, prayers, and gifts of

service.

Welcome, new pilgrims! Thank you, Fourth Day! We

wish you a blessed and joyful holiday season with

friends and family!

Most of all, Thank you, Lord, for the grace that you

have poured out upon us!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE KINGWOOD UMC

FOURTH DAY EMMAUS

COMMUNITY FOR HOSTING OUR FINAL GATHERING OF THE YEAR ON SATURDAY,

NOVEMBER 7TH.

THANKS TO OUR BOARD NOMINEES AND TO ALL WHO

VOTED.

ELECTION RESULTS AND THE NEW SLATE OF DIRECTORS FOR

2010 WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER

THIS MONTH.

For latest

news,

information,

forms, etc.,

go to:

www.hnec.org

2 Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009

Interested in Team service? Full weekend

team or Day Servant options are available. Check out the “Team Service” page on the

web.

www.hnec.org

COMMUNITY SERVANTHOOD – For

every Walk, we need Fourth Day

volunteers for the following tasks. This

is a great way to stay involved in

Emmaus without a major time

commitment. Think about having your

reunion group or your church’s Fourth

Day community sign up for one of these

activities during the year:

Thursday Moving

Thursday Snack Supper

Saturday Agape Dinner

Saturday Candlelight

Saturday Luminaries

Saturday Parking

Sunday Roses (Women’s Walks)

Sunday Moving

TABLE AND PILLOW AGAPE – If you like

making agape gifts, here are the

guidelines for number of pieces for

intended recipients:

Pilgrims only – 40 pieces

Pilgrims and Conference Room

Team – 60 pieces

Pilgrims, Conference Room Team,

and Servant Team – 75 pieces

● ● ●

New Board members elected

for 2010 will be installed at

the December 2009 Board

meeting.

● ● ●

The next HNEC Community Gathering will be sometime in

February 2010.

Keep praying and asking the Lord for pilgrims for the 2010 Walks. Applications can be submitted at any time. We encourage early registration. Now is a good time to be asking people to go on the Walk, while their calendars are still open for next year.

Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009 3

WOMEN’S WALK 52 PARTICIPANTS

PILGRIMS

Teri Bentley, Angela Bjornstad, Lisa Blanchard, Shannon Boyer, Seresa Carpenter, Maribel Chavez, Kristin Coleman, Valorie Erickson, Cathy Giffhorn, Brenda Jackson, Shirley Johnson, Suzanne Johnson, Pamela Kennedy, Betty Kinsey, Rhonda Koehn, Mimi Lawson, Becky Lloyd, Nora Michalsky, Kim Olexa, Kellianne Olson, Sheri Ragsdale, Ann Robbins, Erin Robbins, Tiffany Robinson, Destini Shrout-Jordan, Linda Smyth, Dorothy Stanton, Margaret Stone, Stacy Sugg, Zoeieann Townsend, Kristy Wentrcek, Anne Wilcox, Carol Williams, Rachel Williams, and Helen Zettlemoyer.

TEAM MEMBERS

Stephanie Brassovan, Lay Director; Sarah Moore, Servant Team Coordinator; Rev. Jessica LaGrone, Spiritual Director; Rhonda Fronk, Assistant Spiritual Director; Gail Alston, Robin Collier, and Lynda Jackson, Assistant Lay Directors; Laurie Starkey, Board Representative; Lois Decker (Head), Donna Adams, Katie Newman, and Karla Carter, Musicians; Sarah Fortner (Head), Jane Davis, Laura Fletcher, Eve Gronberg, Carole Williams, and Karen Williams, Table Leaders; Jennifer Brumley, Heather Guenther, Liz Jackson, Bambi McWhorter, Justynn Flaherty, and Angie Sharif, Assistant Table Leaders; Debbie Parcel (Head), Lyn Driggers, Lynell Ross, and Debbie Dean, Agape Servants; Maricella Dunn (Head), Linda Otto, Tammie Walterbach, and Cindy Brahm, Kitchen Servants; Kathy Reedy (Head) and Connie Fetzer, Chapel Servants; Rev. Janet Stilwell, Rev. Ben Trammell, and Rev. Robyn Bishop, Visiting Clergy; Bud Elkins, Earl Dague, Linda Laurents, Kathy Kershaw Coble, Daniece Peck, Barbara Thieme, and Marcie Huckabee, Day Servants.

4 Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009

MEN’S WALK 53 PARTICIPANTS

PILGRIMS

Glenn Adams, Brian Anderson, Frank Barber, Ralph Ben-Schoter, John Bjornstad, Jerry Brandt, John Brewer, James Castro, Mike Coleman, Mark Crabbe, Sonny Donaldson, Ronald Douglas, Rick Erickson, Carl Etchison, Mike Gammill, Mark Edison, James Haack, Jared Hammett, Jim Haugland, Seth Dohse, Brandon Holbrook, Tom Hollis, John Hurlbutt, Jermaine Jordan, Roy Larner, Brian McCarthy, John Misiewicz, Ross Muery, Lance Permenter, Morris Ragsdale, Noah Robbins, Lee Schafer, Darren Schwarz, Jeff Seldenrust, Nonnie Sherrod, Marvin Shrout, and Joe Zuiker.

TEAM MEMBERS

Chuck Abernathy, Lay Director; Morris Davidson, Servant Team Coordinator; Rev. Charles Jordan, Spiritual Director; Rev. Terry Bratton, Ass't. Spiritual Director; Purvis Harper, Joe Hudman, and Gene Laningham, Assistant Lay Directors; Jim Garland, Board Representative; Cam Collins (Head), Hugh Brown, and Doug Cherry, Musicians; Chris Hanz (Head), Hector Barkley, Jay Jackson, Keith Jenkins, Tim Nichols, and Bud Simmons, Table Leaders; Walter Balderach, Shane Bird, Paul Decker, Bobby Hantelman, Tom Lammers, and Billy Riggs, Assistant Table Leaders; Mike Kennedy (Head), Tim Ben-Schoter, Scott Fuller, Kevin McMachen, and George Skirm, Agape Servants; Jeff Reinhart (Head), Bill Carroll, Will Cunningham, Derek Laws, and Paul Silva, Kitchen Servants; Larry Townley (Head) and Kevin Mirasola, Chapel Servants; Rev. Rob Renfroe and Ref. Jeff Hastings, Visiting Clergy; and Danny Boyer, Mark Edwards, LeRoy Fronk, Sarah Moore, Robert Rohde, Richard Stanton, and Todd Sullivan, Day Servants.

Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009 5

WOMEN’S WALK 54 PARTICIPANTS

PILGRIMS

Nancy Balderach, Marjorie Bray, Sue Brown, Georgianna Coe, Marty Cox, Justine Crabbe, Kelly Crutchfield, Beatriz Diaz, Penny Dornbush, Celeste DuPreez, Susan English, Nancy Etchison, Robin Fowler, Pauline Haugland, Kimberly Kanke, Earleen Kleihege, Susan Levine, Latrelle Lindon, Glenda Marshall, Sharon Maxwell, Kim Meredith, Theresa Meredith, Winnie Muery, Jackie Mulvey, Priscilla Murillo, Sarah Permenter, Sonia Raffeet, Irma Seal, Linda Sherrod, Liza Shrout, Glenda Stidham, Pattie Terrell, Crystal Thibodeaux, Rachel hompson, and Martha Wall.

TEAM MEMBERS

Susan Kent, Lay Director; Gayle Hanz, Servant Team Coordinator; Rev. Debbie Drost, Spiritual Director; Rev. Susan Grittman, Assistant Spiritual Director; Kathy Collins, Sharon Heald, and Linda White, Assistant Lay Directors; Laurie Starkey, Board Representative; Evette Isbell (Head), Debi Griffith, and Dana Parcel, Musicians; Mary Lallier (Head), Kathy Carroll, Lorraine Daugherty, Sandra Harper, Theresa Nichols, and Margarett Vozar, Table Leaders; Barbara Hall, Leah Hammett, Mary "Boo" Neal, Janel O'Shea, Vicki Pruitt, and Laurie Zalewski, Assistant Table Leaders; Beth Roberts (Head), Kim Edwards, Taani Follis, Lynn Harper, and Jill Oliver, Agape Servants; Sharon Rich (Head), Janet Akery, Tami Denton, Sara Farris, Kelly Freeman, and Judy Hampshire, Kitchen Servants; Barbara Brooks (Head) and Wendy Jones, Chapel Servants; Visiting Clergy.

Day Servants: Connie Barker, Robin Bozzo, Stephanie Brassovan, Melanie Bratton, Gloria Cerrato, Robin Collier, April Driskel, Bud Elkins, Rhonda Fronk, Sally Hurlbutt, Tami Laugharn, JoAnn Maddock, Barbara Thieme, Jeri Thompson, Ann Williams, and Cathy Wright.

6 Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009

2010 Walks – Houston North Emmaus Community

A

All HNEC Walks will be held at Kaiserhof Lutheran Retreat Center, 22610 Tuwa Road, Tomball, Texas. www.kaiserhofretreatcenter.com OFFICIAL Walk forms (pilgrims and sponsors) are available for download at: www.hnec.org/Current_applications.htm Sponsors should send the completed pilgrim application, the completed sponsor form, and $155 payment for Walk fees to: Houston North Emmaus Community, Inc. ATTN: Registrar 2257 North Loop 336 West, #140-331 Conroe, TX 77304

WOMEN’S WALK 55. April 15-19. MEN’S WALK 56. April 22-25. WOMEN’S WALK 57. August 5-8. MEN’S WALK 58. Sept 30-Oct 3. WOMEN’S WALK 59. Oct 7-10.

For information about Walks in other Houston-area Emmaus communities, please consult the following websites: www.hwec.org - Houston West Emmaus Community Walks held at Kaiserhof Lutheran Retreat Center, Tomball www.geocities.com/cotemmaus - Cradle of Texas Emmaus Community Walks held at Texas Baptist Encampment; or, The Lodge at Danbury www.hbaec.org – Houston Bay Area Emmaus Community Walks held at The Lodge at Danbury

Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009 7

HNEC Church Contacts

The following persons are currently serving as the Emmaus Fourth Day Community contacts for their churches. Phone and email are not listed for privacy reasons. Contact your church office to get in touch with your Emmaus leadership. If your church is not listed and you are the contact person for your church’s Fourth Day community, or if you know who your contact is, please let us know, and we’ll update the list. Also, tell us if there are any updates to the information below. communications@hnec.org

Church Emmaus Contact

April Sound UMC C J Smith Atascocita UMC Susan Sanders Calvary Christian Fellowship Paul Silva Central Baptist, Livingston Joy Parrott Community Christian Church Tim Ben-Schoter or Dan Spencer Christ Church UMC Scotty and Diane Scott Christ the Good Shepherd Stacy Spaeth Coldspring UMC Barbara Brooks Cypress Bible Emil Haddad Cypress UMC Daryn Seidl Cypress Trails UMC Ellen Alfar Faith UMC Laurie Starkey Faithbridge UMC John Follis Fellowship of The Woodlands Tami Denton First UMC Conroe Susan Slavens First UMC Humble Lorrie Beasley Foundry UMC Jeff Mueller or Sam Sharif Friendship UMC Sandra Harper Good Shepherd UMC Cynthia Blackshear Houston NW Baptist Marilyn Christian John Wesley UMC Pam and DJ White Kingwood UMC Mike and Janel O‘Shea Klein UMC Bud Elkins Lake Houston UMC Kelly Freeman or Doug Spitz Lakewood UMC Colin McLeod Living Way UMC Lollie DuRoy or Michelle Harding Rosehill UMC Tony Swonke Shepherd UMC John Stephenson Spring Woods UMC Melissa Hamm St. Stephen‘s UMC Doug and Mary Cherry Strawbridge UMC Laurie Zalewski The Woodlands Christian Maxine Cornwell The Woodlands UMC Jonathan Breazeale Tomball UMC Bambi McWhorter or Rev. Patty Bergfield Vineyard Church of Conroe Joel Knox Wesley Memorial UMC, Huntsville Gloria Yost Wildwood UMC Dawna Carter

8 Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009

Community Chair Ass‘t Community Chair Past Community Chair Secretary Treasurer Past Spiritual Director Agape (Internal/External) Books, Manuals & Documents Manager Community Development Community Servanthood Gatherings/Reunion Groups Kitchen Coordinators Property Team Selection & Nominations Training Database Administrator Music Communications (Web and Newsletter) Registrar

281.367.7943 tkwanamaker@sbcglobal.net 936.449.5194 281.360.2886 281.350.3078 936.441.9795 936.653.2288 713.447.9962 936.449.4326 281.970.0814 281.288.4028 281.467.1337 281.255.3095 832.401.6295 713.686.5949 936.672.0214 936.449.6450 281.379.5993 281.359.5535 936.588.2401 281.537.0439 936.377.2435 281.894.6344 281.345.0761 communications@hnec.org 713.240.4458 registrar@hnec.org

Tom Wanamaker LeRoy Fronk Susan Kent Carlene Jackson Lyndal Davis Rev. Larry Smith Lindsey Robertson Morris Davidson Kevin Kyle Laurie Starkey Sara Farris John Follis Sarah Moore Lynda Jackson Debbie Zemanek Chuck Abernathy Kirk Smith Purvis Harper Beth Roberts Jeff Reinhart Anita Worthington Debbie Parcel Rhonda Fronk Jim Garland

Pilgrim’s Journey – November 2009 9

I recently read a book entitled The Lost Letters of Pergamum: A Story from the New Testament World, by Bruce W. Longenecker. The book is in the genre of historical fiction, with the intent of taking its readers into the first-century Greco-Roman world in which the early Church was formed and during which our New Testament scriptures were penned. The social, religious, and political backdrop is painted using characters from the Bible, historical information from extant writings, and archaeological information of the time. According to the author, his wish is ―that readers might ‗experience‘ the realities of that [Greco-Roman] world in a manner that narrative is so well suited to foster.‖ He continues…‖while the story did not happen, it could have happened‖ (10). The story is this. A series of letters between Luke and Antipas, a Roman official, is discovered in an archaeological dig in the ancient city of Pergamum, and the ―editor‖, or the discoverer of the letters, provides the text of the correspondence. What ensues is a model of evangelism. Antipas is a rich and powerful Roman, worshipper of multiple deities, and a keen enthusiast of the grisly gladiatorial games during which many people, including those who professed Christ, are slaughtered at the delight of the crowd and the Roman officials. Antipas is also a lover of great literature. When Luke hears this, he offers to let Antipas read his treatise on the life of Jesus Christ (i.e. the Gospel of Luke). Furthermore, Luke encourages Antipas to meet with a group of Christians in the city of Pergamum led by a person named Antonius. At first, Antipas is skeptical of Jesus Christ and of the Christian community. Their behavior is so odd! They treat all persons equally, no matter what their economic status, health condition, or gender. They are loving and compassionate toward one another—qualities Antipas is not used to seeing. But little by little, Luke keeps encouraging Antipas. In the end, Antipas‘ life is changed dramatically, as he comes to accept the truth of Jesus Christ. This story SO reminded me of the story of the two on the Emmaus Road in Luke 24. Just as Jesus did with the two disciples, Luke ―came alongside‖ Antipas and began walking with him. He shared truths of scripture and his own testimony about Jesus. And so I asked myself: ―Who are the people in my life that I am walking alongside and being a friend to, like Luke was in the story, or like Jesus was in Luke‘s Gospel? What people have been instrumental in my life to come alongside me and point me to Christ?‖ As we continue on in our Fourth Day, let us always be mindful of the people in our lives who need the Lord. They need us to gently but firmly point them to Jesus. As our Emmaus cross reminds us, Christ is counting on us!

De Colores! Rhonda Fronk HNEC Communications

Please send all Walk applications and written correspondence to: HOUSTON NORTH EMMAUS COMMUNITY, INC. 2257 North Loop 336 West, #140-331 Conroe, TX 77304 The Pilgrim’s Journey newsletter is published in electronic form four times a year. To be added to the newsletter e-list, send an email with your request to: communications@

hnec.org

Check the website for the latest information.

www.hnec.org