CSUMC

What is Emmaus?


The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual renewal program intended to strengthen the local church through the development of Christian disciples and leaders. The program's approach seriously considers the model of Christ's servanthood and encourages Christ's disciples to act in ways appropriate to being "a servant of all."

 The Walk to Emmaus experience begins with a 72-hour short course in Christianity, comprised of fifteen talks by lay and clergy on the themes of God's grace, disciplines of Christian discipleship, and what it means to be the church. The course is wrapped in prayer and meditation, special times of worship and daily celebration of Holy Communion. The "Emmaus community," made up of those who have attended an Emmaus weekend, support the 72-hour experience with a prayer vigil, by preparing and serving meals, and other acts of love and self-giving. The Emmaus Walk typically begins Thursday evening and concludes Sunday evening. Men and women attend separate weekends.

 During and after the three days, Emmaus leaders encourage participants to meet regularly in small groups. The members of the small groups challenge and support one another in faithful living. Participants seek to Christianize their environments of family, job, and community through the ministry of their congregations. The three-day Emmaus experience and follow-up groups strengthen and renew Christian people as disciples of Jesus Christ and as active members of the body of Christ in mission to the world.

 The Upper Room, a ministry unit of the General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, sponsors the Walk to Emmaus and offers it through local Emmaus groups around the world. Although connected through The Upper Room to The United Methodist Church, The Walk to Emmaus is ecumenical.

 The Walk to Emmaus® gets its name from the story in Luke 24:13-35, which provides the central image for the three-day experience and follow-up. Luke tells the story of that first Easter afternoon when the risen Christ appeared to the two disciples who were walking together along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Like Christians and churches who are blinded by preoccupation with their own immediate difficulties, these two disciples' sadness and hopelessness seemed to prevent them from seeing God's redemptive purpose in things that had happened.

 And yet, the risen Christ "came near and went with them," opening the disciples' eyes to his presence and lighting the fire of God's love in their hearts. As they walked to Emmaus, Jesus explained to them the meaning of all the scriptures concerning himself. When they arrived in Emmaus, Jesus "took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them," and their eyes were opened. They recognized him as Jesus, the risen Lord, and they remembered how their hearts had burned within them as they talked with him on the road. Within the hour, the two disciples left Emmaus and returned immediately to their friends in Jerusalem. As they told stories about their encounters with the risen Lord, Jesus visited them again with a fresh awareness of his living presence.

Visit the Central Alabama Emmaus Community website for more information:

www.caew.org

Selma Cluster meets at Church Street United Methoodist Church, the first Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm.  We have a covered dish supper, enjoy fellowship, share in singing, hear from our new Emmaus members,  hear Fourth Day Speakers, and celebrate Communion.

Reunion Groups
(This list changes from time to time.)

G.R.A.C.E. Reunion Group - Mondays at 3:30pm at Church Street.

Valley Grande Fishers of Men - Meets each Tuesday morning at 5:30am at Hardees.

Greystone Men of Prayer - Meets each Friday at 7:00am at the Greystone Restaurant.

Selma Gran Grans - Meets each Tuesday at 7:00am at the Greystone Restaurant.

The Eleventh Hour - Meets each Tuesday at 11:00am, at Church Street United Methodist Church.

Grace Giving Girls, Glorifying God - No specific time and place.

Upper Room - Meets Friday at 7:00am at the Centre for Commerce.

The Victory Group - Meets at 12:00 Noon during lunch at Moore-Stewart Ford, days vary.

The Rainbow Connection - Meets Tuesdays at 7:00am at the Downtowner Restaurant.

Dialysis Disciples - Meets Tuesdays at 7:30 am at the Selma Dialysis Center.

Central Alabama Walk to Emmaus Schedule 2009 (meeting at Camp Alamisco)

Men's Walk 115- Jan. 28-31

Women's Walk 116- Feb. 26-March 1

Men's Walk 117-March 25-28

Women's Walk 118- April 1-4

Men's Walk 119- May 13-16

For more information please visit http://www.caew.org where you will find an Application for the walk, plus more necessary info. For additional information, you may also contact our local director:

Steve Odom - Selma Cluster  Lay Director