The walk to Emmaus was immeasurably important to my life. Before I went on the "walk", I was a  bystander in my own religious life, superficially involved in the life and customs of the church. The Walk centered me, "renewed my mind", and put wind in the sails of my life. I believe a strong, informed religious faith is innately sought and is crucial to health and happiness- it certainly is for me. The Walk to Emmaus was the kind of  "basic training" I needed for my soul.

Emmaus---A Path to Encountering Christ

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. However, the story of Jesus' resurrection does not conclude with the disciples' personal spiritual experiences. Jesus ascended to the Father, and the disciples became the body of the risen Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were sent forth by the Spirit to bear witness to the good news of God in Jesus Christ. They learned to walk in the spirit of Jesus, to proclaim the gospel to a disbelieving world, and to persevere in grace through spiritual companionship with one another.

The Walk to Emmaus offers today's disciples a parallel opportunity to rediscover Christ's presence in their lives, to gain fresh understanding of God's transforming grace, and to form friendships that foster faith and support spiritual maturity. While Emmaus provides a pathway to the mountaintop of God's love, it also supports pilgrims' return to the world in the power of the Spirit to share the love they have received with a hurtful and hurting world.

Excerpt from The Upper Room website, drawing upon What Is Emmaus? by Stephen D. Bryant. Copyright © 1995 by The Upper Room

How can I get involved?

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.

To get involved in Emmaus, each person must have a sponsor who has already attended Emmaus him- or herself.  Westlake UMC has sent many people on a Walk to Emmaus, and there are several alumni groups who meet weekly, whose members would be happy to speak with you. If you have a friend who has been to Emmaus, ask your friend to tell you about his or her experience with the program. Your friend can help you decide whether or not you would find an Emmaus experience helpful.  You can also contact Tom Rioux, an Emmaus coordinator at Westlake UMC.

What can I expect?

The Walk to Emmaus experience begins with a series of discussions led lay and clergy on the themes of God's grace, the practices of Christian discipleship, and what it means to be the church in today's world.  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.

Click here to contact Tom Rioux.  He will be happy to tell you about Emmaus at Westlake United Methodist.