1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

NEW COVENANT NOTES
Spring and Summer 2015 NCEC
Newsletter of the New Covenant Emmaus Community
2015 1, Issue 1
APRIL 2015
A MESSAGE FROM OUR
COMMUNITY LAY DIRECTOR
Special Points
Of Interest
 Message from our
New Community
Lay Director
 Dates for Fall Men’s
Walk # 84 and
Women’s Walk #85
 A word from the
Spring Lay Directors
 An update from our
Community Spiritual
Director
 Pilgrim Lists
 Chrysalis Notes
 Kairos Information
Inside this issue:
Community Lay
Director
1
Community Spiritual
Director’s Remarks
3
Chrysalis Notes
3
Men’s #82 and
Women’s #83
Lay Director Messages
5
Kairos Information
Upcoming Emmaus
Weekends
6
Map to Camp Kelso
6
Fall Walk Schedules
6
Hello to the New Covenant Emmaus
Community, I am privileged to serve
such an amazing God in an amazing
community.
My Name is Eddie Phillips and I am
your Community Lay Director for
2015. I was asked to write for the
newsletter and I thought what do I
write?? Do I tell you what the
Emmaus Community means to me?
EVERYTHING!! So that would be a
very short conversation and no
encouragement to you. If I told you
my life story you would be bored
stiff. I said “Lord what can I say to
encourage the Community, or to send
a message of hope? The Lord said,
tell them about your journey and your
favorite phrase to me, “Now Lord
you want me to do what???” So I
said, Lord where do I start? Well do
you remember the first time you said
that? Then the Lord told me you
listen and type and I have got you
covered. So now hang dear readers
and follow me on my journey.
I was raised in a Christian home and
had a drug problem; my parents drug
me to the little church across the road
every time the doors were open. I
responded to an altar call at a young
age and went through most of my life
doing all of the good things. I had
religion and did all of the religious
things that a good Christian man did.
During a Men’s Conference many
years later I realized was a religious
person but I had no relationship. The
very thing I needed was missing, and
there on the bank of the Tennessee
River I found a relationship with
Christ!
A few years later one of the men I
worked with told me, “I want to send
you on a Walk to Emmaus at Camp
Sumatanga”. I had heard of the Walk
to Emmaus movement as my sister
had been on a walk in Georgia, so I
immediately said yes. I went on
Alabama Walk #337 and sat at the
table of Peter. Let me tell you that
was a Major Milestone in my Life!!
After the walk I told the Lord my
YES is on the table if you call me to
serve I will go. Then I received a call
from a board member from New
Covenant Emmaus asking if I would
serve on a Worship Team. I said yes,
but I also said “Now Lord you want
me to do what?” Serve in a
community where I do not know
anybody? What about serving in the
Alabama Emmaus Community? And
he said you promised to say yes, you
did not say where just if I called, you
would say yes. Ok I said I’ll go you
called and I said yes, but, will what
will they think about an outsider
coming to serve in their community?
Will they accept me like my friends
from Camp Sumatanga?
Continued on page 2
PAGE 2
N E W C O VE N AN T N OT E S
Community Lay Director Continued from front page
The Lord replied, I called, you said yes, GO. Well I
did and you know what I found out? It was just like
serving with my Emmaus family at Sumatanga.
The body of Christ is the same in each Emmaus
Community across the world. I also learned the first
time I served, that the Lord had a special blessing
in store for me as I served. He really did show up in
that little Chapel sat down in a chair and showed
his face to us. Ask me about it, I’m always happy
to share.
After serving on the support team several times the
call came to serve in the conference room. The call
was to come to be an Assistant Table Leader and
give the Discipleship Talk. Again I said now Lord
you want me to do what! I am not a good speaker
and Discipleship that is waaayyy out of my comfort
zone. I do not see myself worthy to be called a
disciple much less to tell others how to be one.
With all the love that only the Lord can give he said
Moses had a speech impediment and look what I
did through him. Yes Lord I see your point but I
always thought that I would do a better talk on
Changing Our World or even Christian Action.
Again He said “I called, you said Yes, are you
going to serve?” Like a child who knew when to
hush and do your Fathers bidding I obeyed. I
learned that God will call you to do things out of
your comfort zone but when you obey him he will
qualify, inspire and empower you to do his work.
Do you love me enough to do
what you said?
The next call came and it was to be nominated as a
Board member again my standard answer was, yes
but Lord you want me to do what? That is a very
important role in this community just how am I
qualified to do that role? Well were you qualified to
do a Disciple talk he said? Was David a polished
man when I anointed him he was just a ruddy
looking boy? Just look how he served me and he
was a man after my own heart. Yes, he had his
mistakes and short falls but he loved me. Do you
love me enough to do what you said? Yes but, oh
ok, I see, I did say yes, didn’t I, and you will be
with me right? Of course he has been leading me
ever since I said yes and will never let me down as
long as I am faithful to serve and follow Him.
2 0 15 1 , ISSU E 1
Another call came this time to be an Assistant Lay
Director and give the Priorities Talk. I said yes but Lord
you want me to do WHAT?? The Priorities Talk? Lord
you know I am horrible with my own priorities.
How will I ever tell someone else what their priorities
should be? And in that talk I cant even mention you or
your church so how will I ever draw them to you in this
talk? Again He said, “I taught you what a Disciple was
didn’t I? And didn’t you learn from preparing that talk?
Did you not have to do some soul searching of your own
to prepare? Will you not learn that I have a plan for you,
a plan to grow you and to strengthen your faith in me?
My reply was, well yes Lord, you did and you have never
failed me. I did say yes didn’t I, and you will be with me,
leading right?
Now we are at the Board Meeting in January where the
new Community Lay Director is elected. That same
person that called me to that first New Covenant Emmaus
Walk pulled me over to the corner and said will you
allow me to nominate you serve as our Lay Director.
Once again I said yes, but LORD you want me to do
what?? I said, Lord you know that I did pray about this
but I never expected to be called, well this is only a
nomination they still have to vote don’t they? I know the
Lord just smiled and stayed silent knowing the outcome
already. He does that you know. Well the Board called,
the Lord called, and I did say yes. My sweet little wife
who is Lay Director for the Women’s Walk this spring
looked at me and said, YOU will still be my Humble
Servant?
Again I said but, Lord how will I ever lead this
community and do this task. This is not a small feat to do
at least for me it isn’t. God again smiled down on me and
in that still quite voice said, “I called Joshua to lead my
people across the River Jordan into the Promise Land.
All I asked him to do was to serve me and I promised
him that I would be with him. He told my people, “As for
me and my house we will serve the Lord”; you know
that, because you have read that. Not only did he lead my
people but he followed my commands when it seemed
like something so silly to do yet, he obeyed me. I asked
him to lead my people around the walls of Jericho one
time for seven days then on the seventh day go seven
times.
Now everyone is to remain silent until the seventh time
on the seventh day and then you are to yell, beat drums
and make as much noise as you can and the walls will
fall. Now let me remind you there was not one wall but
two walls. One was 6 foot thick and one was 12 feet
thick. Because he obeyed...the walls fell.
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N E W C O VE N AN T N OT E S
2 0 15 1 , ISSU E 1
COMMUNITY SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR’S REMARKS
Greetings in the name of our Lord!
The spring of the year is a most beautiful time. The trees are budding, the flowers are blooming, the birds are
chirping and the grass is growing at a rapid pace. Did I mention the pollen is flowing freely? For those with
allergy problems, it is the best of times and it is the worst of times.
Earlier this month, we celebrated Easter Sunday, the day marked by Christians everywhere as the day our Lord
Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. The Cross of Calvary defines who we are as followers of Jesus. The Cross
causes us to revisit the day that Jesus died and three days later was raised by God the Father.
This event was nothing short of miraculous and was for one purpose. Its purpose was to make the fallen ones into
new creations. Just as the change of seasons would not happen without the power of an Omnipotent God, the
miracle of the Resurrection would not have happened without His power.
As surely as winter turns to spring, our God raised Jesus from the dead to make all things new. He is the master
of new creation.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
2 Corinthians 5: 17, 21
DeColores!
Rev. Margaret Crawford
Community Spiritual Director
CHRYSALLIS NOTES
Fly With Christ
For boys and girls ages 15-21
The Chrysalis Boys Flight #41 Weekend May 22-24 (Memorial Day Weekend)
Led by the Holy Spirit and Shannon Calhoun Weekend Lay Director
The Chrysalis Girls Flight #42 Weekend September 4-6 (Labor Day Weekend)
Led by the Holy Spirit and Ramona Calhoun Weekend Lay Director
Weekends are held at Camp Crystal Springs in Kelso, TN (See map on page 6)
Before it become a butterfly, a caterpillar goes through a growth stage during which is it
called a “chrysalis”. On the surface it may not look like much is happening, but the
delicate chrysalis process changes the fuzzy caterpillar into an awesome butterfly with
wings of intricate design and intense color. The chrysalis process symbolizes how Christ
can transform you into something beyond your dreams, Listen! Is it the Holy Spirit
whispering in your ear the name of a young man or woman? Someone ready to spend
three days growing closer to Him?
For more information please contact Kerry Lawrence, Registrar
256-830-6830 or 256-658-9244 Email [email protected]
2 0 15 1 , ISSU E 1
Community Lay Director
N E W C O VE N AN T N OT E S
Continued from page 2
New Covenant Emmaus Community, sometimes we
must just follow the instructions no matter how silly
they seen to us. I know why the Children of Israel had
to be silent as they walked around the wall. If they
were allowed to talk they would have been saying “this
is so silly, we look like fools walking around these
walls.” I don’t know about this, that Joshua he is a
young man, maybe we need someone older like Moses.
Yet they followed him and kept their promise to trust
and do as the Lord commanded. I can imagine that the
people on the walls could be thinking what are they
doing? Can you just hear the thoughts of both sides
right now? Here they come again and there they go,
see ya tomorrow. Or maybe in the sixth lap on the
seventh day, don’t you think some of the people
wanted to say well at first I am not going to do this so
loud at first incase this does not come out well, then
maybe we won’t look so bad. Yet they didn’t say it but
some may have thought it.
Now follow me on this the walls were so tall and so
thick if they fell into the city it would be destroyed, but
that did not happen because the Bible tells us the city
was not destroyed. If the walls had fallen outward they
would have crushed the Children of Israel because they
were so close. So they must have imploded upon
themselves and fell straight down. OH! And there was
another miracle the happened on the seventh lap of the
seventh day. There abode on the wall a prostitute who
believed in God and had hid the spies while they were
there. They told her that on the day they come back to
hang a scarlet rope out of the window and her and her
family would be spared.
Well she obeyed; the walls came tumbling down all
around the city except for the spot where the scarlet
rope was hanging and she and her family were safe.
We must trust in God and obey his direction for us
each day in everything we do. God has promised to
lead and guide us and God has never broken a promise.
There is one more thing about that day you know who
else was there? Caleb, don’t you think in his mind he
was thinking, if only we had known it would have
been this easy. If we had just trusted God, we would
not have been walking in the wilderness so long. We
could have already been here.
PAGE 4
Many of you have seen the walls that the Pilgrims
have built up when they come to camp. We have all
seen the walls that the Pilgrims have built up when
they come to camp. We have all seen as we serve
quietly those walls will fall and the ones who have
come to serve and be a blessing wind up being
blessed.
If we had just trusted God, we would not have been
walking in the wilderness so long!
I promise you if you will follow your call to serve
not just the community, but your call to serve the
Lord. your walk with the Lord if you will answer his
call. That call may be to sponsor a Pilgrim, or to
serve on the outside team or in the conference room.
We, like the children of Israel, must follow the call
of the Lord in all we do. Give God your best from
the persons serving in the conference room or the
person on the outside team cleaning the toilets
everyone is important. The ones who are not seen
are as important to that pilgrim’s journey as the one
in the conference room. Remember this, there are
many blessings for you; and there will be much
growth in that pilgrim on the walk, that you say yes
to and give God your best, may very well be your
next Community Lay Director.
Well that was a lot to say but my question is this, “Is
your yes on the table?” When you are called do/will
you say yes? Will you trust the Lord to guide you
through the task He has called you to do? Remember
God doesn’t call the Qualified, but qualifies the
Called I do not yet know where this year will lead us
but I do know if we follow the Lord and serve him,
he will do great things in this community in the
months to come. You have read of my journey and
each of you has your on journey. I challenge you to
choose this day whom you will serve. “As for me
and my house, we will serve the Lord.” What will
you do? How will you serve the Lord? Where is
your yes? I pray blessings on you as we begin a new
year and a new journey together.
Humbly, your servant in Christ,
Eddie Phillips
Community Lay Director
New Covenant Emmaus
2 0 15 1 , ISSU E 1
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N E W C O VE N AN T N OT E S
Men’s Walk # 82 Lay Director
Many years ago, as a young, newlywed sailor, I was
Continued
on Page
stationed in tropical Key West, Florida. Each
evening
my 4
new bride and I would walk on the beach and view some
of the most beautiful sunsets we have ever seen. It was a
time and place that we hoped would last forever. As I
was completing my training there and waiting for orders
to my next duty station, an opening came up as an
instructor at the school I had been attending. Wow, what
an opportunity! Thoughts of staying there in paradise for
the next couple of years would be a dream come true in
my way of thinking. Immediately I applied for the
position and went for an interview with the training
officer who was a seasoned old salt with many years of
navy experience under his belt. As I did my best to
convince him that this job would make my life perfect, he
looked across his desk at this eager but green young
sailor and said the following words which have come
back to me time and time again over the last 43 years….”
Son, you are a sailor. Sailors are meant to be on ships,
and ships are meant to be at sea!” I was disappointed to
say the least, but looking back over the years I know he
was right. Had I stayed in those comfortable, easy,
surroundings not only would my inexperience have made
me a poor teacher, I would have never gone to sea and
obtained the experience needed to grow and develop my
skills.
As we prepare for Walk 82 those same words came to me
again from a Christian perspective. It is so easy to get
comfortable in our churches and in our walk with Christ.
So often we don’t want to leave our comfort zones and
step out to where God is calling us. We sometimes forget
that the purpose of Emmaus is to build strong Christian
leaders. Several of the team members on Walk #82 are
serving on a walk for the first time and many are taking
positions of leadership or giving a talk for the first time.
God is asking us all to cast off the mooring lines of our
comfort zones, raise the sails, and get out of our safe
harbors into the open sea where the real work is!
Thanks to all who have stepped up and said yes to
working the walks, and thanks to all who are praying for
the pilgrims and team members. May God bless you all!
Be Bold!
Women’s Walk #83 Lay Director
I would love to share with you a part of this special
journey with God as I have prepared to be the Lay
Director for this walk. Let me begin by saying that
when this journey began, I had in mind preparing a
team, doing paperwork, sending out information to
the team and making sure that everyone had exactly
what they needed to serve on walk 83. This was key
to being a good lay director and I wanted to be the
best for him that I could be. I wanted to serve my
Lord with excellence, because the goal of my life is
to make my father smile.
As I began to pray and ask God for wisdom and
guidance, it became very real to me that even though
it was truly important to serve him with excellence, I
must begin by spending quality time with him more
than before. I began thinking about God more and
more, I looked for him in others, in the things of
beauty that he had created all around me. He would
send a friend to cross my path with words of
encouragement and a song on the radio to lift my
spirits. The more I searched for him, the more he
came to
me. As the journey continued I became more and
more aware that the most important thing in our
service to the Lord is in the relationship we have
with him daily.
When we walk with God the journey becomes
complete. Our pastor preached last Sunday about
Enoch and how he walked with God. He also talked
about Noah, and how he found grace in the eyes of
the Lord. It is more apparent to me today that to be
the servant that I should be, it does mean serving
him with the best that I have and the best that I can
do. But first and foremost it is to seek daily to walk
close and listen close for his still small voice.
So as walk 83 approaches the preparation continues,
and I am enjoying the fellowship with my Lord even
more than I did before. I am sure that his presence
will be on everyone involved in the walk and his
pilgrims of Walk 83 will be blessed as well as the
team serving.
John 17:4 I have glorified you while here on earth.
I have finished the work you gave me do.
David Ausley, Lay Director Walk 82
DeColores
EMERGENCY: Jack Lawrence 931-937-8088
AGAPE: Shirley Brown 256-771-3703
REFRESHMENTS: Myra Linnhoff 256-777-7619
EMERGENCY: Teresa Martin 256-426-0603
AGAPE: Jamie Polk 256-233-4636
REFRESHMENTS: Susan Walters 256-242-7788
MEAL SERVICE: Carolyn George 256-998-0492
PAGE 6
N E W C O VE N AN T N OT E S
2015 1 Issue 1
K A I RO S PR IS O N
M I N IS T R Y
Emmaus FALL WALK
SCHEDULES
Kairos Prison Ministry,
sometimes referred to as
“Emmaus Gone To
Prison”, is active at Limestone
Correctional Facility in Harvest. And
you can become involved!
Two Kairos weekends are held at
Limestone each year, and it takes a team
of about 70 folks to support it. Men may
be assigned to the conference room
inside the prison, and both men and
women work on the all-important
support team at Good Shepherd UMC
(kitchen staff, agape, prayer chapel, and
logistics).
And if you’re not quite ready yet to sign
-up on a team but still want to help,
Kairos always needs volunteers to pray,
make cookies, write letters, pray, make
placemats, purchase meal tickets, pray,
make posters, attend closing, and pray!
Men’s Walk # 84 – September 10-13, 2015
The Holy Spirit and Lay Director – Jeff Lee
Support Coordinator – Jane & Jimmy Romine
Spiritual Director – Randy Burbank
Women’s Walk #85 – September 17-20, 2015
The Holy Spirit and Lay Director – Cindy Haney
Support Coordinator – Jan Morris
Spiritual Director – Sharon Keffer
PILGRIM’S LIST MEN’S #82
Darryl Adams
Anthony Briggins
Shon Campbell
Grant Cramer
Toby Dunivan
David Fanning
Mike Fanning
Jeff Gragido
Nick Johnson
Tony Lee
Jimmy Love
Kasey Maples
Bobby Moder
Bryan Oliver
Jack Tomlin
George Watt
Brian Yager
PILGRIM LIST WOMEN’S #83
Alfreda Alexander
Sandra Dorning
Kathryn Pate
Karen Barnes
Rebecca Ferguson
Ellen Phillips
Angela Breyer
Amy Fowler
Lisa Putman
Brittany Bilbrey
Melissa Gobble
Pat Riviere
Nina Boshers
Melody Helms
Lynn Rush
June Brawley
Jessica Isbell
Karen Russell
Robyn Carlisle
Kelly Johnson
Paula Sedita
Susan Collins
Kay Kime
Lindy Stuart
Tina Cook
Dawn Lee
Karina Varnadore
Stephanie Crawley
Connie Lovell
Sheila White
Brenda Davies
Deborah Moder
Fonda Worley
Catherine Davis
Nicole Overholtzer
Updated Pilgrim Lists can be found at www.newcovenantemmaus.org
CAMP KELSO - CHRYSTAL SPRINGS, TN
931-937-8088