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Lay Directors October Message
Oct 2026 CLD Newsletter
Fall has arrived and the seasons are changing.
Many of us may be experiencing the changing seasons of life. I hope that whatever season you find yourself in you continue to seek God and praise Him for all He has done and all He will do.
His character does not change, and He does not forget or abandon those who trust Him. His promises don’t always mean life will be easy or unfold on our timetable, but they offer hope that He is with us, hears us, and will see us through.
When you feel uncertain, remember you don’t have to see the whole road to take the next step. You can bring God your fear and weariness honestly and lean on the promises that have carried believers through generations ~ “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20) and “The Lord is faithful” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
May you find strength for today, patience for what is unresolved and hope in the faithfulness of God.
Emmaus updates
Our “Open Road” initiative is off the ground and running. This is where we, as a community, donate to this fund to sponsor pilgrims to the mountain. As sponsors (shepherds) invite and support the pilgrim on a weekend walk, we want to eliminate the possible burden of the cost. This “Open Road” fund allows the shepherds to focus on inviting pilgrim(s) even if they are not financial able.
Reminder ~ NCA Emmaus is a 501c3 organization, and all donations are tax deductible. Make note that your donation is for the “Open Road” fund. We now all can be part of getting a pilgrim to the mountain and being part of the weekend sharing the gift of Emmaus with others.
Checks can be dropped into the offering plate at Ultreyas and Sponsors Hours, or mailed to: P.O. Box 1596 Woodbridge, VA 22195.
Zelle option to ncaetreas@gmail.com - Make note in comment section if for Open Road, Teaming Fee or General Donation.
We have also started another initiative and that is a change from using ‘sponsor’ to ‘shepherd’. Shepherds are now the focal point for the pilgrim, eliminating cold call from the Rs when offering the invitation to a weekend.
Truth be told, none of us look to answer those calls from numbers we don’t recognize. So, getting the invitation from the shepherd (sponsor) creates that trusting experience and excitement together to present a gift that is unwrapped on the weekend.
Upcoming Ultreyas ~
Oct 23rd at Dumfries UMC.
6:30 Potluck, we will need help with setting up and clean up, so please help if you are able. And come excited to welcome the Pilgrims of E-206!
Nov 20th Ultreya ~ Celebrate Emmaus!
So many great things happening and we want to celebrate the more than 40 years of NCA Emmaus. We will have our annual board meeting prior to the potluck and Ultreya. More information will be coming out soon. But to celebrate we are asking everyone to wear any weekend team shirt you might have and if you have not teamed, please wear any Emmaus t-shirt. This also includes Chrysalis! Let’s see how many weekends we can see represented. During the Ultreya will also be voting on the 2028 Board members.
Mark your calendars Nov 20th at Christ Church, be looking for more detail that will coming out.
Board Nominations
We will be having board elections at the Nov Ultreya. Each year half the board rolls off, and new board members are elected. If you are interested in serving on the board and have at least two Emmaus teaming experiences under your belt, you are eligible to serve on the NCAE Board. We are looking for both laity and clergy to fill 3 women, and 2 men positions along with 2 Spiritual Directors. Please reach out to any current board member if you are interested. If you know of community members who would be great for the board, reach out and talk to them about considering running for one of these positions.
May the faithfulness of God steady your heart and give you courage for each new day. May His promises remind you that you are never alone, and my His peace remain with you.
DeColores!
Jodene CLD
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Lay Directors June Message
Hello NCA Emmaus Community!
As Spring zooms by us and Summer is knocking at the door, I’ve been thinking about our Agape Outreach program. We haven't quite got off the grounds since coming back from the great shut down days. This is where we get letters or posters from other Emmaus communities or members across the country letting us know how they're praying for us and how God is there with that unspeakable love in our lives.
We are asking all our NCA Emmaus community members that do not live in the northern capital area to consider sending Agape letters for each of our weekends and to also reach out to any Emmaus communities in your area you might be aware of and see if they would like to provide a letter.
The NCA Emmaus community would also love to be able to send an Agape letter to the other Emmaus communities so we're looking for partnership with those who live from California to Michigan to Florida to Colorado and everywhere in between. We ask that you all just consider sending letters and notes of encouragement that could be read on the mountain to the pilgrims. This is done prior to the pilgrim bag delivery on Friday and where we talk about the pray wheel. What an awesome way for those who live further out to stay connected and what a blessing it would be to the pilgrims and the team on each weekend.
You can always find out our Weekend Schedule at emmausnca.org. Any letters can be emailed to agape@emmausnca.org.
Our upcoming Emmaus Weekends are
2026
• E-207 Sept 10-13 Women’s
• E-206 Oct 15-18 Men’s
2027
• E-208 Apr 1-4 Women’s
• E-209 Apr29- May 2 Men’s
• E-210 Sept 23-26 Women’s
• E-211 Nov 11-14 Men’s
Let us all stay connected and encouraged as humble servants of our Lord. He continues to do Great Things!
With much gratitude ~ DeColores!
Jodene Roark, CLD
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Lay Directors February Message
Happy February!
It has been so cold, with ice and snow stacked up everywhere here in Northern Virginia for weeks. Hope those out of area and across the country have been able to endure some of the cold that may have hit your towns. And of course, I hope those who love the winter and snow season are getting a chance to enjoy this time of year.
I’m excited to get this new year underway and wanted to share with you the 2026 Emmaus weekend information. Some teaming has already started and others are getting underway. All we need are pilgrims!
Earlier this week I was talking with Jerry Wills, and he reminded me how an Emmaus weekend is a gift. What a wonderful way to describe it and to have an opportunity of sharing such a special gift with others. God has blessed each of us in different ways through the years. One is our own Emmaus experience, uniquely unfolding for each of us. May you look back and feel that overwhelming love God poured out, knowing it was just a drop of what He has in store for us.
So, time to Pilgrim up! We are looking to increase our men and women pilgrim pools and share this amazing Emmaus gift with as many individuals as possible.
This year’s weekends are listed below. Please keep the teams that will be serving and pilgrims that will be attending, in your prayers. Serving God is an awesome honor, and in all the different ways you continue to support this Emmaus community and the weekends are no doubt honored by our Lord.
• E-205 (W) 9-12 Apr Donna Morris
• E-204 (M) 14-17 May Bob Spring
• E-207 (W) 10-13 Sept Jodene Roark
• E-206 (M) 15-18 Oct Ken Fritzsche
Our weekend numbers are a little out sequence this year, due to sliding one weekend over from last year, but the sequence will be in order next year.
That leads to some exciting news, the 2027 Weekend schedule and ‘R’ selections. They will be announced at the upcoming Feb 20th Ultreya at Old Bridge Church in Woodbridge, VA. Hope to see you there.
“Lord, we thank you for all you have done and will do, for us as individuals and as a community. May we continue to focus on you. May we know you, trust you, and seek you in all we do. Let our hearts and spirit reflect the joy and love you pour out on us. And give each of us the eyes to see and ears to hear what you are calling us to do. In Jesus Amen.”
Be watching. Don’t miss what God has in store. He is on the move in so many ways. And He Loves You!
DeColores!
Jodene Roark
2026 CLD
Lay Directors New Years Message
Jan 2026
As we enter this new year, remember that you are stepping into days already held, shaped,
and prepared by God. Nothing you face will surprise Him, and nothing you offer in His name
will be wasted. May we be reminded that “those who hope in the Lord will renew their
strength.” (Isaiah 40:31)
We look back on years gone by. The many wonderful memories with family and friends, love
and laughter, joy and hope, and Gods many blessings and promises along the way. There
have also been challenges, disappointments, heartbreaks and even maybe regrets. But the
same God that held us then, holds us now. It’s a New Year with new opportunities and
challenges for all of us as we live for Christ.
Let us move forward together with hearts full of faith, hands ready to serve and spirits eager
to grow. God has blessed us with unique gifts, not to work alone, but to build one another up
in love and unity.
Even when your efforts feel small, God multiplies them in ways you may never see. God goes
before you, walks beside you, and strengthens you from within. The Holy Spirit equips you
with courage, compassion, and wisdom for every conversation and every opportunity to share
His love.
In a world that often feels fractured or weary, your faithfulness shines. Your presence can
bring peace. Your words can bring hope. Your love can point someone back to the One who
never stops pursuing them.
May this year be a season of renewed commitment to our shared purpose, infused with new
energy, fresh inspiration, and unwavering hope in Christ. Together, let’s shine His light in
everything we do, trusting that with God at the center, all things are possible.
He doesn’t ask you to be perfect—just willing. As you serve Him this year, trust that He is
working through you in ways far beyond what you can measure.
“Lord, as we enter this new year, fill us with Your love so deeply that it overflows into
every conversation, every decision, and every relationship. Make us bold in kindness,
generous in compassion, and faithful in serving others. Use us to bring hope, healing,
and Your presence wherever we go. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Looking forward to seeing you at Ultreyas and serving with you throughout the year. Its going
to be a good year ~ a busy year. But with all of us working together, it is going to be a
blessing to so many people.
Stay tuned, more to come as we welcome in 2026!
DeColores!
Jodene Roark
2026 CLD
Lay Director's Message
November 2024
It is hard to believe that it is already November! This year has gone by in a flash. It has been such a blessing for me to serve our amazing community as the CLD. In this month of Thanksgiving, I look back on 2024 and find so much to be thankful for.
"Rejoice in the Lord always; Again I will say, Rejoice." ~ Philippians 4:4
I have come to the realization this year that Rejoicing in the Lord ALWAYS is not always as simple as it may seem. However, it is pretty dang hard to wallow in tribulation when you are busy rejoicing in the Lord! It is hard to fear when you are rejoicing in the Lord, it is hard to judge when you are rejoicing in the Lord, it is hard to doubt when you are rejoicing in the Lord!
You gotta love Paul! His letter to the Philippi sharing his wisdom and encouragement for living out their faith in Christ is something worth taking a look at!
On the top of the list for things to be thankful for is knowing that I have the Lord to rejoice in! I have been in a unique position to see how amazing our community is from the inside out. I have had the honor to work with four amazing R’s, hear from many members of our community, work alongside an amazing board, welcome into our community pilgrims from four weekends and participate in 10 Ultreyas from scheduling to closing prayer! What I have learned is that we may not all be at the same place on our walks, we may not all go to the same church, we may not worship the same or have the same ideas, but we do have a very common thread and that is the undeniable fact that we are ALL children of the one true King. We have all been given God’s grace and Thank GOD for that! It is my prayer that the grace that has been so freely given to us continues to shine through in our kindness and compassion with each other.
DeColores!
Sheri Goad
2024 CLD
Lay Director's Message
July 2024
When I woke up this morning, far earlier than I had anticipated, I played back the last few months in my mind. Life has been far from gentle! Health issues and multiple rounds of antibiotics that ended up with a hospital stay that led to being homebound for over a month, the loss of our sweet dog, a loss of a very dear church friend, and a message delivered yesterday of another church friend admitted to hospice. The last few months started conditioning me to be on guard for the next worse thing! But as the early morning taunted me, I couldn’t help but think about what we express so often in Emmaus, “Don’t Anticipate, Participate!” It’s easy to see how this applies on a weekend but I never thought much about carrying it into my day to day. My favorite bible verse is Psalm 90:14, “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.” It seems so simple, but it takes a leap of faith and certainly the ability to participate to see this one in action! We are always going to be facing something, but our God is bigger than anything we may come up against. Each and every time we rise in the morning, we have the choice to be satisfied by HIS unfailing love. It is our gift, should we choose to accept it. It comes with the knowing that we are HIS and we are protected, and it gives us cause to sing for joy and be glad all of our days! It is not a guarantee we won’t be faced with adversities, but it is a guarantee that as long we accept it HIS joy is ours to keep, and there is not a circumstance we will face that can rob us of that. We are rapidly approaching our Fall weekends, E-199 and E-200 are well into the teaming process. What an exciting time! God has pulled these teams together to bring HIS love to the mountain. Our community plays no small part in these weekends, while the team is integral on the mountain they can’t do it without our support. So here are some ways YOU can be part of the “team”! 1. LIFT UP YOUR PRAYERS! 2. Sponsor a pilgrim. 3. Palanca…. write those letters! (Have you been to a closing? How many times have you heard how much of an impact ALL THAT LOVE made!) 4. Participate in Mananita AND Closing. Seeing everyone there is a showing of love that can’t be replicated in any other way. 5. Show LOVE. We are an ecumenical community, we all come from different places, but we all have the same GOD who gives us unfailing love and that is what Emmaus is about. National Capital Area Emmaus (NCAE) is an ecumenical Christian Community that focuses on an individual’s personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The purpose of NCAE is to inspire, challenge, and equip local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, and places of work. I continue to hold our community in prayer as I hope you all are as well. We have a unique opportunity in a world of adversities to show what it looks like to sing for joy and be glad all of our days! To LOVE. Everyday may not be happy but that Joy, Joy, Joy down in our hearts is there to stay! Love your sister in Christ, Sheri Goad CLD
Lay Director's Message
March 2024
It is hard to believe that it is already March! We got an early start on our Spring weekends this year and will be welcoming 24 amazing women into our community at our Ultreya on March 15th, at Old Bridge UMC in Woodbridge. E198 was full of God’s amazing love and grace. This community showed up in full force supporting the team with prayer, Palanca and popcorn! Well popcorn and a ton of other treats! I have yet to see a weekend that God did not show up and show off.
E193 will finally be arriving on the mountain April 4th-7th! They were set to team before Covid hit and the weekend ultimately ended up being postponed. I am certain I am not alone in the belief that God’s timing is perfect and this weekend is taking place exactly as HE had planned. They have 6 confirmed pilgrims, but need more.
What can YOU do to help support E193:
Sponsor a pilgrim! Deadline is March 20 for E193 Below is the link to the pilgrim application.
https://storage.googleapis.com/production-constantcontact-v1-0-1/261/1311261/6RjdGARc/20ee4fa4db5d43e2bb6952c8dd7ee239?fileName=Pilgrim%20Application%20112023.pdf
Sign up for the Prayer Wheel
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E084DAEA629A6FB6-46036601-prayer?fbclid=IwAR1SombOKu22Iy7M9koKS8L2xAXUdeLX2nW0kZztmQKxO7xZO2uo0FUIinE#/
Sign up for snacks/drinks
Provide a Scholarship for a pilgrim.
Show up for Mananita and Closing.
Come out to the Ultreya and meet the team in March and pilgrims in April.
We have had an influx of teaming applications and with that, messages from the community about when to expect to be called to team. Teaming is an amazing blessing we are offered to continue spreading God’s amazing love. As with all aspects of an Emmaus weekend it is all in God’s Time!
Teams are selected by the Rector/Rectora along with the Cadre they have chosen to serve with. There are multiple factors that go into selecting a team. As much as possible a team will be made up of 1/3 Rookies (someone who has never teamed) 1/3 Experienced (1-3 teams) and 1/3 Veterans (4+ teams) Consideration is also given to how many people from a specific church are on a team, ability to commit and attend meetings, as well as a variety of factors the Cadre prayerfully considers. Ultimately a team is comprised of prayerfully selected people.
Our Emmaus community is successful because of the many ways we all step up and let God use us as his hands and feet. Sometimes that means stepping out of our comfort zone and saying Yes Lord! There are many ways to participate and support our mission of inspiring, challenging, and equipping local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches and places of work. This may involve being on a team or it may be in another capacity.
I encourage everyone to stay in prayer and open your hearts. Be willing to step outside of your box, we may feel a strong calling on what God wants from us, but sometimes he will take us down a different road to get there so we are exactly what HE needs us to be when we get there!
I look forward to serving our community in 2024 as the Community Lay Director and hope that this will be a year of strengthening our community and relationships with each other in order to bring God’s Amazing Love to the front of the line!
In HIS Love!