Greetings all!
Fall is officially upon us as the calendar turns, weather cools, colors change, and God reminds us that life is comprised of cycles, some of which are finite while others are eternal and infinite. It is with such a spirit and backdrop that we offer this brief update of SNE Community events.
2018 Fall Walk Cancellations
As previously posted on our website, this year’s fall Walks (#83) have been cancelled due primarily to lack of Pilgrim applicants. The next Walks are currently scheduled for March 14-17 (Men) and March 21-24, 2019 (Women). A reminder that we respectively ask that Pilgrim and Sponsor applications be submitted approximately two months prior to the scheduled Walks so that the leadership teams have ample time to plan, prepare, and commit. As it remain’s our community’s goal to have a standing list of applicants throughout the year, we encourage everyone to remain attentive to who God may be placing in your path throughout the year versus just prior to scheduled Walks. This is a necessary and effective cadence used throughout the globe that helps ensure Walk continuity throughout the year. Pilgrim information and applications remain available on our website at http://www.sneemmaus.org/wp/pilgrims/ while sponsor info and applications can be found at http://www.sneemmaus.org/wp/sponsorship/.
Save the Date – “A Special Emmaus Christmas” December 1, 2018
We encourage everyone to prayerfully consider setting Saturday December 1 aside to attend “A Special Emmaus Christmas” gathering at the Wesley UMC in Lincoln, RI. The scheduled time is 10:00am to 3:00pm, with registration/fellowship beginning at 9:30am. As the title indicates, this will be a special God-inspired Community event (versus “your typical Christmas party”!) complete with special music, talks, and a special dining event. Look for more details over the coming weeks.
A Week of Community Prayer
Finally, we ask for everyone to use this first week of October to lift up God’s SNE Emmaus family in prayer. Specifically, this has been a difficult time in the lives of many members of your leadership team, which has in part contributed to the delay in newsletter publishing and related administration. In the last few months alone, no less than three parents of SNE Board members have passed, including two from the same family. Some were expected, while others were sudden.
At the same time, our Community currently finds itself at a key crossroad due in part to the number of departing or inactive members (as the result of passing, health, moves, or choice) outpacing the addition of new “blood”. In some cases, this decline in activity ironically reflects the very success of the Emmaus mission as many of our members have become – or remain – highly engaged in local church leadership roles, which is a wonderful blessing and testament to God’s Emmaus plan.
Nevertheless, this paradox leaves your SNE leadership team with some complex waters to navigate over the coming weeks to accurately discern the remaining incremental potential of SNE Emmaus. As such, and ahead of next Saturday’s Community Board Meeting where the future of Emmaus in Southern New England will be carefully assessed, we ask that you include both SNE Emmaus and the worldwide Emmaus Mission in your prayers throughout this week.
May God continue to bless and guide of us through these times, and may we all be a reflection of his love and glory in all that we do.
Don & Debra Miller
SNE Emmaus Co-Community Directors
(508) 394-4189