DIRECTIONS TO CAMP OCCOHANNOCK

If either coming from the North or South on Route 13 (Lankford Hwy.) you turn at the Stop Light where the Exxon Station is located, heading towards Belle Haven. In Belle Haven, look for Rt. 178N, which there will also be a sign "EMMAUS" with an arrow, take left onto Rt. 178N and follow for 2.6 miles, take left onto Rt. 613 (Indian Trail Road) and follow for 1.4 miles. There will be a "STOP" sign, continue to go straight on Rt. 613 (Indian Trail Road) for 1 mile, come to "STOP" sign and take a right onto Rt. 612 (Scarborough's Neck Road), go .7 of a mile and take left on Rt. 611. Go 1.1 mile and take right on Rt. 801 (Camp Lane). It's .2 of a mile to Camp Occohannock. Just look for the "EMMAUS" signs along the way. They will help to guide you as well.

The Walk Way

Eastern Shore Emmaus Newsletter

 

Volume 16                  May 2008                  Number 5

WORTHY???????

How could God who made the stars in the sky have any interest in me, a mere human being? .... Is this healthy humility? ....of course it is. God made us just a little lower than the angels. (You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings…Ps. 8:5 NIV, … For you made us only a little lower than God or a little lower than the angels Ps. 8:5 NLT ) When we are able to understand God’s concept of this kind of honor and glory that he gives us then just maybe we can understand our value. One way to look at a healthy self image is from the combination of humility and God’s given honor. We dishonor God when we dishonor ourselves and most of all we dishonor God when we forget that he created us and placed us where we are right now all for his pleasure… We are here to please Him. Can I get an Amen!

Low self esteem is a psychological disease of our culture. Look at the TV and watch some of the commercials or even look in a magazine at the ads and you will see how society mass markets beauty,…youthfulness,…and material success with a constant barrage of images of people that seem better than ourselves. When we try to compare ourselves with perhaps the perfect face, or the perfect body, the perfect job, or even our level of smarts with that of another then we may just feel a little inadequate. But Jesus, as the great encourager that he is, helps us with our self esteem. He tells us we are worthy, not because we look like a model or have the smarts of a Nobel Prize winner but because we have been created and are loved by the eternal God of heaven and earth. When we look to Him and rely on what He has created us for, then we become grounded not in ourselves, but in God Almighty. Hallelujah!

What do you depend on to feel worthy? ...Remember what Jesus has told us. He promised to go with us personally and be with us always to the end of times. Would we spend each moment of each day with someone we don’t value? Jesus Christ has placed incredible value upon us by making this promise…His holy presence. To think more highly of ourselves than we ought to is pride. But if we think less of ourselves than we should, that would be false humility. God values us highly because he loves us deeply.

We don’t want to think that we are sufficient without God. Our sufficiency is in the Lord and the value he places on us. Therefore we are of great value because of his power he places within us and with this we are able to do far more than we probably have dreamed of.
Can we allow God to work through us to accomplish great things for him? ...Of course we can! ...Didn’t God make us in His image? ...No other creature on earth was made that way. He crafted us with loving care and great skill. He thinks wonderful thoughts about us all the time and sees our real value within us. God values us so much that he watches us all the time. He knows what we are doing right now and that is special because he cares about everything we do. He allows our bodies to become a temple in which he lives. He doesn’t have to do that but he chooses to do so. He could live anywhere but he doesn’t. He values us to much because we are his children we are his dwelling place… Why would he want to be with us if we weren’t so worthy?
Let us try to make an honest and healthy appraisal of ourselves but let’s not be too proud if our gifts and abilities God has given us seem great. On the other hand, let’s not hold back and fail to use the gifts and abilities God has given us and then let them lay idle. (Remember the parable of the talents given to the servants from the Master?)

“God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you”…1 Peter 4:10 (NLT).

So no matter how great or small we may think we are or are not…believe this, God knows that we are very worthy…Don’t let Satan manage the details of your life. Believe in Jesus and always be faithful to the truth and follow the way of the Gospel.

“Lord prepare me, to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for you.”
Love to all,
Walt

 

A MESSAGE FROM THE SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR

“I am going to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2b NLT) This passage of Scripture is a glimpse into some of the work Jesus is doing in heaven—Jesus is preparing. It reminds me of the all the preparation that goes into an Emmaus Walk. As the pilgrims progress through their journey to Emmaus, it is prayerfully unnoticeable just how much preparation went into their time at OOTB to provide them a powerful, revitalizing experience. I am always amazed at the team work and depth of detail that goes into making everything and everyone sensitive to the working of the Holy Spirit. And yet it is simply a matter of preparation.
Our salvation was a matter of preparation by God all the way back in Genesis. In fact every book, chapter, verse and word that was written was to prepare us for the coming of God Incarnate—Jesus Christ. Everything that Jesus said and did was to prepare us for the free gift of eternal life that his atoning sacrifice provides to every person willing to receive. Living our lives for Christ prepares us for living with Christ throughout eternity. [Side note: If you’re not living for him, what makes you think you’re going to live with him?] Jesus is preparing a place for you. What preparations are you making to move in? Something to think about!

Blessings,
Pastor D
Community Spiritual Director

 

 

   Over the past couple of years, I have noticed that some of our Chrysalis youth have been on an Emmaus Walk as a pilgrim!! Great!! I hope that all of our community knows that Nationals has changed the rules! For years we were told that if a youth participated in a flight as a caterpillar, they could not go on an Emmaus Walk as a pilgrim. I’m thankful the rules have changed. There is a vast difference in a 15 years old’s walk with the Lord and a 24 year old’s walk, isn’t there? While much of the weekends are the same (15 talks, special events, agape, etc.), the experience will strengthen the youth’s or young adult’s growth and leadership abilities!
If you have a person in your own family or your church family who has been on a flight, please consider sponsoring them on an Emmaus Walk. Then stand back and watch their zeal for our Lord be rekindled! All our churches need young adults involved in worship, Sunday School, Bible study, and on our church councils – encourage them! You may be surprised at what God can do through them!
There were two walks last month and there will be two more in the fall, but there will also be a Girls’ Chrysalis Flight after that – November 6-9, 2008. Now is the time to be praying for our youth as we seek the girls that God is leading us to sponsor on a flight. (Ages 15 –18 years). And while you are praying, include our Chrysalis Board as we struggle to find a way to have a boys’ flight in the future.
“So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 (The Message)

Praise be to God and Fly with Christ,
Millie Frashure
Chrysalis Community Lay Director

 

PS - On behalf of the Chrysalis Board, I would like to thank the Emmaus Community for amending their By-Laws and accepting our Chrysalis Board as a Standing Committee of the Emmaus Board. We have always been part of Emmaus, but this will allow us to function more efficiently in serving to the youth of the Eastern Shore. If you want to know more about how we function, go to the Chrysalis link on the Emmaus’ web page. There you will find our Standard Operating Procedures , which govern what we do.

                    

Eastern Shore Walk #66
Open the Eyes of My Heart
Message from the Weekend Lay Director

What can I say! God is good all the time!

It's hard to belief that ES #66"Open the Eyes of My Heat" is over. We started planning for the walk back in January and all the planning paid off to the Glory of God!

The pilgrims’ along with the team's eyes were opened and reopened to the wonders of Gods unfailing Grace and Love. Starting on Thursday night you could feel the Spirit of God among us. As Gordon and I walked back from sponsor's hour you could hear the singing a mile away and it never stopped. All of our lives were changed by being together for those short seventy plus hour. Friendships were made and our spiritual lives were changed. Thanks be to God!

I want to thank the team of ES#66 for their dedication and commitment to Jesus Christ in serving unselfishly. To the ES community thank you for all the behind the scenes support that you always give to each walk. To the Pilgrims of ES #66, may your Fourth day always be the Best!

Our scripture selected for the walk was I Corinthians Chapter 2, verse 9.

"But as it is written, Eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, neither have entered the heart of man, the things which God hath prepare for them that love him.”

All of the Glories of God are waiting for those who are steadfast and persist in there service to the kingdom of Jesus Christ!

De Colores!
Mickey

Eastern Shore Walk #67
“For God So Loved the World…”
Message from the Weekend Lay Director

What an incredible weekend for the Pilgrims and the Team! Every moment was a special moment…a gift from God!

It was amazing to see the “hesitant” Pilgrims arrive and the “filled” new community members leave this Emmaus weekend (…even though some didn’t really want to leave!). It is incredible how they bonded with their tablemates and became “family”; taking care of each other, sharing with each other and growing in Christ through the Holy Spirit. Oh, the Holy Spirit was so thick and so sweet during the weekend. It was almost unbelievable.

I thank each one in the community for their prayers and all the love you shared with the Pilgrims and the Team! From the moment of the announcement of my name as WLD last fall, I knew the prayers began! I felt them during the whole process! To each one who served behind the scenes in any way THANK YOU so much! We couldn’t have done it without you.

As I have said so many times before, the theme for ES Emmaus Walk #67 was chosen before I was. HE had given me the scripture months before. John 3:16 was a gift from God to me.

My prayer for the Eastern Shore Emmaus Community is that we continue to believe in Him and in each other…that these new community members will use the understanding revealed on this weekend to plant the seeds of love and bring others to Christ. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

DeColores!
Mary Grace Woodburn

 

 

ES 66		ES 67
"Open the Eyes of My Heart"		“For God So Loved the World”
New Community Members		New Community Members
Mike Adams		Rhonda Annon
George Annon		Lola Bailey
Chris Beck		Nicole Bowling
Norman Bowling		Tammy Brady
Jim Bradshaw		Joni Bright
David Brown		Dianne Byerly
Marty Cold		Linda Chapman
Kevin Crawford		Marian Copeland
Steve Daisey		Jane Deans
Doug Godbey		Sarah Duckworth
James Holt		Lee Fentress
Raymond (Dink) Justice		Laura Harding
Phil Marshall		Shirley Harless
Steve Parks		Lois Jester
Marcell Pritchett		Jean Kranich
Whitey Secor		Ginny Mackay
Dick Taylor		Betty Martin
John Tillman		Wilma Motley
Donnie Wessells		Laura Neal
		Beth Rice
		Betty Secor
		Marguerite Sederquist
		Camille Smigleski
		Lisa Stevens
		Betty Tillman
		Gail Troutman
		Pauline Tyler
		Tabi Webb
		Judy Wessells
		Kelly Williams

 

This ‘N That

  

•  The March Board meeting will be at Franktown United Methodist Church at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, May 26, 2008.

•  Day of Deeper Understanding: Monday, May 12, 2008, 7:00 p.m. at Woodberry United Methodist Church, Northbound side of Rt. 13, Gargatha, VA

•  If you have noticed errors in the current roster, please contact Mary Grace Woodburn, send an e-mail to: easternshoreemmaus@yahoo.com , or send a note to P.O. Box 91 , Franktown , VA 23354 .

•  MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATED PILGRIM INFORMATION!!!

 

WALK DATES 2008/2009

      2008:

      ES68 Fall Men’s Walk – October 9th – 12th

      ES69 Fall Women’s Walk- October 23rd – 26th

     2009:

     ES66 Spring Men’s Walk – April 16th – 19th

     ES67 Spring Women’s Walk – April 30th – May 3rd

     ES68 Fall Men’s Walk – October 1st– 4th

     ES69 Fall Women’s Walk- October 15th– 18th

     

Prayer Requests

*If prayer is requested by the actual person involved: We will use first names only and ask for

prayers that the person states they want used.

Ex.  "Please pray for John who is having tests. "

*If prayer is requested by one person for another:

We will use first names only and asking for prayers for the person involved not being specific on the reason.

Ex.  "Please pray for John. " God knows who the person is and what needs to come before Him.

Anyone who wishes to be a part of the ES Emmaus prayer chain should contact: Liz Kolbush (Coordinator) by email at englishteacher83@yahoo.com .

The monthly Eastern Shore Emmaus newsletter will be posted to this web site, but if you would like a copy of the newsletter sent o your home via regular mail, print & clip the coupon below and follow the directions.

                      

 

Remember the deadline for articles to include in the newsletter is the 20th of the month preceding publication. At times there may be adjustments due to the timing for walks or flights. Email your article to Jane Merrill (Board Secretary). Articles must be reviewed by the Secretary of the Board before being included.

 

Gatherings:

May 10, 2008 – Epworth United Methodist Church , Exmore , VA

4158 Seaside Road, Exmore, VA 23350

June 14, 2008 – Christ United Methodist Church, Chincoteague, VA

6253 Church Street, Chincoteague, VA 23336

July 12, 2008 – Grace United Methodist Church, Parksley, VA
18484 Wilson Ave., Parksley, VA 23421

 

5:30 p.m. – Covered Dish Supper                        6:30 p.m. – Music and fellowship

 

 

 

Applications for pilgrims, sponsors, and team. They can be found elsewhere on this website at Applications.  If you have difficulty downloading the application; notify Jon Woodburn, email a request to easternshoreemmaus@yahoo.com or send your request to E.S. Emmaus,  P. O. Box 91, Franktown , Va. 23354 .  We will be happy to send one to you.  Remember to fill them out completely, sign them after reading, attach the application fee, and return it to P.O. Box 91 Franktown or any board member.

     

      If you have any questions please ask any member of the Emmaus Board.

DeColores!