Oconee River Basin Walk to Emmaus Community
Serving Baldwin, Greene, Morgan and Putnam Counties in Georgia
The ORBEC Prayer Vigil still has openings just waiting for you to sign up to wrap Walks #13 & #14 in constant and consistent prayer over the next two weekends. Currently the Men’s Walk Prayer Vigil has openings for 73 prayers for the Pilgrims, the team, the staff of Rock Eagle and the families of those serving and attending . The Women’s Walk currently has 94 openings. Please sign up now.
De Colores SC
Click here for Men’s Walk #15 Prayer Vigil
KAIROS-FOURTH DAY BLESSINGS
Kairos is the extension of the Walk to Emmaus which focuses on those of God’s children who are imprisoned. Several men and women in the Oconee River Basin Walk to Emmaus Community are active in the Kairos Ministry in prisons within Georgia.
Some of the ORBEC men who are on a Kairos Team tell the story of “Cowboy”. He accepted Christ on Kairos Weekend #13 at Washington State Prison. He claims to have been a soul mate of Satan up until that time. He’s now a free man again and walking tall and strong with the Lord. He was paroled in December 2015.
These ORBEC members had the pleasure of spending time with “Cowboy” on Saturday, January 23rd. They were blessed to be witness to what has transpired in his life. He couldn’t stop giving praises for all the doors that have been opened to him. His church has embraced him, his neighbor has given him a job (albeit, a seasonal one) and even takes him back and forth to work. He is living at home with his mother in a small travel trailer, and anyone can see the Lord is living in him.
This group of men praises God for the redemption of “Cowboy”, and they ask that the Oconee River Basin Walk to Emmaus Community remember him in prayer as he continues his walk with the Lord. They joyfully continue this Fourth Day ministry, knowing that there are more like “Cowboy” who are in need of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
De Colores
You are invited to have a closer walk with Christ for the rest of your life; this is called the Fourth Day. Those who attend a Walk to Emmaus are encouraged to:
Source: The Fourth Day/ The Walk to Emmaus/ The Upper Room
The Fourth Day consists of Reunion Group membership. The Reunion Group serves as an accountability group, a sounding board, for a Christian Walk. The Emmaus Community Gatherings also play a part in the Fourth Day. Meeting with other like-minded Christians for a meal, worship and praise, Holy Communion, singing and hearing how other Community members are living their Fourth Day helps to maintain focus on walking with Jesus Christ.
Bluegrass music in the Lake Country! Headliners Monroe Crossing will be bringing their entertainment to town on January 21, 2017. The event will be held at the Greensboro FUMC, at 4741 Carey Station Rd. From 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM.
MONROE CROSSING CONCERT BEGINS AT 7:00 PM LOCAL BLUEGRASS BANDS WILL PERFORM FROM 4:00 PM UNTIL 7:00 PM
A MEAL WITH BBQ HOG FROM GA BUTTS AND ROASTED OYSTERS PREPARED BY JAMES PRESSLEY AND AARON BAXENDALE OF THE RITZ CARLTON WILL BE SERVED.
SIDES INCLUDE BEANS, COLESLAW,
BREAD, BEVERAGE AND DESSERT
TICKETS FOR MEAL AND MONROE CROSSING CONCERT MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE.
MEAL AND MONROE CROSSING CONCERT..$50. MONROE CROSSING CONCERT…$20.
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When the middle Georgia September heat is sweltering, Highlands, North Carolina is cool and comfortable.
Join us June 10, for a delicious dinner and a chance to win a week in a beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 1\2 bath home atop Sagee Mountain overlooking Tennessee, North and South Carolina and just 2 miles from downtown Highlands.
Sleep or read to the soothing sounds of a rushing stream with a charming waterfall outside two of the bedrooms and decks. This home has two living rooms and would be comfortable for three couples or a family with children. There is a lovely landscaped yard with shaded nooks for reading and relaxing.
Dinner for 2 with a chance for participation in the drawing is $50. Dinner without a door prize chance is $10 per person. Reservations are necessary for your choice of a Salmon or a Chicken meal. Contact James Pressley at jameskpressley@gmail.com or Jane Lang at janelang1@me.com for your choice.
The $50.00 Door Prize ticket includes dinner, dessert, vote for best dessert, and a chance to win the Door Prize.
DOUBLE CLICK ON THE DOOR PRIZE LINK ON THE MAIN MENU AT FUNDRAISING TO SEE THE PROPERTY PICTURES AND MORE.
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UPDATE
The vote was taken on January 8, 2016 at the January Gathering, and the slate of Board members was approved by the Community in attendance.
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IT’S TIME TO ELECT A NEW SLATE OF BOARD MEMBERS.
THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS URGED TO ATTEND THE JANUARY GATHERING ON JANUARY 8, 2016.
EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE FOR THOSE BOARD MEMBERS WHO WILL REPRESENT YOU FOR THE NEXT 3 YEARS.
THERE WILL BE GOOD FOOD, TOO.
On the Walk to Emmaus the love of God for his children is demonstrated in many ways. From the initial “welcome” to the Walk Weekend to the final “closing” of the weekend activities the presence of God’s love is undeniable. In the Emmaus Walk this love is called Agape.
Agape is the Greek word for love at its ultimate. Agape love is not like a brotherly love or a love between a husband and a wife. It is the most self-sacrificing love that there is. This type of love is the love that God has for His own children. Agape love is that which is always associated with the love of God.
There are many uses of Agape when speaking of God’s love in the Bible such as: John 4:8 “Anyone who does not love (agape) does not know God, because God is love (agape).” Romans 5:5 “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love (agape) has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Where two or more are gathered in my name, I am there among them. Matthew 18:20
Monthly gatherings of the Emmaus community are to celebrate God’s love and grace. They are held at different area churches and sometimes at parks or on Community members’ property. It is a way for new fourth day participants to meet others in the community. If you’ve been on a Fourth Day Weekend, join us—call or email John Wilson for information or check for details here.
Personal Godly growth is not a solitary affair; spiritual growth involves the support of other Godly people. This can happen in a small group of up to twelve people, or the support can come from larger gatherings.
On the Walk to Emmaus faith is re-explained, grace is re-experienced, a Godly community is realized, and the body of Christ is renewed through the revitalization of a person’s commitment to Christ. If that revitalization is not fed it will be lost. Gatherings help to maintain that commitment, and are places to worship as the Body of Believers, not just as single parts of the body. They help us to mingle with various denominations in a spirit of unity and cooperation. Gatherings help us encourage one another and persevere in grace. They are a place to encourage group reunions, to see and maintain relationships that were started on an Emmaus walk, whether it was our first Walk or our one thousandth one. And gatherings are to be a place of education: we can learn about a particular part of Emmaus, or about upcoming Emmaus activities.
The basic components of a gathering are:
SINGING AND PRAYERS—we get to sing songs we have learned and learn others. And we get the honor and privilege of praying for others in need.
FOURTH DAY WITNESS—someone is asked to witness to God’s presence in his or her life and their walk with our risen Savior. This witness can come from an experience, a spiritual learning, a reflection on a part of their journey, or a challenge to live more fully in holiness and service. This is NOT a sermon, a teaching or an explaining of the scriptures. The Fourth-Day Talk does come from the heart and is a sharing of what God has done for the speaker and how they may have dived deeper into the divine. It should be thought-out and prepared ahead of time.
CLERGY RESPONSE—There can be a response from the evening Spiritual Director to pull together the various thoughts and to highlight a connection with the gospel. This is NOT a sermon, or even a prepared talk. It is a scriptural reflection on the general theme of the Fourth-Day witness for the purpose of deepening everyone’s understanding of the connection between their lives and the story of God in scripture. The response includes a transition into:HOLY COMMUNION- We gather together as the Body of Believers to share with and inspire each other, and to feast at the Lord’s Table
EAT–Gatherings can, and usually do, include food.
BUSINESS–They also include some kind of educational moments, Sponsorship reminders, announcements of upcoming Emmaus events, opportunities to sign up for prayer vigils are explained and offered: these are all educational moments. And always ask if there is anyone who wishes to join a group reunion, or if a group has an opening for another person. .
FUN-And we can remember that we can have fun and share our joy. Jesus went to weddings. He was not a wall flower at these events. He was fully human as well as divine, and humans can enjoy themselves and laugh. One of the signs of being a follower of Christ is our joy.
Visitors are always welcome, but Gatherings are intended to be a time of sharing and encouragement from and for the Community.
Excerpted from the article Reunion Groups and Gatherings by Rev. Sue Farlow in the Cape Fear Emmaus Newsletter.
Source: What is a Gathering
The Walk to Emmaus is an adaptation of the Roman Catholic Cursillo (pronounced cur-SEE-o) Movement, which originated in Spain in 1949. Cursillo de Cristianidad means “little course in Christianity.” The original Cursillo leaders designed the program to empower persons to transform their living and working environments into Christian environments. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Episcopalians and Lutherans, along with several nondenominational groups, such as Tres Dias, began to offer Cursillo. In 1978, The Upper Room of the General Board of Discipleship adapted the program for a primarily Protestant audience and began to offer it under the name The Upper Room Cursillo. In 1981, The Upper Room made further adaptations and changed the name of the program to The Upper Room Walk to Emmaus. In 1984, The Upper Room developed a youth expression of Emmaus called Chrysalis.
—from What Is Emmaus? Copyright The Upper Room.
The Blessings of Sponsorship
Sponsoring a Pilgrim is a win, win situation.. The Pilgrim certainly wins as he or she gets to walk closer with our Lord and Savior. The Sponsor wins, too, as there is no better feeling than having helped someone to strengthen their faith.
It is never too soon to think about sponsoring a Pilgrim on the Walk to Emmaus. We need to prayerfully consider the sponsorship of someone we care about, someone we want to have what we gained on our Walk to Emmaus; Someone we want to have that wonderful feeling we felt as we walked closer to Jesus; Someone who we will have helped to have a joyous, richer Christ-filled life. Do Pass It On!
De Colores
Clif Smith, Board Sponsorship Servant
Source: About Sponsorship
Oconee River Basin Walk to Emmaus Community 