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A
Newsletter For The Cursillo Community of Newark
June/July 2003
Safe
Space
Joe Stewart, Lay Director
Another very successful weekend has just come to conclusion, thanks
to a dedicated and hard-working team and the support of the Community
at large. If you have worked on a team, you are probably aware that
the weekend is intended to be held in a cloistered environment.
Obviously, much support is needed from the greater Community in
order for a weekend to be successful. With that in mind, keeping
a totally cloistered environment would be unrealistic. However,
from the perspective of the weekenders, the weekend should be like
a cocoon, a safe place, free from contact with the “out-side
world”, a safe place where people can risk growing and changing
without fear of being embarrassed.
I
would like to suggest that, with a little care, it is very possible
for people coming in with food, Palanca, and even to help with the
behind-the-scene chores, to avoid contact with the weekenders. It’s
unfair to disrupt the flow of the weekend by creating curiosity
or even anxiety as to why a person who is not part of their perceived
safe environment is there. The team works very hard to create a
safe space in which the weekenders can open up their hearts. As
they take risks to grow and change, they may feel very vulnerable
at times. If someone “invades” this safe space, especially
the Talk Room, it may negate all the hard work that the team has
put into creating this level of trust. It is always better to avoid
interaction with the weekenders while visiting the facility. If
you have sponsored someone, and you bring them to the weekend, you
may stay for a short time at the reception, then say your goodbyes
and entrust them to the care of the team. Your trust in the team
will help foster their trust in the team. The next contact they
should have with the greater Community during the weekend should
be at the closing. At the closing, support and encouragement from
the greater Community – to help them take the next steps toward
taking advantage of the Fourth Day in carrying out their ministry
in the Episcopal Church and the world – is the best way of
all to help them feel lifted up as on eagles’ wings to go out
into the world and make a difference.
De
Colores
Joe Stewart
Quilt
Sandra
Cummins, Holy Spirit, Verona
A memory quilt will be presented to Carol Haefele by the team of Newark
#29 at the July Ultreya. Each member of the team contributed one square
to the quilt, and blank squares have been included for all weekenders
to sign. If you were a weekender on Newark #29, please make sure you
leave your mark on Carol’s quilt. Short prayers, blessings, “lightbulb
moments” that stirred you on your weekend are all appropriate
offerings to add to the quilt – we will provide fabric markers,
you bring the inspiration!
“The
Secretariat is the body which coordinates the Cursillo movement in
a diocese under the
guidance of the Bishop. The Servant Community is a group which continues
to study the Cursillo method and its application in specific environments.”
NECC Library, What is Cursillo pg. 7
Food
Palanca
Sue Calcagno, NewArk #30 Kitchen Head
The Kitchen Team of NewArk #30 is hoping that several Reunion Groups
or individuals will choose to provide meals for NewArk #30. Anyone
interested should call me and I will gladly accept their donation.
We have suggestions to offer and lots of options for delivery and
preparation.
Snack Palanca of the following types are needed:
Regular and Decaf Coffee
2 large boxes of cereal
many dozen cookies
apples
oranges
bananas
assorted chips
muffin mixes
muffins
raw vegetables
Hummus
salsa
cheese
hard boiled eggs
We need to keep in mind the needs of people on
low-carb, high protein, chocolate, vegetarian, low-fat,
low calorie, and any other kind of diet so
please offer other ideas for tasty and nutritious
treats. My telephone number is: 973-962-4246, or
e-mail me at: susanc@warwick.net.
De
Colores
Sue
NewArk
# 30
Wednesday, August 20 - Saturday, August 23, 2003
Clergy-Spouse/Partner “Weekend”
Please Note:
Closing will be Saturday afternoon, August 23, 2003
not Sunday!!!
Team:
Coordinator - Joe Stewart - (Group Reunion Talk)
Assistant Coordinator - Jan Paxton - (Ultreya Talk)
Head Spiritual Director - John Rollins (Grace, Obstacles to Grace,
Life in Grace Talks)
Assistant Spiritual Director - Kevin Coffey (Faith, Sacraments Talks)
Head of Music - Steve Giammarino
Assistant Music - Kathy Coffey (Piety Talk)
Head of Kitchen - Sue Calcagno (Ideal Talk)
Kitchen - Margaret Giammarino
Kitchen - Steve Rudowsky
Kitchen - Cathy Vonderhae
Kitchen - Bill Calcagno (Study Talk)
Head Physical - Claudia Rudowsky
Physical - Bob Heitzman
Physical - Erica Stewart
Physical - Linda Heitzman (Action Talk)
Head Table Leader - MaryBeth King (Leader Talk)
Table Leader - Don Cairns (Laity Talk)
Table Leader - Cathie Studwell (Environments Talk)
Table Leader - Lyn Headly-Moore (Christian Community in Action Talk)
Weekenders to date: Check the web page (click
here)
What
Is Palanca?
Palanca is a Spanish word that means, “lever”. Just
as a lever enables a person to move something, which is beyond normal
strength, Palanca empowers the accomplishments of things which would
not be possible without the Grace of God. Today, perhaps more than
ever, it is necessary to remind ourselves that without God we are
nothing, bereft of value, and incapable of doing anything. We must
reaffirm that before anything else, the most characteristic mark of
the Cursillo methodology ties in the whole concept of Palanca prayers,
sacrifices and works of mercy. Palanca must be genuine and offered
by communities and individuals living in union with Christ and each
other if the effectiveness of all other human efforts in the Movement
is to be assured. This is to take seriously the promise of Christ:
“Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and
it shall be opened to you” (Matt.7:7 NAB)
Cursillo Leaders Manual, 1998; pg. 135
Reminder:
Sort your palanca alphabetically by team and weekenders and by
day (Friday, Saturday).
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us
the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew
the face of the earth.
O God,who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts
of the faithful,grant
that by that same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever enjoy
your consolidations, through Christ our Lord.Amen
Positions Available
The team of NewArk #30 has two positions open and ready for folks
who would like to help:
Casa Support for the weekend (Set-up Tuesday, August 19 and Clean-up
Saturday, August 23 after closing)
and
Prayer Support: put together the prayer chain that will hold everyone
in prayer from Wednesday, August 20 through Saturday, August 23.
If you can fill
either of these positions or would be willing to help whoever coordinates
these jobs, please contact Joe Stewart (973-838-1469 or
JStewartiv@aol.com) or Jan Paxton (973-633-9648 or paxton@intac.com).
Dates
to Remember
Who
to Talk To
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