Cleopas & Company

2118 Old Dixie

Richmond, TX 77469

“Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, our mission is to share the

Truth of the Risen Christ with the world”

2010 Fall/Winter Newsletter and Report

To our friends who know us – WELCOME!! – We have good news!

To those who wonder who we are and what we do – here is what is going on…

Cleopas & Company is dedicated to providing quality Christian youth retreats and programs for teens, pre-teens, and young people of all ages. By ministering to young people and the loving adults who serve them, our prayer is to be able to share our love for God and His church, through personal experience, the Holy Scriptures, and sound Christian teaching.

We have been in retreat ministry for over 20 years. The name Cleopas & Company (see Luke 24) came about in the year 2000, and the Not for Profit Corporation and 501(c)(3) Charitable Organization came together in 2007.  During these 20 years we have facilitated over 200 retreats and Days of Prayer all over the United States, serving over 9,000 teens and their ministers!  At each of these events, the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and the opportunity to find Him in our everyday lives has been explored.  And at each one, all received the message and many lives were forever changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Early on, God inspired us with a plan.  A summary of a report a few years ago describes it like this:

“One area that has always been a concern for us is the expense that a church or youth group has to put on a retreat.  We feel that we should be able to offer our services as facilitators and trainers at no cost to the youth.  Of course, we pray that the church or group would want to contribute so that this ministry can continue.  We pray that charitable funding will allow us to offer our services (facilitators, supplies, travel, expenses, etc.) to these groups – gratis.  We also pray that the charitable funding and any honorariums that are given will cover all costs so that any group – wealthy or needy – can have the same quality retreat experience.  From whom much is given, much is expected… pay it forward, so to speak.  We would like to train another retreat facilitator team and outfit that team so that we can meet more of the requests.  The cost per year for the expenses (travel, lodging, materials, stipends, etc.) is quite expensive. We would like to have several years of that expense covered so that we can truly be a gratis ministry and learn to get funding and people trained during that time.”

We are happy to report that this need has been met for the next few years.  We have trained another team, and hope to begin to recruit for a third team, and to explore the possibility of adding music ministers to the programs.  God has truly blessed the ministry He has given us, and we will strive to continue to be good stewards of His gifts.

Along the same lines, we have discovered that there is a definite shortage of youth-centered retreat facilities in this general area.  This brings to light our next God-inspired goal: provide a retreat facility which could eventually be operated in the same way as the facilitator ministry. 

A quality retreat center would be available to all groups, with the worry of “How can we afford this?” and “Our group is too small, they will not let us use the facility” taken away.  Charitable funding to purchase land and build such a facility is really on our hearts.  With enough funding and honorariums the facility would be self-supporting and available to all.  We believe that this God-given goal can soon be a reality.  God could touch another 5,000 to 7,000 lives a year at this Center!! 

We believe that a retreat center located in the Hallettsville/Shiner area would be ideal as it is close enough to Houston, Victoria, San Antonio, Austin and Bryan/College Station that it would be easy for all of these areas to access.  We have been able to visit and work at the Eagles Wings retreat center in Burnet. The folks there have offered their help in design and operating experience. This need for another facility is apparent to them also.

So, we need prayers, prayers and more prayers, as well as volunteers and funding!!  On that note, we are starting a fund raising effort to accomplish what God has put on our hearts.

Can you help us??

Could you (or someone you know) consider donating to this effort for our youth??  An ongoing gift of $5, $10, $20, $50 or more per month will definitely help. Or a one-time gift of any amount that fits your budget shortens the trip to the goal.

Please pray about this and please pass this newsletter along to everyone that you know that believes in our youth and a cause like this, and encourage them to pray for us and to consider being a supporter! (At the top of this page is a link to a PDF of this newsletter that you can download and print or attach in emails.)

You can mail your tax exempt contribution to: 

Cleopas and Company

2118 Old Dixie Drive

Richmond, Texas 77406

Or visit us on the web at www.cleopasandcompany.org – The donations page will be up and running soon!!

Thanks, and GOD BLESS!!!!

Randy Jordan, Gordie Allen, Brick Hodge - Directors