Emmaus Ministries Renewing Christian Disciples, Strengthening Local Churches
Reclaiming Our Mission Conversation Guide
Each of the Emmaus Ministries programs is designed to be an extraordinary act of love. From this outpouring of love we live out our mission, renewing Christian disciples and strengthening local churches.
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The “Why” Initiative Dear Community Leader, The “Why” Initiative was developed to help you support local Emmaus Ministries Communities in their effort to fulfill their mission. By reflecting on and having conversation about the provided material, Emmaus Ministries Communities will move toward making a life-changing impact on individuals and on local churches. Emmaus Ministries Communities are made up of individuals from various religious, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, with a diversity of views on a multitude of issues. These communities interact with a variety of Fourth Day ministries, each with a specific mission. They all operate in a world that is increasingly focused on instant gratification, where depth of thought is not necessarily the norm. These are realities that, in many instances, have contributed to a loss of focus and effectiveness in Emmaus Ministries Communities. With 40 years of experience in our ministries, we know that the opportunities offered through Emmaus Ministries can strengthen local churches by providing a welcome time of unity with one another, an experience of God’s grace, and renewal for Christian disciples. This conversation is meant to provide a space for Communities to continue reflecting on how to fulfill their mission. We hope that by the end of this time together, each Community can give insight and empowerment to its board to highlight three areas in which it will be working at effecting change in the coming year.
Prayerfully, Stephane Brooks Spiritual Director of Emmaus Ministries The Upper Room
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The Conversation Who should be part of it? The conversation should bring together the entire Board of Directors and all other interested lay and ordained Community members.
Who should lead it? Apart from an Emmaus Ministries Office staff member or consultant, any Community board member, Community trainer, or other well-known Community leader may facilitate this session. Think about who understands the material and might be gifted to serve in the role of facilitator. You might consider someone who excelled at serving as a Table Leader and is comfortable being in front of a group.
How to prepare to lead the session •
View the “Why We Do What We Do” slides. (The presentation is available from Emmaus Ministries Office.)
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Assess your own image of an ideal Emmaus Ministries Community that is fulfilling its mission to renew Christian disciples and strengthen local churches through o partnering with local churches o helping renew their members’ commitment to the Christian faith and to leadership through the local church o contributing to Community members’ and local churches’ ongoing growth in grace
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Spend time in prayer, small groups, and other spiritual practices to prepare yourself spiritually. (See Resources on page 13.)
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Read through this booklet thoroughly. Prepare notes for yourself and consider using other materials that can improve the session for participants.
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Prepare a spiritual practice in advance that will center participants as the session begins. (See examples of spiritual practices on page 14.)
Understanding What It Means for an Emmaus Ministries Community to Live into Its Mission Renewing Christian disciples and strengthening local churches for their mission For an Emmaus Ministries Community to be successful: •
It needs to be in partnership with local churches.
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It must contribute to the renewal of individuals’ faith and facilitate ongoing spiritual growth for various age groups and life stages.
• It needs to renew persons’ commitment to leadership in their church.
Therefore, a successful Emmaus Ministries Community starts with a strong local *Board of Directors. Before the event The Emmaus Ministries Community needs to have: •
a commitment to growth in the life of grace. *Fourth Day
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an understanding of the local church’s mission and how it is fulfilled.
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an understanding of the connection between the local church’s mission and its own mission.
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a plan for reaching out to local churches: *Outreach o sharing its mission o inviting participation *Sponsorship; Promotion/Recruitment
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respect for The Upper Room model(s) for strengthening Christian disciples. *The Model(s)
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a desire to provide “graduates” with leadership opportunities. *Team Selection
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During the event The Emmaus Ministries Community •
provides environments of grace in which participants thrive. *Our theological foundation
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carries out events that comply with The Upper Room model(s) for strengthening Christian disciples.
Following the event The Emmaus Ministries Community •
follows up with participants by: o facilitating growth in Piety, Study, and Action in the Fourth Day. o encouraging further participation in the Community’s mission. *Fourth Day, team, clergy, database o providing leadership opportunities. *Team Selection o ensuring the healthy return of pilgrims to the local church. *Relationship with local church o encouraging active participation in the local church’s ministry. *Local church’s offerings and ministries
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follows up with local churches by: o building and strengthening relationships of trust and getting to know local church’s offerings and ministries. o empowering members of the local church who have participated in Emmaus Ministries to share information and sponsor additional church members. o partnering with lay and clergy leaders in the local church to share information about Emmaus Ministries.
*Red text indicates possible areas of training/attention for the Community.
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Beginning the Conversation Create a safe, open environment for individuals and small groups to share. At some point during the conversation, small groups will be invited to share. These times of sharing will help shape the future of the local Emmaus Ministries Community. Therefore, it is important to create safe spaces in which participants may share openly. The Circle of Trust Touchstones from The Center for Courage and Renewal is a helpful resource for that process.
Lead participants in a meaningful spiritual practice. “We must balance the outer work with the inner work. Inner work begins with carving out the space and time required to center ourselves in God. When we do this, and when we’ve yielded afresh … we return to the work of the day reordered, more aware and more attuned to the gracious presence of the One who calls us forward.” —Stephen D. Bryant, Tending the Soul of the Congregation
See pages 13–14 for helpful resources.
Share the Emmaus Ministries mission For various reasons, many Emmaus Ministries communities have lost focus on their mission. Some communities began in the early 1980s with traditions from Cursillo and never adapted to The Upper Room Emmaus Ministries model. Others began after that period and have been in partnership with other Fourth Day ministries. Some communities have gotten lost in the mechanics of holding events. In that process, the Emmaus Ministries Office spent a lot of time providing training on the what and the how, and together, we lost focus on why we do what we do. •
Share the “Why We Do What We Do” PowerPoint presentation with the group.
Conversation Starters •
Place participants in small groups (divide into Pre-event, Event, and Post-event groups with 3–6 people in each group) and ask them to “paint” a picture of an Emmaus Ministries Community that is living into its mission—contributing to the renewal of Christian disciples and strengthening local churches. Please note that you are not asking participants to describe their own Community.
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For this exercise, give each group a sheet from a sticky-note easel pad and a felt-tip marker.
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After all groups have shared their findings, the facilitator will complete the picture by sharing the “Healthy Emmaus Ministries Community” PowerPoint presentation as well as information found on pages 10–12 of this document.
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Once the “picture” has been completed, ask participants to highlight the similarities between the Community they just described and their local Emmaus Ministries Community.
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Find out in what ways the two communities are different.
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Get participants to share what it will take (changes, reorganization, etc.) for their Community to fully live into the Emmaus Ministries mission.
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As participants share, take notes on an easel pad.
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Next Steps Ask the group to give guidance to the Board on what they feel are the top two or three priorities that will help their Community live into the mission. •
Choose a point person for each priority. This might be a board member or a leader in the Community. If that person is not present, determine who will share this conversation with them.
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Who can help these point persons develop actionable next steps for their priority?
For the facilitator At this point, the Community should have identified a list of 2–3 priorities and the ad-hoc committees that will be leading the change in the specific areas.
For personal reflection Copy the following questions and leave them with each participant: •
Based on your renewed understanding of this Emmaus Ministries Community mission, what changes might you make in your personal spiritual journey?
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What contribution does this renewed understanding inspire you to make for the renewal of your Emmaus Ministries Community?
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During the Conversation Highlight the following characteristics of a healthy Community living into its mission: Board of Directors The local Emmaus Ministries Board of Directors governs the local Emmaus movement and oversees the quality of the program(s). The Board of Directors is responsible for ensuring that the Community’s ministries comply with the model(s) provided by The Upper Room Emmaus Ministries Office.
Fourth Day The term Fourth Day refers to the rest of a participant’s life after attending an Emmaus Ministries event. During this time, continued growth in grace is emphasized and facilitated by the Emmaus Ministries Community and the local church. “In healthy Emmaus Communities, this Fourth Day perspective and emphasis involves helping Community members stay connected with their local church organizations as a common faith community and in [Emmaus Ministries] small support groups for mutual encouragement, guidance, and accountability.” —Emmaus Ministries Community Manual
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The local church’s mission It is important to reflect on the local church’s mission, its intersection with the Emmaus Ministries mission, and the need for Community outreach. The church’s mission is to make and strengthen disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Emmaus Ministries renew Christian disciples and strengthen local churches for their mission through leadership development. Emmaus Ministries Communities that are living into their mission develop, empower, and equip outreach committees through which they form partnerships with and invite the participation of local churches.
Sponsorship, promotion/recruitment Some Emmaus Ministries Communities invite the participation of local churches through a sponsorship model. Others use a promotion/recruitment model. Emmaus Ministries Communities that are living into their mission have well-trained members who sponsor, recruit well, and follow up with participants after each Emmaus Ministries event.
The Upper Room Emmaus Ministries models The Emmaus Ministries models are owned, copyrighted, administered, and offered by The Upper Room. In signing the annual covenant letter, members of the Community Board of Directors agree to learn the model(s) and to be faithful to it (them) in the various stages of each event. In doing so, they help ensure consistent quality and a common experience of Emmaus Ministries, honor the integrity of sponsors, and facilitate every participant’s experience of the worldwide Emmaus movement. Emmaus Ministries Communities that are living into their mission are faithful to The Upper Room’s models for The Walk to Emmaus, Discovery Weekends, Chrysalis, Journey to the Table, and Face to Face.
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Team selection process The Team Selection Committee, Board of Directors, and lay and clergy leaders of each Emmaus event work together to choose the leadership team for each event. Using the Community’s database, they work at putting together the best event teams, taking into consideration the One-Third Rule and the progressive servanthood model. When team selection is done properly, all Community members—clergy and laity—have an incentive to remain connected to the Community, opportunities to grow in their leadership and develop self-assurance, and opportunities to grow spiritually through service. Emmaus Ministries Communities that are living into their mission are faithful to the team selection process.
The theology of the Emmaus Ministries The Emmaus Ministries rest on a Wesleyan understanding of God’s grace and unconditional love that has three expressions: prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace. During the Emmaus Ministries event, this grace is not only talked about but also the Community—including the event leadership team—seeks to express that grace in concrete ways. This understanding of grace is central, since it is this aspect of God that is highly transformative. Grace leads participants to affirm that (1) the gospel is true, (2) God is real, (3) God loves them, and (4) fullness of life in God is more than just a grand story. Therefore, it matters that Communities focus on offering model events that provide an environment of grace in which individuals thrive. Emmaus Ministries Communities that are living into their mission reveal grace, grow in grace, and encourage others to share grace.
Returning pilgrims to their local church Emmaus Ministries events are intense encounters with God and with the Christian faith. Participants usually come away with renewed commitment to their faith, family, and local church. These experiences are so positive that many people have difficulties returning to their local churches, where they find themselves confronted with reality immediately upon descending from the mountaintop. Emmaus Ministries participants return to their local churches renewed in their faith to invest themselves as disciples of Jesus Christ and to bring renewal to the church. Emmaus Ministries Communities that are living into their mission facilitate participants’ reintegration into their local church. 12
Resources for Spiritual Practice Tending the Soul of the Congregation View this booklet online or download a free PDF for reflections on scripture and other readings to help discern how you can assist spiritual vitality in your Community and in local churches. https://www.upperroom.org/resources/tending-the-soul-of-thecongregation
Spoken into Being by Michael E. Williams In this book on storytelling as spiritual exploration, Williams shares stories from his life and offers practical prompts that guide us to tell our own stories and share stories with each other. https://upperroombooks.com/book/spoken-into-being/
Lectio Divina Praying the scriptures. When we pray the scriptures, we begin by reading a few verses of the Bible. We read unhurriedly so that we can listen for the message God has for us there. https://www.upperroom.org/resources/lectio-divina-praying-the-scriptures
Ignatian Prayer Think of the Ignatian Method of prayer as a sort of virtual experience of the scripture where you read the scripture and then create in your mind a short film about what you read. https://www.upperroom.org/resources/the-ignatian-methodof-prayer
Centering Prayer In Centering Prayer, you choose a word that expresses your desire to be in an intimate relationship with God. This word says you intend to enter that secret room of communion with God. https://www.upperroom.org/resources/centering-prayer
One Breath at a Time by J. Dana Trent A guide to beginning a Christian meditation practice. https://upperroombooks.com/book/one-breath-at-a-time/
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Touchstones for Circles of Trust couragerenewal.org/PDFs/CourageRenewal-CircleOfTrust-Touchstones-stones(c)2016-web.pdf
Examples of spiritual practices •
Devotional time using The Upper Room daily devotional guide—see “An Easy Plan to Use The Upper Room in Small Groups” included in each issue.
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Lectio divina with Acts 2:41-47 https://www.upperroom.org/resources/lectio-divina-praying-the-scriptures
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Loving-kindness meditation from One Breath at a Time by J. Dana Trent https://upperroombooks.com/book/one-breath-at-a-time/
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Ignatian prayer exercise https://www.upperroom.org/resources/the-ignatian-method-of-prayer
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Selected exercises from Tending the Soul of the Congregation https://www.upperroom.org/resources/tending-the-soul-of-the-congregation
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Centering Prayer https://www.upperroom.org/resources/centering-prayer
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Storytelling prompt from Spoken into Being by Michael E. Williams https://upperroombooks.com/book/spoken-into-being/
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