This year the Fourth Day Community of Oklahoma celebrates a true milestone event. In 2001, the Cursillo movement will hold weekends 100, 101, and 102. We are indebted to Bishop Powell for bringing Cursillo to Oklahoma when it was still an infant organization in the Episcopal Church. Equally so, we give thanks for the guidance and care provided by Bishop McAllister for many years.
    Today we find ourselves at this milestone in the company of two good friends. Lance and Bishop Bob Moody have both given in powerful ways to enriching and serving the church through Cursillo. With them we look back at one hundred spiritual directors and lay rectors praying and working to find the right team that God had already chosen. There have been hundreds of opportunities for a friend to invite a friend to a weekend of retreat and renewal. A hundred times, dozens of people have stood before an altar at St. Crispin's and signed a book of promise. To God's glory, those promises made have been kept. Witness is given to the Gospel each Fourth Day. Individually and as Christian community, piety and study continue to lead to apostolic action in amazing pathways across the diocese and beyond.
    But we are merely pausing at this mile maker on the journey. As we look forward we are called to bring the opportunities of the Cursillo method to others. In the near future you will be learning of new ways that you can help develop more leaders of the church. The next few years in Oklahoma Cursillo will be exciting. I hope you will be involved.

Ultreya! Allen Mann, Oklahoma Cursillo #77

Mary Horner attended Cursillo #1 held at St. Crispin's in 1971. She says this was a normal Cursillo weekend, put on by the Catholic Church, except that some people who were chosen and consented to being on team were taken aside after particular talks, and given hints and instructions on how to prepare for giving the same talks. She was trained to give the Bible Study talk, and followed through by giving it, beginning with Cursillo #2. She recalls it being tough getting up that early in the morning. The custom then was to deliver coffee to each room while singing to awaken everyone. Learning the Spanish words was fun for her. Best of all, she remembers being part of group reunions and hearing of couples reconciling.

    Finding and maintaining a group reunion can be very challenging. Some folks live in communities with only a few Cursillistas. Others have difficulties finding a meeting time that works. A few suggestions about how to tackle these issues.
    First ­ you don't have to group with someone who has been to Cursillo. You can form a Group with anyone who has an interest in a deeper commitment to living life as a Christian. The group members don't have to be Episcopalian. That's right. You can group with Methodist, Presbyterians, Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans. Second ­ remember two is a Group. It is easy to think that two is not enough but where two or more are gathered you have a Group.
    Finally ­ if a standard meeting time doesn't work, you can always make scheduling the next group meeting a part of each meeting's agenda.
    Just a few thoughts about how to get a Group Reunion going. If you don't have a Group, you are missing the most wonderful part of what Cursillo is all about.

The Church of the Resurrection (Oklahoma City) has been re-energizing the Cursillo movement at their parish by having monthly events called "Almost Ultreya." For the past several months, the events have been held in the homes of parishioners. They begin with a potluck meal, followed by a fourth day. The most recent agenda included preparing candidate and team member notebooks for the men's Cursillo. We had a division of labor on our project with some coloring roosters, others cutting the roosters out, some pasting the roosters on the covers, while others were putting the notebooks together. Another group was gathered around colored tissue paper, cutting, folding and twisting to make new paper flowers for the agape dinner.
    At our monthly meetings, we talk about potential candidates for the next Cursillo and discuss who will do the recruiting. We also discuss what we will do as a group to do a community action project. A "good deeds" event is being discussed in which Cursillistas will respond to the needs of other parishioners by doing small, but important, acts such as changing light bulbs for the elderly.
    Resurrection has more than 30 Cursillistas, many of whom have not been active in the movement for many years. The "Almost Ultreya" serves as a re-entry into the movement. About two-thirds of Resurrection's Cusillistas are currently involved.

Palanca ­ Spanish word that means a lever. This lever is one of prayer. Prayer is an intricate part of our Cursillo weekend. All of us felt this lever during our Cursillo. Many people were praying for us during our weekend.  Some we knew and some we will never meet.
    There are several different types of Palanca introduced during the weekend. One is the personal Palanca we found on our pillows each day, sent by our friends in the Cursillo community. Their words of inspiration meant so much each evening or morning. It was very special to me to receive these notes and to know that others were thinking and praying for me.
    The other types of Palanca are introduced to us on Friday afternoon. The Palanca letters from all over the nation and world are read to us by a Spiritual Director. We realize that there is a vast community of Christians all over the world that is praying for us during our Cursillo. These are put in the Palanca chapel for the rest of the weekend. The most spiritual part of my weekend was when we got to enter the Palanca Chapel for the first time. I felt the Holy Spirit as I entered the Palanca Chapel and saw the letters covering the walls, and the candles burning for each person attending the weekend. It was overwhelming to me to know that people cared so much for me to be thinking of me and praying for me.
   A more tangible Palanca introduced on Friday afternoon is all the food and drinks provided by the Cursillo community. We never seem to go hungry for the rest of the weekend, thanks to all who care enough to send that wonderful Palanca.
    As a sponsor for someone to attend a Cursillo, we are responsible to provide some type of Palanca. The prayers, notes and goodies we send the candidates and team members are a valuable part of the weekend. Even if we don't sponsor someone, every Cursillista should remember the candidates in their prayers. The candidates and team members need our support. Palanca is a very spiritual way to show we care. Please use this important lever to make every Cursillo a very blessed one for each person attending.