WORDS FOR REFLECTIONHere in the USA, we are ready to welcome autumn and return to a routine after a beautiful summer. Many Emmaus, Chrysalis, and Face To Face communities are resuming their activities.
Although we are in a better place than two years ago when the pandemic began, concerns about COVID and its variants continue today. Now other viruses are added to the list of diseases that affect our daily lives.
We encourage you to continue being cautious in practicing the recommended sanitary measures and take all precautions to keep your members healthy, take advantage of new online offerings that our office is providing, and continue spreading the love of God to every person and God’s creation
Rev. Stéphane Brooks
Spiritual Director, Emmaus Ministries
MY FOURTH DAY STORY
by Gary Michael Smith
I had many friends at church who had been on The Walk to Emmaus, and I had written letters for them to read on their Walks, but I didn’t really understand fully what the Walk was about. I knew it was a religious retreat of some kind, and I was supposed to write a letter about how their friendship had impacted me. When I asked my friends to tell me about their Walk afterward, they had trouble explaining it and just said that The Walk to Emmaus is something that must be experienced. For this reason alone, I wanted to go. My wife and I had been invited many times over the years as friends offered to sponsor us. I really wanted to go, but my wife was hesitant, and those who had experienced Walks said it was best for married couples that we both go. So for years, I waited to go and prayed that my wife would decide to accept the invitation. One day at church, my sponsor approached my wife and me and asked if I would go if she sponsored me. I told her I would. She said she didn’t want to upset things with Dana if I went, and she didn’t. Dana encouraged me to go; she just didn’t want to go and had many reasons for declining: she’d recently had back surgery and didn’t want to sleep on the floor or a cot. She had been to many “mountain top” experiences with United Methodist Youth and felt like a Walk was probably more of the same, and she didn’t want to be away from our children for that many days. She said she didn’t want to stand in my way of attending The Walk to Emmaus if I really wanted to go. I did, so I went.
Continue reading Gary Michael Smith's Fourth Day Story here.
We want to hear from you. Click here to share your Fourth Day story.
With great joy we invite you to The Upper Room’s Emmaus Ministries Regional Gathering & Celebration. This year’s event will be held in San Antonio, Texas, on October 7-8, 2022. This gathering offers a way for Emmaus Ministries communities to celebrate, worship, and learn. No matter which Fourth Day Ministries event you attend, there will be activities for you.
The Regional Gathering is an opportunity to celebrate and affirm persons involved in Emmaus Ministries across the United States. We will participate in worship and conversations and build relationships and networks as brothers and sisters in Christ.
More information and the registration link can be found here.
MINISTRY MANAGER — NEW SUPPORTAs of July 1, 2022, in an effort to respond to the needs of its constituents, the Emmaus Ministries Office contracted with Steve Zuercher, a member of the Nashville Emmaus Ministries community. In this role and in partnership with the office staff, Steve will assist in refining the Ministry Manager application. He will also support communities in their efforts to become further acquainted with and use the application by providing exceptional care in addressing community and individual inquiries. We welcome Steve and invite you to reach out to him with your questions about Ministry Manager at mmsupport@upperroom.org.
NEW WEBSITE IS ON THE WAYWe are excited to announce that the new Emmaus Ministries website should be available soon. Please look for a special edition of the eNews in September for more details.
The new Emmaus pages will automatically update the Walk and community information as you provide it through the Ministry Manager app, our cloud-based community management application. To ensure the public information on the website is accurate, be sure to keep your community contact information updated (including URLs and social media handles), board positions, and Walk dates and locations.
In addition, for those communities who may not have heard, the annual covenant agreement will be completed in the Ministry Manager app. If your community needs more information about Ministry Manager, please email mmsupport@upperroom.org or call 615-340-7113.
VIRTUAL OFFERINGSDay Four Restore
Day Four Restore has been widely accepted by many communities around the world since its beginning as an online event in January. Our third Day Four Restore happens on November 5, 2022. For more information, click here.
We have been amazed at the response and words of celebration shared with us. Here is some of what we are hearing:
“I learned so much. I was reminded to practice self-care to give me the strength to better serve. I was reminded to actively forgive and not judge so that I am open to our connections.”
“To be honest, I was not excited about spending six or so hours on Zoom. But instead of finding the time a distraction, I found it to be of great value in restoring and refreshing my faith. Thanks, Emmaus!”Day Four Restore is designed to be held annually, and its content to be cycled in a three-year rotation. The Year Two Manuals will be available by the end of 2022. This one-day retreat supports the spiritual growth of church leaders and empowers them to expand their ministries beyond the Fourth Day community. Day Four Restore can be hosted online or in person.
Village Encounter
Following a successful and informative large-scale test of the Village Encounter, The Upper Room is now finalizing the related manuals with the goal of resourcing communities for this new leg of their journey by September 2022. This will be just in time for the Western Sydney (Australia) community to have its initial event.
The Village Encounter, a virtual offering, complements the in-person events and allows Emmaus Ministries communities to move to new levels in their partnership with local churches. The offering has several advantages:
Meanwhile, communities wishing to add the Village Encounter to their yearly programming may reach out to the Emmaus Ministries office at emmausmin@upperroom.org.
First published in 1998, the Safe Sanctuaries family of resources has provided trusted guidance for leaders of faith communities regarding policies and procedures for abuse prevention standards for children, youth, and vulnerable adults. In April 2023, The Upper Room will publish Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities, a new resource with updated approaches built on the strong foundation of its predecessor.
We invite you to join us, along with Discipleship Ministries, for a four-part webinar series each Thursday in October, which will feature insights and sample text from the forthcoming publication and offer lively discussion with its writers. Click here to register and read more about each session.
LEARN MORE
EMMAUS MINISTRIES VIRTUAL WALK AND CHALLENGEBack by popular demand, the Emmaus Ministries Virtual Walk and Challenge will take place later this year. Last year’s inaugural event saw more than 200 pilgrims walk 20,891,283 steps and raise nearly $11,000 for The Fourth Day Fund, the operations fund for Emmaus Ministries. Registration will open in September. Stay tuned for more details to come.
In the meantime, you can give today—or any time—to The Fourth Day Fund. Your gift of any amount will help us continue the purpose of strengthening disciples for the renewal of the church.
GIVE TODAY
PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL EMMAUS COMMUNITY
We continue to be thankful to God as a growing number of communities around the world re-engage and partner with local churches to help renew Christian disciples and strengthen local churches for their mission. To God be the glory.
Share
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The Upper Room
P.O. Box 340004
Nashville, TN 37203-0004
Emmaus.UpperRoom.org
Although we are in a better place than two years ago when the pandemic began, concerns about COVID and its variants continue today. Now other viruses are added to the list of diseases that affect our daily lives.
We encourage you to continue being cautious in practicing the recommended sanitary measures and take all precautions to keep your members healthy, take advantage of new online offerings that our office is providing, and continue spreading the love of God to every person and God’s creation
Rev. Stéphane Brooks
Spiritual Director, Emmaus Ministries
MY FOURTH DAY STORY
by Gary Michael Smith
I had many friends at church who had been on The Walk to Emmaus, and I had written letters for them to read on their Walks, but I didn’t really understand fully what the Walk was about. I knew it was a religious retreat of some kind, and I was supposed to write a letter about how their friendship had impacted me. When I asked my friends to tell me about their Walk afterward, they had trouble explaining it and just said that The Walk to Emmaus is something that must be experienced. For this reason alone, I wanted to go. My wife and I had been invited many times over the years as friends offered to sponsor us. I really wanted to go, but my wife was hesitant, and those who had experienced Walks said it was best for married couples that we both go. So for years, I waited to go and prayed that my wife would decide to accept the invitation. One day at church, my sponsor approached my wife and me and asked if I would go if she sponsored me. I told her I would. She said she didn’t want to upset things with Dana if I went, and she didn’t. Dana encouraged me to go; she just didn’t want to go and had many reasons for declining: she’d recently had back surgery and didn’t want to sleep on the floor or a cot. She had been to many “mountain top” experiences with United Methodist Youth and felt like a Walk was probably more of the same, and she didn’t want to be away from our children for that many days. She said she didn’t want to stand in my way of attending The Walk to Emmaus if I really wanted to go. I did, so I went.
Continue reading Gary Michael Smith's Fourth Day Story here.
We want to hear from you. Click here to share your Fourth Day story.
With great joy we invite you to The Upper Room’s Emmaus Ministries Regional Gathering & Celebration. This year’s event will be held in San Antonio, Texas, on October 7-8, 2022. This gathering offers a way for Emmaus Ministries communities to celebrate, worship, and learn. No matter which Fourth Day Ministries event you attend, there will be activities for you.
The Regional Gathering is an opportunity to celebrate and affirm persons involved in Emmaus Ministries across the United States. We will participate in worship and conversations and build relationships and networks as brothers and sisters in Christ.
More information and the registration link can be found here.
MINISTRY MANAGER — NEW SUPPORTAs of July 1, 2022, in an effort to respond to the needs of its constituents, the Emmaus Ministries Office contracted with Steve Zuercher, a member of the Nashville Emmaus Ministries community. In this role and in partnership with the office staff, Steve will assist in refining the Ministry Manager application. He will also support communities in their efforts to become further acquainted with and use the application by providing exceptional care in addressing community and individual inquiries. We welcome Steve and invite you to reach out to him with your questions about Ministry Manager at mmsupport@upperroom.org.
NEW WEBSITE IS ON THE WAYWe are excited to announce that the new Emmaus Ministries website should be available soon. Please look for a special edition of the eNews in September for more details.
The new Emmaus pages will automatically update the Walk and community information as you provide it through the Ministry Manager app, our cloud-based community management application. To ensure the public information on the website is accurate, be sure to keep your community contact information updated (including URLs and social media handles), board positions, and Walk dates and locations.
In addition, for those communities who may not have heard, the annual covenant agreement will be completed in the Ministry Manager app. If your community needs more information about Ministry Manager, please email mmsupport@upperroom.org or call 615-340-7113.
VIRTUAL OFFERINGSDay Four Restore
Day Four Restore has been widely accepted by many communities around the world since its beginning as an online event in January. Our third Day Four Restore happens on November 5, 2022. For more information, click here.
We have been amazed at the response and words of celebration shared with us. Here is some of what we are hearing:
“I learned so much. I was reminded to practice self-care to give me the strength to better serve. I was reminded to actively forgive and not judge so that I am open to our connections.”
“To be honest, I was not excited about spending six or so hours on Zoom. But instead of finding the time a distraction, I found it to be of great value in restoring and refreshing my faith. Thanks, Emmaus!”Day Four Restore is designed to be held annually, and its content to be cycled in a three-year rotation. The Year Two Manuals will be available by the end of 2022. This one-day retreat supports the spiritual growth of church leaders and empowers them to expand their ministries beyond the Fourth Day community. Day Four Restore can be hosted online or in person.
Village Encounter
Following a successful and informative large-scale test of the Village Encounter, The Upper Room is now finalizing the related manuals with the goal of resourcing communities for this new leg of their journey by September 2022. This will be just in time for the Western Sydney (Australia) community to have its initial event.
The Village Encounter, a virtual offering, complements the in-person events and allows Emmaus Ministries communities to move to new levels in their partnership with local churches. The offering has several advantages:
- It equips local Emmaus Ministries communities to reach members of existing partner churches who would not attend an in-person Emmaus Ministries event.
- It gives Emmaus Ministries communities an opportunity to partner and work with local churches in locations that are far from any existing Emmaus Ministries community.
- As was the case with Village Encounter #1, Village Encounter equips communities to develop borderless groups in which individuals from various countries can grow in grace together.
- Despite the use of electronic means, the event accomplishes its mission.
- Event teams include men and women.
- Event teams are reduced by half.
- Both male and female participants attend the same event (there are separate men’s “tables” and women’s “tables”).
- The overall cost per event is heavily reduced.
Meanwhile, communities wishing to add the Village Encounter to their yearly programming may reach out to the Emmaus Ministries office at emmausmin@upperroom.org.
First published in 1998, the Safe Sanctuaries family of resources has provided trusted guidance for leaders of faith communities regarding policies and procedures for abuse prevention standards for children, youth, and vulnerable adults. In April 2023, The Upper Room will publish Safer Sanctuaries: Nurturing Trust within Faith Communities, a new resource with updated approaches built on the strong foundation of its predecessor.
We invite you to join us, along with Discipleship Ministries, for a four-part webinar series each Thursday in October, which will feature insights and sample text from the forthcoming publication and offer lively discussion with its writers. Click here to register and read more about each session.
LEARN MORE
EMMAUS MINISTRIES VIRTUAL WALK AND CHALLENGEBack by popular demand, the Emmaus Ministries Virtual Walk and Challenge will take place later this year. Last year’s inaugural event saw more than 200 pilgrims walk 20,891,283 steps and raise nearly $11,000 for The Fourth Day Fund, the operations fund for Emmaus Ministries. Registration will open in September. Stay tuned for more details to come.
In the meantime, you can give today—or any time—to The Fourth Day Fund. Your gift of any amount will help us continue the purpose of strengthening disciples for the renewal of the church.
GIVE TODAY
PRAY FOR OUR GLOBAL EMMAUS COMMUNITY
We continue to be thankful to God as a growing number of communities around the world re-engage and partner with local churches to help renew Christian disciples and strengthen local churches for their mission. To God be the glory.
Share
Tweet
ForwardEmmaus Ministries
The Upper Room
P.O. Box 340004
Nashville, TN 37203-0004
Emmaus.UpperRoom.org
