Pat Garling, Rector #32 - Arkansas

Arkansas Oklahoma Via de Cristo
Newsletter
April, 2014
Upcoming Via de Cristo Weekend #33
De Colores and Happy Spring my friends!
I hope you're all enjoying the newness of life that spring brings our way. I love to look out
my back door and see all the beautiful daffodils out next to the fence, and watch the birds
and squirrels feeding outside my front window.
Last fall I had the wonderful privilege of being called as your Rector of Via de Cristo Weekend 33! Plans are already well underway for our retreat this fall. I'm excited to tell you our
theme is "Jesus Loves Me!" and we'll meet at St. Scholastica in Ft. Smith, Arkansas during
the days of October 9th – 12th. A good number of staff have been called and are preparing
rollos and praying for the pilgrims that God is already calling. I've heard several happy rumors of pilgrims who have expressed interest in attending. Has God put someone on your
heart to sponsor? Give them a call! If it's on your heart, I bet it's on their hearts, too. They
may be wondering how and who to approach to ask what it's all about. Pray about your
friend, and pray for God's timing in talking to them.
If you've never been a sponsor before, let me tell you, it is a lot of fun. You get the joyful duty of sneaking around and gathering palanca from your pilgrim's family and friends. It's not
too early to have your friend turn in their registration forms. Remember, the sooner they
get it filled out and back to you, the sooner you can fill in your part and send it in to Cindy
Vogel. Then you can start gathering palanca. Also, as soon as Cindy has names and registration deposit, she can send those names on to me and I can release them to Fourth Day. And
then, the rest of our Fourth Day Community can not only start preparing palanca, but we
can be praying for your pilgrim(s) as well.
Approach your pastors about giving a short "Temple Talk" at your churches about your Via
de Cristo experience. You just never know who might be wondering just what this Via de
Cristo thing is.
If you have questions, please contact me at [email protected]. I'd love to hear
from you!
Butterfly Blessings,
Rector Karen })i({ Pallmer
Via de Cristo Weekend #32
February 27th through Saturday, March 1st, 2014
A REPORT FROM RECTOR VIA DE CRISTO #32
Weekend #32 was fast and furious. We only had 5 pilgrims, but
the weekend was very rewarding. I had a wonderful staff that God
blessed me with. God chooses well. As the weekend began, we could
all see God at work. The pilgrims began like always apprehensive
about why I am here or what is going to happen. By the end which
was cut short due to weather, I could see a growth in them that was
beautiful. I saw not only the pilgrims but my staff and I burst from
our cocoons and turn into beautiful butterflies. God’s love became
so apparent. I saw God being the rock and all of the cocoons residing on God. I saw the butterflies break forth and exalt God. We
called upon the Lord and the Lord was there in each and every pilgrim and staff person.
God using my staff and my pilgrims made this weekend work.
God is good and all praise and glory goes to God. God also made
sure we all made it home safe and sound. “The Lord liveth and
blessed be the rock and may the God of our salvation be exalted.”
Pat Garling, Rector #32
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Leadership Training
Where: St Luke Lutheran Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas (5401 Free Ferry
Road).
When: Saturday, June 14, 2014—1st class for CHA position or to serve on
the Agape Prayer Team.
Time: 10am to noon (Lunch sandwich to be provided, please bring your
own beverage.)
When: Saturday, June 14, 2014—2nd class for Table Leader and for Practice Action Rollo to be given for position as Rollista.
Time: Noon to 3pm (Lunch will be included, please bring your beverage.)
If you would like to be eligible to serve on a Via de Cristo weekend as staff, you must attend
the 1st Leadership training class. After attending the first class on June 14th, you will be eligible to serve on staff as a Cha or on the Agape Prayer Team. Please come join us and learn
more about what is involved in putting a weekend on and how it takes each position to
make the weekend succeed.
To be eligible to serve on a Via de Cristo weekend staff as a Table Leader, you must attend
both Leadership Training classes. To be eligible to serve on a Via de Cristo weekend staff as
Rollista, you must attend both Leadership Training classes and have presented the Action
Rollo during the Training Class.
If you would like to attend, please send me an email so I will have enough material and
food. [email protected] Actually, you MUST send me an email or call me to ensure
that I know you are coming in the event of an emergency or changes, I can contact you!
If you plan to write and present an Action Rollo, please let me know so that I can send you
an electronic version of the outline. Bring your rollo and three copies of your rollo to the
training class on June 14th. Rollos should last no more than twenty minutes.
Delighting in the service of our Lord,
Becky Del Rio
Leadership Training Coordinator
501-590-8110
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PALANCA
As your Palanca Coordinator for the A-Ok Via de Cristo, I want to tell you what an honor it is for me to serve in this role. During Ultreya, I ask you to sign posters that are
scanned and shared with Via de Cristo, Cursillo, Walk to Emmaus and Tres Dias weekends. I also ask for general palanca from various Palanca Coordinators for our weekends in the A-Ok. I also let them know that we hold their weekends in our prayers. It
is a small gift that we can give.
A-Ok Via de Cristo weekend #33 is scheduled for October 9 through 12, 2014. It
sounds like a long time away but there is something you can do to help prepare for the
weekend. You can give palanca. Specifically, you can give prayer palanca.
Remember from your weekend, the word “palanca” is derived from a Spanish word meaning lever. In Via de Cristo it means an outward express of agape love through prayer
and sacrifice. Palanca, specifically prayer palanca, is a lever lifting the weekend.
Please pray for the upcoming weekend. Specifically ask:

For the Lord's presence to quiet your heart, mind, body, and spirit.

For the Lord to take the cares and stress of the day from you.

For Via de Cristo Weekend #33 and God’s Spirit and guidance

For the Rector Karen Palmer and Rector’s Cha Casey Neely

For the staff that is called that each one would have a servant's heart and spirit.

For each participant God is calling to this Via de Cristo weekend

That the Lord would bless that participant.

That the Lord would speak to that participant in a special individual way.
“Prayer is asking God to align you with His will, rather than asking Him to be aligned
with yours.”
Remember, Christ is counting on you.
Many blessings,
Patti Johnson
A-Ok Palanca Coordinator
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Registrar
Greetings A-OK Fourth Day!
It is not too soon to begin thinking and praying about future pilgrims to attend the upcoming fall weekend in Fort Smith October 23-26. As you all know, much planning
goes into each weekend and early registration of pilgrims helps tremendously in those
preparations.
You can find the updated registration form at http://aokviadecristo.org. Additionally this
web site will help you find answers to the many questions you may have about sponsoring a pilgrim.
Once registration & health forms are completed, you can forward them to me along with
the deposit. Once received, I will pass the name along to the weekend rector, send further information to you and send a welcome letter to your registrant. It is that simple.
Remember, you attended your Via de Cristo because someone prayed for you and asked
you to attend. I look forward to receiving many registrations for this next weekend!
Cindy Vogel, Registrar
1372 Cannondale Dr
Fayetteville, AR 72704
4th Day
Hello my name is danyal Walters. I attended my Vdc weekend 7 in 2003. I have the awesome job of being the 4th day coordinator for Oklahoma. What that means is I get to
plan activities where we all get together and do some type of activity and fellowship!
Please watch out for an upcoming event this summer! I hope everyone has a blessed
week. Thanks danyal Walters.
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Property
Hello my name is Lance Walters. I attended my via de Cristo weekend # 7 in 2003. I have
the opportunity of being your property coordinator. Through Via De Cristo we have lots
of stuff. I have the task of making sure it stays organized, unloading and loading the
trailer at each weekend. We are looking into changing out all the totes and making
them universal. If you would like to donate please let us know. I pray that everyone is
well and continues to be.
Outreach
Summer!
As I sit and ponder the upcoming summer I think of warm days, families, vacations and all of the
things I need to get ready. Lists of items needed for the travels, clothes everyone might need to buy or
pack, tickets needed for airlines or hotels, and I could go on. My mind gets bogged down and I cannot
think of things that are really important. Who is going to be with us, how are we going to spend quality
time with each other and most of all, are we going to have fun or get wrapped up in all the hustle and
forget the meaning of vacation and family. Ecclesiastes 3:1 states “there is a time for everything, and a
season for every activity under heaven”. The Lord tells us He has things under control and trust Him!
We need to leave all things to him and let Him work them out. We still have to do our part but when
we focus on the Lord our world and possessions lose control over us so we can concentrate on the
most important thing God! Proverbs 3:5 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on
your own understanding”.
I pray daily and what the Lord tells me depends on what I am doing and how much I truly listen.
I pray for guidance and I trust that my answers come from God. What are you praying for? Do you pray
for others? How about your church? Your community? Do you pray for yourself? The bible states we
should pray for all these things. When I have been praying about the outreach of VDC I have been lead
to discover how VDC will be received by the college community. I have been looking to see where I can
get the word out to the college communities that VDC is for everyone and can be a blessing in more
ways than one. I am asking that if you know someone on the college campuses tell about VDC and give
them my information. They may call: 501-690-5124, email: stephanierohrer @comcast.net.
Keep on getting ready for the summer, keep the lists going and remember to first always and
last pray about it.
Many Blessings,
Stephanie Rohrer
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Lay Director
From the desk of the Lay Director.
Okay, so this isn't from my desk, I'm sitting on a couch, typing on my iPad. So
far this year has been full of ups and downs. Weekend 32 was a big success even
with only 5 pilgrims. It's not about quantity it's about quality. We felt Gods
presence amongst us the whole weekend. Unfortunately we had to cut the weekend
short. A winter storm was approaching, so we condensed Sundays events into
Saturday evening and left by 11:00 Saturday night. Most got home before running
into the bad weather, with the exception of the Clinton and Bessie people, but
they all made it home safely the next day. Praise God. The Ulterya was
fun and
worshipful but we need more fourth day people to come to these, remember these
events are not just for those that where just on the weekend, all are welcome.
The serenade was beautiful but again we need more fourth day to come sing to
the pilgrims, remember how you felt on your weekend. I have been in Clinton,
Ok.
since March 24th with work. On Sunday, March 30th, I worshiped with the Walters
and Rollens, as well as a few others. I was privileged to talk to the
congregation about VDC. Afterwards Lance Walters had a couple of people come up
and ask him more questions. God is good. I look forward to coming to many more
congregations in the AOK Synod to share about VDC. Well that's all for now.
Peace and Love,
Ellick Morey
Your Lay Director
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