A Note From The Chair…

Greetings to all. I hope this note finds you well! Appreciation, gratitude, thankfulness. These words have been on my mind the last few weeks. The Men’s walk, the Kairos event and the Boy’s Chrysalis flight have just passed and were times of joy and excitement.

Some other words have been on my mind too. These are the words of theologian, A. W. Tozer: “The amount of loafing practiced by the average Christian in spiritual things would ruin a concert pianist if he allowed himself to do the same thing in the field of music. The idle putting around that we see in church circles would end the career of a big league pitcher in one week. No scientist could solve his exacting problem if he took as little interest in it as the rank and file of Christians take in the art of being holy. The nation whose soldiers were as soft and undisciplined as the soldiers of the churches would be conquered by the first enemy that attacked it.”

As I finish typing this quote my fingers are shaking. Every time I read these words I experience a rollercoaster of emotions: Anger, sadness, and a feeling of helplessness. Is this the way it is? Please, please tell me it isn’t. Grab me by the front of my shirt and shake me and tell me they are just words and there is no truth in them. You will have to decide for yourself. I will tell you however, that this is not what I have seen during the recent Emmaus, Chrysalis and Kairos events. Servants showed up in large numbers, and I praise God that happened. I have faith that it will continue to happen. I believe these events and others like them provide an opportunity to prove Tozer’s indictment untrue. It’s true that we cannot relax for a moment and stand around basking in the glow of these successes. We can enjoy these successes, we can praise and thank God for them. but we must never allow these words to be true.

I was recently contacted by the Lay Director of another Emmaus community where they are having a problem even getting people to serve on teams. We at GSVE never experience that so I fear my response to him was not very helpful. I didn’t know what to say other than pray, pray, pray.

Back to Mr. Tozer for just a moment. He ends the quote by saying, “Triumphs are not won by people in easy chairs. Success is costly.” And so it can be. But let’s show the weakness of his words by continuing to show up at gatherings and bringing friends, continuing to serve at Kairos, Chrysalis, and Emmaus and in particular at our own home churches. Never let anyone rightfully include you in the comments above. Tell someone about Jesus. Tell them what a difference He has made in your life. Heed the words of 2 Timothy 1:13-14. Maintain the standard of commitment you have shown in service to Christ and to your Emmaus Community in faith and love. Guard the treasure that has been entrusted to you through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in you.

Yours in Christ

Ed Ruggles

Do you get inserts in your church bulletin? This story about a family who had joined a health club was in a “Power for Living” insert. The kids were wanted their dad to try out a new piece of equipment called the “Sun Shower.”

They said “You stand up in it and get a tan, but you also get totally refreshed.”

Agreeing, the father read the instructions on the wall and then dropped the required coins in the slot and entered the “Sun Shower.” But nothing happened. So he tried it again, and again. Each time he came out, his kids were excited to hear what the experience was like, but there was no experience and nothing much to say. The father didn’t understand, and neither did the kids. Each of the three times he entered the “Sun Shower,” at the urging of his children, the father stayed in twice as long as the previous time. And every time he did so he wore goggles that were hanging on the wall. Finally, opting to try it one last time, he decided not to close his eyes as he had done previously. And he thought maybe he should get closer to the mirrors, thinking that just might do the trick. Then he saw clothes hooks hanging on the wall. Maybe, he thought, he just might get that tan if he stayed close by them too, so he did. Then he saw a door knob he hadn’t seen before (especially with eyes closed wearing those goggles!) When he opened it he made a startling discovery. For the past three times he had gone into the “Sun Shower,” he had only been standing in the changing room! All his efforts to experience what his kids wanted him to experience were to no avail.

Does that describe your spiritual life? You’ve been standing in the changing room, but nothing’s really happened with you? You want it to be so and you want it for the sake of your family, but it just doesn’t seem to happening for you? Other folks feel their life has been blessed but it doesn’t seem the same with you?

If so take a careful look at where you are. Is there something you missed? The doorknob is there, you just have to look for it and turn it. It’s there, and it isn’t far from you.

The bible promises that if we seek to know the living God we will not be disappointed.

1Peter 2:6 “…See, I am placing a stone in Zion, a chosen cornerstone (Christ) and any who believes in him will never be disappointed.”

1Peter 5:12 “After you have suffered a little while, He will restore, support and strengthen you, and He will place you on a firm foundation.”

If your experience is lacking something, talk with a trusted Christian friend or with your pastor. Get in that share group you’ve been meaning to attend. Get back to attending those monthly gatherings. Surround yourself with people who are going to help you on your fourth day journey and help you walk in step with Christ.

Serving Him and You,

Neil Foster

Walks In 2007

Women’s Walk No. 38

June 21-24, 2007

Lay Director: Debbie Michael

Men’s Walk No. 28

September 13-16, 2007

Lay Director: Kevin Kimbrough

Women’s Walk No. 39

October 11-14, 2007

Lay Director: Peggy Allen

Don’t forget to sign up at the gatherings preceding

the walks or online for kitchen, prayer vigil and

housekeeping duties during the walks!!!

Kairos Event

Southern Ohio
Correctional Institute
(Lucasville) #6
March 22-25

Cookies needed by 3-16

Drop them off at the
March gathering!

2007 GSVE Board Members

POSITION NAME TERM YR. PHONE eMAIL

Agape 1 Jeni Goedde 3 740-335-1905 cjgoedde@roadrunner.com

Agape 2 Laura Miller 1 740-332-6003 laurabeth@bright.net

Chairperson Ed Ruggles 2 740-998-4843 huge@bright.net

Chrysalis Joanne Charles A 740-354-4494 jcharles@shawnee.edu

Computer Kevin Pancake A 740-703-8782 pancake@bright.net

Good Shepherd Sandy Blakeman 3 740-456-4433 sanlee@roadrunner.com

Housekeeping 1 Dena Benner 2 937-981-4162 db0142@dragonbbs.com

Housekeeping 2 Richard Schumacher 1 937-981-4296

Kairos Jim Mathers A 740-983-2120 jmathers@columbus.rr.com

Kitchen 1 Tom Dishong 3 740-596-4353 dishong@ohio.edu

Kitchen 2 Harley Barney 2 740-998-6523

Leadership Jon Mark Hall 3 740-626-2791 halls@horizonview.net

Music 1 Peg Beekman 2 937-981-9805 pbeekman@hughes.net

Music 2 Community Committee

Newsletter Amy Edler 2 740-642-2938 amyedler@horizonview.net

Outreach Les Grooms 1 937-549-2113 theministerles@yahoo.com

Purchasing Dale Stevens 3 740-335-2041 ww4625@dragonbbs.com

Registrar, Men Tony Siders 1 740-884-4622 tsiders@mail.gsn.k12.oh.us

Registrar, Women Denise Kiger 1 740-335-0016 kigerd@nationwide.com

Secretary Cindy Sykes 3 740-993-2789 csykes@mail.gsn.k12.oh.us

Social 1 Danny Morris 2 740-606-1562 capmorris@hotmail.com

Social 2 Pat Arthur 1 740-776-6501

Special Projects Tad Grover 3 740-773-6640 tad@trinityumchurch.net

Spiritual Director Neil Foster 2 740-998-6753 fosters@horizonview.net

Sponsorship Pat Cook 1 740-634-3277

Treasurer Arla Bush 2 740-773-7865

Fire Wood

During the long winter months there is nothing more inviting than the warmth of a fire. Though most of our homes today use other primary heat sources, the fireplace is still a magnet that draws us to its warmth. Its fire will keep burning as long as we periodically go out to the wood pile and bring in logs to throw on the fire. We as Christians have a similar fire in our hearts. The scripture on which the Walk to Emmaus is based says, “Did not our heart burn within us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”(Luke 24:32) The fire is the Holy Spirit; the Living God within us.

But like all fires it needs a constant fuel supply to keep burning. If you use a fireplace, you have a wood pile, and as long as there are logs in the woodpile you can enjoy the warmth of a fire. In the fall you may have chopped wood yourself or bought it from someone else, but someone worked to lay in the supply. You may have a small stack or several cords on hand. But no matter how much you have, if your fire is to keep burning you eventually need to go out and replenish wood pile. Someone will have to chop, haul and stack the logs that keep the fire burning.

The fuel for the inner fire requires a different kind of work, and you can’t buy it from someone else. The fuel for the inner fire is prayer, scripture and Christian fellowship.

Prayer: It’s your essential contact with God. It is a two way exchange between you and God. You need it to add to your resources for what’s burning now and for the future. Paul instructs us to pray without ceasing. (1 Th. 5:17) He knew we needed the fuel.

Scripture: You must learn scripture to instruct you in the hows and whys of Christian living. Without it there is no structure, and you can’t have a well-laid fire. Study the Word of God. The answers to all your questions are there. The reason to keep burning is there.

Christian Fellowship: It fans the flames and keeps the fire burning. We’re all familiar with the illustration of the single coal pulled from the fire. In the company of others it burns brightly and gives warmth, but when separated from the others it soon grows cold and dark. Its fire goes out.

Sometimes in our lives we neglect one or more of these essentials that keep our inner fires burning. If we have a large wood pile out back, from years of Christian living and long-established habits, we can keep the fire burning for awhile. But eventually and inevitably the wood pile will be depleted, and the fire will go out. The ways of the world will creep in, and our hearts will grow cold toward God and our fellow men and women. To keep that from happening, we must pray and study scripture daily and seek out Christian fellowship often. It’s all fuel for the fire.

Keep your fire burning.

Amy Edler

Kairos Cookies Can you imagine 100,000 dozen or so homemade cookies? It’s a reality every time there’s a Kairos event. Last month the newsletter crew was blessed (cursed?) to work in one of the pilgrim sleeping rooms at Trinity that was also being used to store all those cookies. Boxes were stacked head high all the way around the room. Ahhh the aroma!

This is an easy way for you to get involved in Kairos. There’s another event coming up March 22-25. Cookies are needed by March 16.

Kairos Cookies

Kairos, the prison ministry extension of the Walk to Emmaus
gives homemade cookies as agape to the prisoners—2 dozen
for every prisoner and CO in the facility. The team members
need your help.

Call Jim Mather at
740-983-2120
for instructions and dates

Kairos Team
Forming

The team for Kairos Ross #15, August 2-5, 2007 will be forming soon.
If you are interested and available to serve on this team,
please contact Mike Lee at michael.lee@bekaert.com

David Dickenson, Kairos State Outreach and
Recruitment Coordinator

Calling All
Musicians!

If you would like to share your musical talents
by leading worship music or providing special
music during gatherings or serving as music
director on a live-in team, we want to know!

Please call Peg Beekman at 937-981-9805.

Ladies Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Table on Walk #39

Plans are in process for a deaf and hard of hearing tables
on Women’s Walk #39 in October 2007. If you know any
D/HH ladies, please sponsor them. If you need more information,
please contact Sandy Blakeman at 740-456-4433,
740-352-4399 or sanlee@roadrunner.com

Hello friends,

My name is Dana Schmidt, Greater Scioto Valley Men’s Emmaus Walk #18, Table of Mark:

If I may, I want to appeal to the community on behalf of something God has set in my heart to be a part of. I want to talk to you about Kairos Torch. For those of you who may not be familiar with it, Kairos Torch is the youth version of Kairos, and it’s is coming to Ohio. The first event will be at Circleville Youth Correction Facility in September, 2007. The start-up Advisory council, of which I am a member, started meeting last November. We have spent the first 3 months in initial organization and waiting to get an institutional agreement with the

Ohio Dept. of Youth services. We received the agreement in February and the dates were set.

Now the real work begins and that is where I appeal to you. We need PRAYER, People and money, in that order. We need you first to remember us in your prayers, then we need volunteers to serve, and we need funds. Since this is a startup we have nothing and need to purchase equipment and general supplies.

If you have questions, contact me or any of the officers of the Advisory Council. I have listed them below, with the contact information I had available.

I want to take a moment to share a little testimony with you. I have been active in youth prison ministry for about 7 years now and find it a very fruitful field. I first joined a group at Lighthouse Youth Center- Paint Creek, in Bainbridge, headed up by John & Chris Scott. I had just left my home church and I wondered, “What am I going to do to serve you God?” when a member of the group asked me to join them. In all honesty, I did not find it an appealing proposition, but I went to see how it felt. I could not help but wonder what I could possibly find useful in working with felons. Besides they were probably demented and had hardened hearts. I am so crushed now to realize the hard heart was mine. It wasn’t easy sitting there at first looking at those young men, wondering, “What did he do?”

The one thing that did surprise me from the very beginning was the hunger I found in those young men to learn about God. The other thing I was not prepared to hear was the stories of wrecked homes, despair, drug abuse and histories of poor choices due to lack of guidance. Now I’m not saying that there are not hardened criminal tendencies involved, too. Yet many of these young men truly want to escape their lives of evil and tragedy. The Lord said, “If not you than who else will offer them the truth and my love?” Slowly I found myself changing and soon I realized that their sins, although; different in my eyes, were not different in God’s, and I realized every soul is a soul worth saving. If they did not deserve God’s grace then neither did I. Over the past few years this ministry has grown by God’s blessing and I find it is now part of my passion. My heart now weeps over the plight of these souls God has allowed me to serve. I think of the verse, “The harvest is plenty, but the workers are few”, and I feel so blessed that He has allowed me to be a harvester in this field. We have seen many boys change their lives and accept Christ, and each one saved is one society no longer fears.

God’s servant
Dana Schmidt

Gatherings are held at Trinity United Methodist Church,
the third Thursday of the month at 7 P.M. in the sanctuary.

March 2007 Gathering is the 15th.

To My Emmaus Family,

First of all I would like to thank you for making Candy and me feel like accepted and loved in this Emmaus Community. All of you have become an important part of our home, life and family. You, as our Emmaus family, have proved time and time again that we are truly the family of God. In February, during Men’s Walk #27, we called on the Emmaus family for extra help to man the kitchen, and you turned out in wonderful loving response to our plea..

There were several of us in the kitchen who were unable to do what we normally do. The response from the Emmaus family was nothing short of an outward manifestation of the love of Jesus!

Meal after meal, day after day you came. You put your own life aside and put the work of God ahead of the pleasure of this world. Jesus said in John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

There is one thing of which I am absolutely positive: Our Emmaus family is full of disciples of Jesus Christ! It is a privilege to serve in our kitchen, but it is an even a greater privilege to watch the family serve Jesus.

Thank you.

Your brother in Christ,

Tom Dishong

P.S. The Emmaus kitchen is a ministry, not a job.
Always remember:

Jesus is in charge

A Note from the Chair…