Walk Talk
December, 2009
WESTERN MONTANA WALK TO EMMAUS Newsletter
P.O. Box 7676 Missoula MT 59807 
PAT MAHONEY – COMMUNITY LAY DIRECTOR
On behalf of the Board of Directors, I sincerely wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year in 2010! Our community has been blessed over the last year in many ways, both as individuals and as a group. Members of our group have had many problems, but generally they have been overcome or experienced with grace and the support of their friends, our community, and their Christian faith.
As an organization, we have expanded our geographical representation. This gives us a better representation across Western Montana, but at a cost of increased commute time to attend meetings. We believe that this inconvenience has been acceptable and furthers the work of the Emmaus community.
We initially planned to publish the 5 Year update of our By-Laws, but we agreed to defer this since it did not seem appropriate for a Christmas Newsletter. We will publish the amendments in the next newsletter and ask for their approval by either an email or the more traditional mail. In the meantime, you can find the proposed changes on the website that Kay Duffield discusses later in this newsletter. We are attempting to bring congruence to the rules found in the Emmaus Manuals and our practices.
We have 5 or 6 members leaving the Board this year (the Women’s Lay Director Susan Rasmussen will continue on the Board). Those members are as follows: Diana Gage, Colleen Leister, Steven Ward, Carolyn Tompkins, Laurie Olsen, and Ken Johnson. Ken leaves in part due to his change in status as he moves into ministry. We thank all of these individuals for their outstanding service to the Board and to the Western Montana Emmaus Community in general! Their leadership has been greatly appreciated. We hope to see them back in new roles in 2010.
Following our old/new policy of getting the vote out to the Emmaus Community for the election of Board members, you will find a list of current candidates near the end of the newsletter. We hope that you will take a moment to return the vote to Western Montana Walk to Emmaus, PO Box 7676, Missoula, MT 59808 or email to me at jpatmahoney@bresnan.net.
We all look forward to 2010 with considerable enthusiasm. Our Walk leadership is well along in their planning and Team selection. We have Team meetings planned for February 6 and March 6 at the Polson UMC, and April 9, 10 at the Methodist Camp on the west side of Flathead Lake. We will have new Board members and elections in January even though all the new members may not yet be seated.
In summary, we all wish you good health, happiness, and the very best as we move into the New Year. As Tiny Tim says in Scrooge, May God bless us everyone!
www.WesternMTWalk.com : Kay Duffield, webmaster
The Western Montana Walk to Emmaus now has its own website, and you are invited to check it out the next time you are on your computer. There is a page for the newsletter, for the board member names and addresses, for the team applications, for sponsor information and pilgrim applications, for devotional material from the Upper Room, for Email prayer requests and the opportunity to sign up for the Email prayer chain, and for the prayer vigils for both them men and women’s Walks this spring.
The home page will have announcements and upcoming events listed. The 5 Year update to the Western Montana Walk to Emmaus Bylaws have been posted below following the January board meeting. You can vote on the bylaw changes that are listed there by sending an email (jpatmahoney@bresnan.net) or mailing a ballot to Western Montana Walk to Emmaus, PO Box 7676, Missoula, MT 59808. If you wish, you can even download and print a complete set of the 2010 Bylaws.
2010 BYLAWS The Five Year Bylaw’s Revision was done and approved
by the Board on January 4, 2010.
To see the old wording from the 2004 Bylaws and the revised 2010 wording click on REVISIONS.
Please mail or email your vote approving or opposing the eight changes to Pat Mahoney at jpatmahoney@bresnan.netYour vote may be in favor of adopting all eight of the amendments or you may list by number those you approve and those you oppose separately. A complete set of bylaws can be seen by clicking 2010 Bylaws.
The website is a great resource and we hope that you will use it. Blessings, Kay.
Editors Note: We want to thank Kay for her work and leadership in creating and finding a host for our web site. We have received notes from both Regional and National representatives commenting on the professionalism, utility, and look of the web site. I’m sure that Kay welcomes all comments and suggestions that you may have as you use and browse over the pages. Thanks Kay!!
Susan Rasmussen – 2010 WOMEN’S Walk to Emmaus Lay Director
I am so excited for the 2010 Walks. I have been blessed with a wonderful team and am always thankful that we are getting another chance to work together for God. I still have some spots to fill, so if you are interested, either give me a call or send in a team application to the Walk. I am sure I can find you a spot.
I have U of M license plates on my car. They aren’t the Griz ones, but the U of M scholarship ones. Someone asked me the other day how much they cost per year and I couldn’t tell them the exact amount. What I said was that it didn’t matter how much they were every year, I just pay it. Several years ago my daughter, Allison won one of those U of M license plate scholarships. Even with my lame math skills, I can figure out that in my lifetime, I will never be able to re-pay that money back to the University.
I made my Walk in 1995. I went in kicking and screaming the whole way. I cried the ENTIRE time. What happened to me that weekend was truly a transformation. I was so blessed. I found that God’s love for me was eternal, no matter how bad I screw up. My life has been very blessed ever since. It isn’t always easy, there are ups and downs, but in the end my God never fails me. He is always there to fill me up with His love.
And just like the U of M license plate scholarship fund, I will never be able to repay the grace that God has blessed me with. I will continue to work the Walk for as long as God (and the team selection committee) allows me to.
Merry Christmas to you all! Susan Rasmussen
Phil Lundquist – 2010 MEN’S Walk to Emmaus Lay Director
I am really excited about how the Men’s team has come together, and really want to thank everyone who answered my calls. The Team Selection Committee did a great job in assisting in the team formation, and had to deal with some difficult decisions. One of my goals as the Lay Director this year was to place the community in positions that gives them the experience which prepares them to serve in leadership roles. Don’t be surprised, you are being groomed because Christ is counting on you.
If you did not turn in an application but still would like an opportunity to work let me know. Life as it is, can and will turn on some of us and requires others to fill vacancies. If I have you lined up in advance to step up and serve, it would be a special agape gift to the team and Pilgrims. Not to mention me.
There is a lot of work and planning to be done between now and the first team meetings. Though we grow from every effort, it will have greater dividends if we can fill the conference room with pilgrims. The more we do this in advance, the more time we have to prepare and pray for them by name before the weekend. I know God has great plans for the Walk, but I also know God relies on us to be proactive in sponsoring. Don’t assume others will do the sponsoring. The best problem I could have in this planning process is figuring out how to accommodate a full conference room.
God Bless, Phil Lundquist 406-752-2703
Eph 2:10 - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
FUND RAISING COMMITTEE: Carolyn Tompkins
Thanks to all who participated in the Herberger’s Community Day Coupon Sales Fundraiser in November. Many new volunteers were involved in selling our coupons and I would like to thank all of those who came forward to help. The Western Montana Walk to Emmaus earned $620.00 for our operating budget and an additional check for $170.75 from the Bon-Ton Corporation since we qualified for a portion of the day’s sales. We are thankful for the generosity of Herberger’s. Watch for our next Herberger’s fundraiser in February, 2009.
A new fundraising activity is called Scroll I.D. It is an identification scroll rolled into a water proof metal canister with a color picture and medical information. It is designed for emergency medical personnel and can be carried with keys, etc. The Emmaus community receives $4.00 for each Scroll I.D. sold. Please see the enclosed flyer or the web site found at www.scrollid.com for more information and an order form.
It has been an honor to serve you as your Fundraising Chair for the last 4 years. Please continue to support your new incoming Chair as you have me. De Colores, your sister in Christ, Carolyn Tompkins
NEW BOARD MEMBERS
The Board has decided to return to an earlier process of submitting a slate of potential Board members to the Emmaus Community for a vote. The Bylaws also require that the slate consists of two more nominees than required to fill vacancies in the Board. However, unfortunately, we do not have that many candidates. All of the candidates listed below have agreed to serve if elected. Therefore, you are requested to vote for any or all of the Board candidates listed below. Their 3-year terms will begin January, 2010 and will be seated no later than February.
************** Please Tear Off to Mail or just email your vote *****************
Board Member Ballot (vote for any or all of the candidates below)
Return your Ballot by mail to Western Montana Walk to Emmaus, PO Box 7676, Missoula, MT 59808 or by email to Pat at jpatmahoney@bresnan.net.
Candidate Vote for by a check mark
1. Sandy Sprague, Frenchtown
2. Mary Bick, St. Ignatius
3. Tripp Hammer, Helena
4. Tim Moore, Helena
5.
6.
All applications and/or forms can be either mailed or emailed to you. Please contact any Board Member or Community Lay Director for information, questions, and materials or to just say hello.
BOARD MEMBERS
Chair Pat Mahoney..... 493-6713
Mark Cumming.....240-7154
Kay Duffield.....543-6722
Bob Foote.....781-2224
Diana Gage.....207-8700
Ken Johnson.....777-5066
Colleen Leister.....251-5161
Judy Lundquist.....752-2703
Phil Lundquist.....752-2703
Laurie Olson.....251-4477
Susan Rasmussen.....251-5633
Dennis Reese..... 871-8682
Kay Smart.....257-0376
Carolyn Tompkins.....543-6217
Mark Vrooman .....883-1113
Steve Ward.....543-3908
