Walk to Emmaus

A Journey

In the gospel of Luke 24:13–35, the risen Christ appears to two men who were going along the road Jerusalem to Emmaus. Picture two friends, walking together, sharing their hearts’ deepest concerns. Christ joins them, explaining the scriptures as they walk, and how it was ordained that Christ should suffer and so enter his glory. The illuminative climax of the experience is when Christ took bread and blessed it, then broke it and gave it to them. The two friends had their eyes opened and they recognized him as the Christ and they rushed back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples.

The History

Originating in Spain in the late 1940’s, this Catholic spiritual walk called Cursillo made its movement into Protestant faiths. In 1981, by mutual agreement between the Roman Catholic Cursillo movement and the Upper Room (a unit of the Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church), the name of the Protestant community was changed to Emmaus. The Emmaus movement is ecumenical.

The Purpose

The focus of Emmaus is God—as known in Jesus Christ and how that finds expression in the local church. The objective of Emmaus is to inspire, challenge, and equip church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, and place of work. Emmaus lifts up a way for our grace-filled life to be lived and shared with others.

A Spiritual Walk

The Walk to Emmaus is a three-day experience which takes a New Testament look at Christianity as a lifestyle. The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual walk, not a physical walk. Combining efforts of laity and clergy, Emmaus is designed to strengthen and renew one’s faith, and the local church through the development of Christian disciples.

Discover Emmaus

This spiritual walk is a 72-hour experience. The weekend begins on Thursday evening and ends Sunday evening. You live and study together in singing, prayer, worship and discussion. Discussions center around fifteen talks given by laity and clergy. You’ll discover how grace is real in your life, the Christian community, and the world. You’ll also discover how you can live in the life of grace, bringing grace to others. You will have the opportunity to participate in the daily celebration of Holy Communion and to begin to understand more fully the presence of Christ in the body of believer. You will experience God’s grace personally through the prayers and acts of service of a living support community.

Everyone is Welcome

Emmaus is for the development of Christian disciples who wish to strengthen their spiritual lives. While you may understand that being a Christian involves responsibility, you may have unanswered questions about prayer, study, and sharing your faith. No matter where you are in your relationship with Christ, the Walk to Emmaus is a safe retreat where you will find a community of friends who are seeking a deeper understanding of their faith.

We invite you to join in a refreshing weekend spent meeting Jesus as he comes to you through other Christians.

Interested persons must be sponsored by someone who has attended an Emmaus Walk. An application must be completed and signed by a minister. Participant applications are available at the church office, the Information Center, or for download in the sidebar to the right.