Dear Emmaus Brothers and Sisters,
Happy New Year, and I hope this finds you well!
I wanted to give you some updates on Emmaus community news and some changes we’ve made. I’ve marked some of the key points for you in capital letters and bold print.
- I am including a calendar of 2023 Emmaus events (See Events Calendar) for your use. Please print yourself a copy so you can refer to it for “coming attractions.”
- Our NEXT GATHERING is on January 23 at Burnet FUMC. The meal will be in the Family Life Building at 6 p.m., with service in the sanctuary at 7 p.m.
- Please NOTE that we are moving to a SINGLE community gathering each month for this year. Many of our gatherings this past year have been well attended, but others have not. We are hopeful that moving to ONE meeting per month will allow people to plan ahead to attend. We will continue to vary the location between Burnet and Marble Falls, with Liberty Hill and Bee Creek in Spicewood also taking a turn.
- We will also get back to asking for REUNION GROUPS to volunteer to set up and clean up at each gathering so that responsibility can be shared. Kim Russell and Mary Gonzalez will serve as the Gathering Coordinators this year so please be ready to jump in and help them.
- The Board met last night for the first time since the approval of the new community by-laws. The Board Chair for 2023 will be Bob Munsey. Bob will do an amazing job in that position and will continue the momentum our community has begun to build. He will also continue to have the support of a hard-working and dedicated Board.
- The Men’s Walk 2023 is scheduled for April 20-23 with Russell Cochran serving as Lay Director. The conference room team is set and will be meeting for the first time this Saturday, January 14. They also have team meetings set for:
- February 11 – breakfast and lunch provided by Sisters By Grace Reunion Group.
- March 11 – Need groups to do breakfast, lunch
- April 1 – Need groups to do breakfast, lunch
Please let Russell know if you’d like to help with one or more of the meals.
**Please get your pilgrim applications for the Men’s Walk turned in as soon as possible – either to Russell or JoAnn Dilworth or mailed to the address shown on the application. Please be sure applications are fully filled out and signed and are accompanied by payment.
**If you are interested in serving on the Servant Team, please get your application to JoAnn as soon as possible. Even if you’ve served on a team previously, we are asking for updated applications so please get those submitted.
Most importantly, please be in prayer for the Men’s Walk 2023 to touch lives.
- The Women’s Walk 2023 is scheduled for October 26-29, 2023. The newly selected Lay Director for Women’s Walk 2023 will be Gay Cochran. Even though our focus now is on the Men’s Walk, it’s never too early to be praying about serving on one of the teams or sponsoring a pilgrim for the walk.
This will be my final communication as your Community Lay Director, so I just want to tell you again what a blessed experience this has been. I appreciate this community so much! The qualities of faith, service and love are never more obvious than when we are preparing for a Walk – so much work and SO MUCH JOY! Thank you for your spirit and your servants’ hearts and for allowing me to serve beside you!
De Colores,
JoAnn Dilworth, Outgoing Community Lay Director
Heartland of Texas Emmaus Community