Inside Emerge

August 29, 2024

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.”
– Psalm 90:17

Service Anniversaries & Birthdays

Birthdays
Kathryn Wurtz – Thu, Aug 1
Erica Rhoads (PA) – Fri, Aug 9
Dr. Pat Barrett – Wed, Aug 14
Jacob Galligan – Wed, Aug 14
James Rockhold – Wed, Aug 14
Matthew Knabe – Sat, Aug 17
Pamela Crosby – Wed, Aug 21
Don Hartwell – Sat, Aug 24
Gail Marsh – Tue, Aug 27

Service AnniversariesDr. Dave Blankenship – 4 years
Jacob Galligan – 1 year
Claire Gau – 8 years
Jackie McLaughlin – 2 years
Dr. Rick Serbin – 26 years
Jason Tourville (PA) – 3 years
Connie Williams – 3 years

Counseling Groups

Calming The Chaos

Begins Tuesday, September 3
Led by Maribeth Lieberth, MA, LPCC
12 weekly sessions for adults ages 18+

An educational support group for adults struggling with “out of control” thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

  • Learn skills to increase satisfaction in relationships and have your needs met.
  • Learn how emotions work and how to gain more control over yours.
  • Learn skills to move through the difficult times.
  • Learn skills to increase your awareness of your surroundings and situations.
  • Practice claiming God’s promised peace in the midst of our chaotic broken world.

From Conflict to Peace: Creating Positive Change in Relationships

Begins Thursday, October 10
Led by Alexa Riemenschneider, CT
8 weekly sessions for adults ages 18+

An educational support group for adults looking to create positive change in relationships.

  • Learn how to manage conflict in relationships.
  • Utilize loving confrontation, apology, and forgiveness.
  • Learn about boundaries and how to implement them in relationships.

Prayer Requests

Continue to pray for Matt Smith’s brother, Paul.

Thanking the Lord for a successful surgery and that during recovery, the infection does not return.

Please keep Matthew Knabe’s mother-in-law, Brenda Kaufman, in your prayers

She was diagnosed with ALS in December and recently had a fall, breaking her hip. Brenda needed emergency surgery to have a screw put in. She has been through a lot with ALS and will be in a recovery program for a while. Let’s pray for her, Matt’s wife Amy, and their entire family as they navigate these difficult times with Brenda’s health

Prayer for AG Ohio Leader & Emerge Board Member, John Wootton

Many of you may know the name and person, Pastor John Wootton, who is the District Leader for the Ohio Assemblies of God Churches and has been a beloved member of the Emerge Board for many years. John has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer. His first phase of chemotherapy was very difficult. Thankfully, this next phase hasn’t created as much sickness, fatigue and physical pain.

We are grateful for the faithful support and partnership that John and the Ohio Ministry Team have provided Emerge. Please join us as we pray for John’s healing and continued strength. Click below to read more from John related to his most recent updates.

OMN Family:

Brigette and I both want to thank our Ohio Ministry Network family for your continued outpouring of love, support, and faith filled prayers! We wanted to provide this update on how things are going with treatments for my cancer and how things are progressing with work and ministry over the summer so far.

We are grateful to report that I have now completed my third round of chemo and immunotherapy in Columbus. Unlike the first round which presented a number of physical challenges, the last two rounds in June and July have proven to be much more manageable, for which we praise the Lord! We are now preparing for the fourth round sometime in August, after which we will receive some scans and hear from our oncologist on any marks of progress. I can already tell on my own that there appears to be an improvement in reduction of discomfort and daily rebounds toward more strength.

God continues to be so real and so present, and the outpouring of prayer and encouragement from all of you means more than you can imagine! We are so blessed to be part of this great Ohio Network. At the same time, we are daily reminded of similar cancer and serious heath battles that others in our OMN family are facing. It is so powerful that we can lift each other up in faith-filled prayer and support!

— John Wootton

Welcome, Cristi Goldfuss!

Once upon a time… in the quaint town of Downtown Willoughby, Ohio, a young woman named Cristi Goldfuss, found herself immersed in the bustling energy of her college town. Despite calling Ohio home, Cristi was a true nomad at heart, always seeking new experiences and adventures. She was a student at Ursuline College in Mayfield, Ohio, where she pursued her passion for learning and personal growth.

One fateful day, Cristi stumbled upon a thought-provoking podcast called Experience Emerge (ExEm) while listening to an episode on trauma. This encounter sparked an insatiable curiosity within her and she found herself deeply inspired by the stories and wisdom shared by individuals like Rachael Denhollander, Diane Langberg, Simone Biles, and her own family. The ExEm Podcast and Diane Morgan’s “Give Grief a Chance” left a profound impact on Cristi, shaping her perspectives and guiding her through her own personal journey. Cristi has been inspired by many authors such as, “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund because it shows Christ’s gentle heart. “Nothing Wasted” by Kasey Van Norman reminded her that no one is too far from grace, and He loves everyone of His children. “Jesus Through the Eyes of Women” by Rebecca McLaughlin highlights Jesus’ love for women, and “Love Does” by Bob Goff speaks to how our actions are powerful to reflect love.

Throughout her life, Cristi had often felt misunderstood, driving her to be the person her younger self had needed while reflecting the gentle and loving heart of Christ. Despite her internal struggles, she has learned to cherish the simple joys of life like her surroundings, relishing in the tranquility of being just 10 minutes away from the peaceful lake. There, she finds solace in hiking, reading, swimming, and spending quality time with friends. In addition to her scholarly pursuits, Cristi had a deep passion for artistry, particularly in flowers and pottery. Having been a florist in the past, she poured her heart and soul into adorning her two best friends’ weddings with exquisite floral arrangements. Her love for pottery, especially throwing on the wheel, stemmed from her upbringing in Mexico City, where she had been exposed to the rich tapestry of art and culture. Above all, Cristi treasured the simplicity of life’s gestures—encouraging notes, a thoughtful cup of coffee, and the warmth of a friend’s embrace continue to be the true treasures that filled her heart with joy.
As the sun sets over the horizon, Cristi’s heart is filled with gratitude for the myriad experiences that has shaped her. With each passing day, she finds herself embracing the beauty of life’s journey and the profound connections that has enriched her world.

The end?
Or just the beginning?

Operations Update

Matt Knabe

We are excited to announce our new partnership with Cedarstone, a company that has been supporting nonprofits since the early 90s. Cedarstone specializes in providing integrated business services tailored for nonprofit organizations, helping nonprofit leaders achieve their missions more effectively.

As part of this transition, Cedarstone will become our new accounting team. They will be onboarding over the next month and are expected to go live by mid-September. Cedarstone will assist in streamlining our payroll process, though we will continue using Paylocity.

In addition to their accounting services, Cedarstone provides consulting services for Virtuous. They will be helping our fundraising team better utilize Virtuous to enhance our fundraising efforts.

Scott will continue to oversee our finances as the Director of Finance, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition. We believe this partnership with Cedarstone will enhance our operational efficiency and support our mission at Emerge.

AUG
15

Chapel

11:00am–12:00pm
CPD

AUG
29

Summer Picnic + Welcome to Fall

11:00am–1:00pm

Join us for our 5th Thursday Event! We will be having a cookout with grilled-smoked chicken provided by Dr. & Pamela Crosby — (thank you Crosbys!! ❤️) with additional cold or hot sides, salads, and desserts. Please click here to use the Genius Signup and add to the menu.

As we close out a season we will welcome a new one by welcoming new clinicians and interns to the team, eating outside together (weather permitting 😀), playing games, and enjoying great food Everyone is also encouraged to bring a lawn chair and/or blankets to use during our “game time” and your competitive spirit!

AUG
30

Ethics Training

9:00am–12:00pm

Registration Deadline – August 29
Led by Tina Likovetz, MA, IMFT
3 Continuing Education Credits offered

OCT
18-19

Reclaimed Surrendered Sexuality Conference

Registration Opened August 1

Worship Leader: Ta’Erra McKinney

Join Dr. Juli Slattery, Jackie Hill Perry, and other powerful speakers to learn how knowing Jesus really does change everything, including how we navigate sexuality.

Click here for more information.

Front Desk Updates

Scheduling Clients Out
Please make sure to update the front desk if you are allowing clients to schedule more than 2 appointments at a time. An email was sent last week with a form attached but you can always send us a quick email, as well. We appreciate it!

Team Portal

Whether you’re new or have been on the Emerge team a while, you may not be aware of the non-public pertinent information located on the website just for the Emerge team. The Team Portal can be accessed at Emerge.org/portal and features the following:

  • The Marketing Request Form can be used to order business cards, printing projects, or special communication requests.

  • A great way to keep up with your colleagues’ birthdays, prayer requests, and upcoming events is to click on the Inside Emerge tab. Do you have a prayer request, an important announcement, or event to post in the weekly I.E.? Fill out the form located in the same portal, Inside Emerge Request Form.

  • The Clinical Teams page is an excellent way for all the clinicians to stay up to date with teams you can participate in for collaboration, training, new initiatives, and more!

Latest ExEm Podcast Episode

Support the Experience Emerge Podcast and sign up for Instacart!

SEASON 5  •  EPISODE 11

A Secret You Would Never Have Believed

Our guest, Vaughn Fink, takes us deeper into his journey through trauma and adversity, revealing a family secret that you won’t believe. After years of enduring pain and hardship, Vaughn discovered a truth about his family that shook him to his core—something hidden away for decades, only coming to light after the passing of his father. Join Vaughn as he shares the shocking details of this revelation, the impact it had on his faith, and how he found the strength to move forward. This is a story of resilience, redemption, and the incredible ways faith can guide us through even the most unimaginable trials.

IE Requests

IE requests to be submitted on or before each Thursday. You can include prayer requests, suggested social media posts (scriptures, phrases, and quotes), fun facts, team leaders announcements, calendar events, etc.

You’ll find the Inside Emerge Request form on the Team Portal, and for a variety of promo materials, please submit through the Marketing Request form.

IE Archive

As an ongoing reference, you can now view previous posts of Inside Emerge with the IE Archive.

Office Supplies

Most of the office supply orders are now through Amazon. If you need something ordered, please check Amazon and send your order selection to Jenn Joseph.

Due to a local winter storm warning, Emerge Counseling Ministries will be closed Friday, January 19th and will reopen pending improved weather conditions. We are offering telehealth appointments only pending the clinician’s availability to do so.