"Whoever serves Me must follow Me and where I am, My servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves Me."  John 12:26

July 1994
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: 

	Thank you for your warm welcome of me as Community Lay Director.  I look forward to serving our God with you all.  It is a privilege to serve and important that we see ourselves as servants, not the served.

	A lot of hard work has gone into making the Fredericksburg Emmaus Community a reality and many folks have given their time and talents in serving God through Emmaus.  I praise God for all of you who have served and continue to serve.  Thank you.

	Let me give you some background on myself.  I took my Emmaus walk in April of 1990 on National Capital Emmaus #35, then teamed on National Capital Emmaus #40.  After my family and I moved to Fredericksburg in the fall of 1991, I teamed on Fredericksburg Emmaus #3, #5, and #11.  I have participated in this community by serving as registrar, sitting in on steering committee meetings and serving on the board.  I am presently serving the last of a 3-year term on the board.

	This job of Community Lay Director is going to be a challenge to me.  Please bear with me and pray for me as I strive to overcome.  Public speaking is one area that I have avoided.  I also struggle with writing (I disliked English intensely in school).  However, I am honored that God has called me to serve and that He has called each of you to serve with me.  With God, all things are possible!

	God has brought us together where we are and He continues to lead us, if we will but follow.  I look forward to meeting the challenge with you.

	Please continue to support the board with your prayers.  You are welcome to attend board meetings and to become involved in helping make the weekends a reality.

In Christ Service,

Gary Farrar

The Next Fredericksburg Emmaus Gathering
	Where:	Peace United Methodist Church
	Why:	Worship and Fellowship

	When:	6:00 PM,  July 9, 1994
Social Hour*:	6:00 - 7:00 PM Begin music for the Gathering:	Promptly at 7:00 Opening Prayer of Gathering:	7:30
	How:	In Grace of Our God
		& the Fellowship of His Holy Spirit
	Devotions:	Diana Farrar
	Fourth Day Speaker:	Allen King
	Child Care:	
*Please bring drinks and light refreshments at this time.

The Board will meet on July 9, 1994 at 4PM.  

Mark your calendars now for the August Gathering.
Date:  August 13, 1994
Time:  6:00 PM
Place:  TBA*

Gatherings are open to fellowship for all Christians whether you ha.ve been to an Emmaus/Chrysalis/Cursillo Walk or not.  Feel free to bring friends or guests from your church to share in the Grace of our God.  For directions, see the map elsewhere in this newsletter.  Child care is ONLY provided for children through fifth grade; older children are expected to sit with their parents during the Gathering.

Mark the dates of other upcoming Gatherings!

	August 13, 1994	TBA*
	September 10, 1994	TBA*
*To Be Announced

Next Newsletter Deadline is July 15, 1994

Dear Fredericksburg Emmaus Community,

	I look forward to the opportunity to serve as community spiritual director and count it a privilege to do so.  Jesus made it clear that He came to serve and not to be served.  Sometimes service to others can be unpleasant and even painful.  With this in mind the Apostle Peter said, "For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.  But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it?  But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.  To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2: 19-21)

	I heard recently on a Christian radio program that a foreign missionary commented, after visiting the United States, that Americans have a deficient view of suffering.  He is absolutely right.  We are so pleasure oriented, and have so many luxuries, that we are like the church in Laodicea.  Jesus said to those people nearly two thousand years ago, "You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.'  But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes , so you can see." (Revelation 3: 17, 18)

	I do not say this to simply lay a guilt trip on us, but to challenge us to reevaluate our priorities and activities.  Do our lives reflect the servanthood that Jesus calls us to, or do we instead expect others to serve us?  Are we willing to suffer hardship for the sake of others or do we seek to simply be comfortable?  Have we made ourselves available in service to our Lord's body, the Church, or do we expect the Church to serve us?  We are all familiar with Jesus washing the disciples feet , in John chapter thirteen, but do we really practice the lesson that he taught?  Jesus said, "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord' and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Remember the words I spoke to you:  "No servant is greater that his master'.  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." (John 13: 13; 15:20)  Do we accept this?  Do we understand this?

	Next time you start to complain about something, or some negative thing starts to come out of your mouth, or you are going to criticize someone, just stop and think first, how can I serve in this situation?  Then see if there is a difference in your attitude.  I close with this verse from the Apostle Paul.  Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.  (Philippians 2: 14-16)

May God bless you in your service to Him.
In His Service,

Mark Dunn

Upcoming Weekends Dates

Weekend	Dates
Highlands of Virginia (men)	 14-17 July 1994
Highlands of Virginia (women)	 21-24 July 1994
Richmond #27 (men)	  8-11 Sept 1994
Richmond  #28 (women)	13-16  Oct  1994
Sonshine #7 (men)  	 20-23 Oct  1994
Sonshine #8 (women)	  3-6    Nov 1994
F'burg Emmaus Men's 13	  3-6    Nov 1994
F'burg Emmaus Women's 14	  8-11  Dec 1994

Reunion Groups

Small groups are the backbone of keeping the fires burning.  The weekly challenge to Study, Piety and Action as well as the special fellowship and the power of His presence amongst you are a continuing inspiration.  I encourage all of you to join or start a group.  If you want your group to be open to others, we will periodically list groups in this column of the newsletter.  Some of us group as listed below.  These are open groups and you are welcome to join in.  We'd love to see you!!
 
When
 Place
 Contact
 Address
 
 Tuesday @10:00AM
 Brenda Sunderlin' Home
 Brenda Sunderlin
659-3975
 427 Telegraph Rd
Stafford, Va. 
 
 Wednesday @ 8:00 PM
 Sammy T's in rear
 Joe May
 Caroline Street in F'burg

Are you looking for ways to continue the excitement of your Emmaus Walk?

Grouping is an essential part of the Fourth Day.  By gathering with others and holding each other accountable for our discipleship we can continue the growth and enthusiasm of our weekends.

Saturday Mornings
@ 7:00 AM.
Andrew Chapel UMC

For more info
call Tony Forstall at 659-2461
 
Bring your singing voice and your grouping card! Coffee provided

Hello and praise our Lord Jesus Christ!
Hallelujah

So. . .What Do "YOU" Believe?
	I believe in prayer and not just in my talking to God but also that He talks to me.  Like the song:  "And He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own and the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known".
 
	I believe in prayer to the extent of what the Word tells me so when I stand in agreement with someone else's prayer with an AMEN (so be it) , I know exactly what I am agreeing with.  There have been times when I disagreed like when someone was actually praying to a man in charge of their church or the time when a lady was praying for her dead sister to go minister to a friend of hers.  This in not according to the Word of God and I will not stand in agreement.  God says to let your Yes be Yes and your No be No . . . Amen.

	I love every opportunity I get to talk to the Father, and when my focus is on Him, He can share with me.  It is wonderful!

	One day instead of praying I wondered why the children never seem to be quiet during prayer so I watched instead of praying in agreement.  If I was wrong, God forgive me, but don't you know . . . there were a lot of adults not praying.  They were hanging on their honey. . . or tickling their children or oogling over some baby. . . AND GUESS WHY THE CHILDREN WEREN'T QUIET . . .because they were responding to the adults, or copying them.

PRAISE GOD FOR THOSE WHO DO PRAY

	What do you believe?  This is a question we each must ask ourselves, and if we say we believe then we should be operating in what we believe.  I recently had the opportunity to share with a group of people about "what do you believe"?

	I believe that everything in the Bible is for me, and very available to me if I will just seek out the truth.  It's hard, but then again, it is so easy.  On Fredericksburg Emmaus #12, I had the awesome opportunity to share with another woman in seeing angels. . .it is written. . .it is possible.  We had the opportunity to pray for one another and be healed.  We were able to be honest and open and share, and we saw relationships healed.  The list goes on and on.  Oh, maybe this does happen on every walk but it can happen every day of your life . . .if you believe.  I love you and pray that every day. . .
You Walk With Him
And You Talk With Him
And He'll Tell You
You Are His Own
And The Joy You Share
As You Tarry There
No Other Can Ever Know

Praise, Joys, and Concerns

The list below is taken from last months Gathering.  However, I will be glad to list any others I receive from the community through a letter or telephone call..  Submit your praises or needs to the newsletter editor, Mary Ruth Forstall @ 703-659-2461 or mail to P.O. Box 34 Brooke, Va.  22430, by the first Saturday after each Gathering:

Praise and Joys
Praise that Angel's test revealed a hietal hernia..pray for quick recovery
Thanks that his leg is better and help the limp in his leg
Praise for F'burg Emmaus #12
Praise for Sherri Trudeau's brother (Bill Hayhurst) who begins pastoral responsibilities of Salem Baptist Church in      	Bennettsville, SC
Joy for God's grace, for His love and His beautiful
Praise God for Frank Snow's recovery

Prayers and Concerns
Healing for Nancy Graver and strength for family
Frank Rice & Taylor
Ruby Doumlele
Claudia Cope & Ryan
Pam Frazier - ovarian cancer
Anthony Weaver - sports accident on Wed. night continued recovery
The Terrey family as they move to India to be missionaries
Elsie Medeiros - that God will slow down the problems she is having
Lianna Merritt - God guide her find for custody placement
Good health for Laura Phelan
Jill and Carl Wohltjen
Lynn Warner
Brain Towler
Darren McKeever - 13 year old with cerebral palsy
Healing for Pete who has 4 broken bones in his face
Parents and teenagers to have open and understanding relationships
Fredericksburg Chrysallis #1
Friends to deal with problems troubling them
Friend at work whose son was hit by a truck Wed. is in Children's Hospital
Everyone who is traveling for vacations
That I will be true to my Lord and try to be a better person
Grandmother who is having difficulties dealing with husband's death
For Christ's strength as He has put a special call on my life
Pray for the unsaved at home and aboard, and for those of us who would share the WORD
Children away from home
For family as we try to heal wounds of the time we lived without Christ at the center of our home
New board starting in July
For a spouse who has not accepted God's grace
Position of employment for husband who retired 2 weeks ago from Navy
Mom and Dad's salvation
For a successful move and that my mom does become a preacher like she wishes

Emmaus Newsletter____Tony Forstall,