From the Community Lay Director
Have you ever had a great experience somewhere and wanted to go back and do it again? For one of my milestone birthdays, my wife asked me where I would like to go. Probably could have picked anywhere in the world. I picked Washington, DC. I had spent maybe half a day in DC many years before. Left town feeling -- I guess incomplete is the word. We planned three days of museums and monuments. Stayed in the suburbs and took the subway into the city every day. Had a great time. We went to a pizza parlor down the street from our hotel. I still think it was the best pizza I ever ate. We were in DC several years later for a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetary. Went to that same pizza parlor and walked away disappointed.
I don't remember riding a tricycle when I was a kid. From stories shared later in life, I understand I raced around pretty good. Would have had hair flowing in the wind if my hair had ever been long enough to flow in the wind. One of the opportunities available at the Lexington Senior Center (where I am a proud member) is to check out an adult-size tricycle to ride around the paved trail in Idle Hour Park next door. Thought it might be fun to try it out. I found out why I have never seen anyone else on the tricycle. The thing weighs a ton. I made two circuits around the park. I don't think I ever got above five mph. On a bicycle, you ride perpendicular to gravity. On a tricycle, you ride perpendicular to the surface you are riding on. The paved trail is built with a slight peak in the middle for drainage. So you are sitting at an angle when you really, really want to be sitting up straight. The tricycle wanted to go in about any direction except the direction I was trying to steer it. It was pretty hard work. The most fun part of the ride was finally getting off the thing. I did get a lot of zone minutes on my Fitbit (heart rate above 100 beats per minute). Not sure if the elevated heart rate was due to the physical exertion or the stress of trying to stay upright.
I have been part of an Emmaus Walk team many times. Every Walk experience has been different. It has been a great experience every time. Not that there have not been challenges. But disappointments? The only disappointment I have ever had on a Walk is that the Walk is over and it is time to go home, back to the world. I can't say going back to the real world. Isn't living in community, love, hope, and grace with God and His people actually the real world? What we often refer to as the real world can be such a poor imitation of the life that God desires us to live.
Our day-to-day lives can quickly submerge what has been learned during the Walk to Emmaus experience. It is very hard to change what may have been decades-long habits and mindsets. That is why reunion groups, Gatherings, and participation in a Walk team are so important. They all help to remind us that God's love and grace are present in our lives each and every day, and that God's love and grace have been present for all of our lives.
As I write this, we have two men signed up for Walk 154 (October 16-19) and five women signed up for Walk 155 (October 23-26). Still plenty of time to recruit more pilgrims. Of more concern at this point is that we do not yet have a kitchen team in place for the Men's Walk 154 at Richmond First UMC. We need to have a certified kitchen manager as part of the Walk team. The certified kitchen manager does not specifically have to be in the kitchen. Just present during the entire Walk to check in on kitchen operations and to be available to answer kitchen-related questions. If you, or anyone you know, would be willing and able to fulfill the role of kitchen lead or certified kitchen manager, please let us know.
DeColores!
Michael Watts
Community Lay Director
Lexington Emmaus Community
Mission Statement
Renewing Christian Disciples,
Strengthening Local Churches
Rejoice, Rejoice, and again I say Rejoice!