Sparrows

07/30/2026

Mr. Nick taught us about the 7 “I AM” statements of Jesus Christ; and identity of who you are in Christ

We played charades first time guessing about each other’s favorite sports.

7 “I AM” statements of Jesus

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07/29/2026

Fun time at Jollyman Park today.

We will be taking a break in August.

Have a wonderful rest of the summer and we will see you again in September!

07/24/2026

Happy birthday Max! 🎂

00:00 Max’s recital performance
3:22 How old is Max? Let’s guess
3:54 Fried chicken buckets birthday card
4:43 happy birthday song

00:00 Max’s recital performance 3:22 How old is Max? Let’s guess3...

07/22/2026

Who loves Games Day? Me! 🙋🏻‍♀️
🎯🥅⚽️🏀🏸🎣

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07/21/2026

Are you feeling joy zapping out of you? How do you reclaim joy?
When you hear the word joy, what exactly do you think of?
Joy is not happiness.
Happiness goes up and down depending on circumstances in our lives.
Joy is totally different. Joy has nothing to do with circumstances.
Joy comes from God and joy can be experienced in happy times and non-happy times. We can still have this deep sense of joy.

Let's look at 10 verses about joy.

* Nehemiah 8:10 - Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” They were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem which had been destroyed. And they were rebuilding it. Nehemiah said to the people who are sorrowing and weeping, Do not sorrow for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

One key we find out about joy is that Joy makes us strong. Joy gives us strength in life to go through very difficult times.

* Psalm 30:5 “...weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” It means that we can go through some very dark times, but God will bring joy in the midst of it. God will do that in our sorrows.

* Galatians 5:22 - The Fruit of the Spirit - joy is the second fruit of the Spirit right after love. The source of joy is not things going right for my life. The source of joy’s the Holy Spirit. We turn to the Holy Spirit to draw upon joy. And the Holy Spirit brings this joy as a fruit in our life that grows and ripens

* Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."
Rejoice is mentioned 454 times in the Bible. God cares about our joy. Choose joy! Did you know that you can actually choose joy? We can’t choose our circumstances, but we can choose misery or joy. We are called to choose joy. But Paul says, one of the reasons we can choose joy is because the Lord is near. That is our joy.

* John 15:11 This is Jesus talking in his last night of his life. “These things I’ve spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.” When we take time to let Jesus speak to us, that’s the key. Are you taking time to let Jesus speak to you? When you do, He is trying to impart joy to you and make it full in your life. We are in fellowship with him and we gain joy because He is the Source of joy.

* Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made. We will be glad and we will rejoice in it.” The reason you woke up, the reason you are breathing is because of God. God gave you another day of life. Because of this gift of life that we have, we will be glad and we will rejoice in it. It’s an intentional choice. I choose to be glad. I choose to rejoice.

* 2 John 12 “I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” You know what brings joy? Face to face in friendships. Nothing replace sitting physically present face to face in a relationship, we are able to experience joy with each other.

* Philemon 7 Y”our love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.” Did you know we can refresh each other? Did you know we can encourage each other and it will bring joy?

* 1 John 1:4 “We write this to make our joy complete.” The disciples have seen and touched the Messiah. They have heard him and felt him, and they’re proclaiming these things about him so that their joy may be complete and that they can join their fellowship. Part of hoy joy comes is when we stop just focusing on ourselves. When we share what we have been given by Christ with other people and we pull them into our joy. So joy has to do with giving.

* Isaiah 35:10 “and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Joy comes when God works in our lives to deliver us from difficult circumstances. That brings us joy. It is not dependent on the circumstances, and the real source of joy is not that the circumstances changed. It is that God is with us in the circumstance. God is with us when things aren’t going ok. He is that Source of joy. Joy happens is when we decide NOT to focus on the problem and what’s wrong. But God is saying “Look at Me. Let your attention be on Me and you will know joy. You will know that I’m near. You will know that I’m with you and you can have joy.”

Summary:
Joy is mentioned 454 times in the Bible
Joy is something we choose, we can be intentional about, we can have. It has nothing to do with circumstances.
Joy is not happiness based on circumstances going right or not or my feelings.
We can have joy all the time because the Lord is near, because Jesus lives in us and that is joy.

Be joyful today.

When you hear the word joy, what exactly do you think of?Joy is n...

07/15/2026

Last week our sparrows and caregivers shared about our favorite Bible verses.

Acts 2:3
“They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.”

Isaiah 43:2
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Philippians 1:6
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 6:10-18 Armor of God
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

John 3:16
““For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.””

Psalm 28:7
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”

Jeremiah 29:11
““For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Matthew 26:41
“Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For the spirit indeed is willing, but how weak the body is!”

Psalm 20:7
“Some trust in chariots. Some trust in horses. But we trust in the Lord our God.”

Philippians 4:13
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Galatians 5:22-23 - Fruit of the Spirit
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

What is your favorite Bible verse? Please share with us.

07/15/2026

Yesterday the weather was so hot in the 90s, what a perfect day for ice cream floats!

Mingles learning to take orders from one another and made ice cream floats for friends.

What would you like for your ice cream floats?
Vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, sugar free or non-dairy?
7-up or Sprite Zero sugar for the soda?

07/09/2026

How do you forgive someone 70 x 7 times?

Find out what Jesus teaches us in this parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:21-35)

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07/08/2026

Mingles’ Show & Tell - summer 2026

Show & Tell - summer 2026

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07/06/2026

Are you looking for a summer camp geared for neurodivergent adults or adults with extra needs?

https://www.emmausinnministries.org/camp

Welcome to Woodleaf, our mountain home for an amazing week together.
Emmaus Summer Camp 2026 —

Registration Now Open

We’re excited to announce that registration is now open for Emmaus Summer Camp 2026 — a joyful, welcoming camp designed especially for adults (18+) with disabilities and special needs. We can’t wait to share a week of friendship, fun, encouragement, and growing in faith together.

Who: Adults (18+) with disabilities and special needs
Dates: August 21–25, 2026
Location: Woodleaf Camp, 11359 La Porte Rd, Challenge, CA 95925
Camp Fee: $750 (Good news!

Families have been able to successfully receive Regional Center reimbursement over the last two years — ask your case manager for details.)

Registration Deadline: July 15, 2026 (or until full)
Questions?(408) 857-3087 • [email protected]

Please select the registration option that best describes your role. Each person attending camp must complete their own registration form.

Work Crew Registration (By Invitation Only)

Work Crew registration is available only for individuals who have been personally invited by Nick Palermo or Greg Yoder to serve on the Work Crew team.

Work Crew members help support the daily operations of camp, including assisting in the dining hall and kitchen, setup and cleanup, helping with games, supervising rides, and supporting snack bar operations.

If you have received an invitation, please use the form below to register.

➡‍ Register as Work Crew (Invitation Only)

https://form.jotform.com/260640354273150

Interested in serving on the Work Crew team? Work Crew members are typically recruited by invitation. If you would like to be considered for this role in the future, please contact Nick Palermo.(mailto:[email protected]?subject=Work%20Crew%20Inquiry%20-%20Emmaus%20Summer%20Camp%202026)
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Camper Registration (Adults with Disabilities)

This registration is for adults (18+) with disabilities or special needs who would like to attend Emmaus Summer Camp.

Campers will enjoy a joyful week of friendship, activities, encouragement, and spiritual growth in a safe and supportive environment.

Camp Fee: $750

Option 1 — Register and Pay (Request Regional Center Reimbursement)

Families who plan to pay directly by credit card should use this form ➡‍ ‍Register as a Camper.
https://pci.jotform.com/form/260418661076054

Option 2 — Regional Center SDP Client
⚠️ Important: If your FMS provider will be making the payment, please do not use the Camper Registration Form in Option 1. Please complete the SDP Client Registration Form below instead.

If you are unsure whether your camper is funded through SDP, please check with your Regional Center case manager.

If the camper is funded through the Regional Center Self-Determination Program (SDP) and payment will be made by your Financial Management Service (FMS), please follow these steps:

Step 1 - Complete the Regional Center SDP Client Form.
➡ SDP Client Registration

https://form.jotform.com/260556883231157

Step 2 - Ask your FMS provider to submit payment.
➡ FMS Payment Form

https://pci.jotform.com/form/260636299303157
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Parent / Guardian / Caregiver Attendee Registration

This registration is for parents, guardians or caregivers who plan to attend camp with a participant. Each attending parent or caregiver must complete their own registration form.

Parent / Guardian / Caregiver Fee: $485

➡ Register as a Parent or Caregiver

https://form.jotform.com/260617518835160
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Volunteer Leader Registration

We warmly invite volunteers who have a heart to serve adults with disabilities to join the Emmaus Summer Camp team.

Volunteer leaders help create a joyful and supportive environment by assisting campers, helping with activities, and building meaningful relationships.

Volunteer Leader Fee: $250

The volunteer fee is tax-deductible as a charitable contribution.

➡ Register as a Volunteer Leader

https://pci.jotform.com/form/260617882092159
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What to Expect at Camp

Friendship and community
Fun activities and games
Encouragement and belonging
A safe, supportive, and joyful environment
To reserve your spot, please complete the appropriate registration form and submit payment.

Spots are limited, and we encourage registering early.

Important Information: Registration fee is non-refundable (used to cover bookings and camp expenses). If you are a client of the Regional Center, you may be eligible for reimbursement—please contact your case manager for details.

If you have any questions about camp, reimbursement, or anything else, please don’t hesitate to reach out at [email protected]. We are here to help every step of the way!