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Quick link to topics on this page: Community
Advising Board Member, Walk Coordination,
Sponsor’s Worship Service,
Candlelight Service, Closing Worship Service,
Prayer Chapel, ORDER OF
SERVICE FOR CANDLELIGHT,
Clergy Qualifications
Central Texas Conference
Walk to Emmaus
Sponsoring
Community
Guidelines
Revised January 17, 2004
I. Community Advising Board Member (CABM)
A member of the Board is assigned to each Sponsoring Community to provide
support, assistance, and guidance in accomplishing the responsibilities of the
Community for each Walk. This person is identified as the Community Advising
Board Member (CABM). The CABM will contact the Lay Leader of the Community well
in advance of the Walk to coordinate this support. The CABM will also be present
at the Candlelight Service to conduct the announcements and information portion
of the Candlelight Service.
II. Community – Walk Coordination
The Sponsoring Community Lay Director should contact the Walk Lay Director
before plans and personnel selections for the various services begin. In many
cases the Walk Lay Director may desire that certain persons (spouses, Reunion
Group members, etc.) who may not be members of the Sponsoring Community
participate as leaders, liturgists, clergy, or musicians at some or all of the
services. The Sponsoring Community should make every effort to respond to those
desires by including the people in the positions the Walk Lay Director requests.
II. Sponsor’s Worship Service
The Sponsor’s Worship Service is a special part of the Emmaus Model. Here, we
start the Walk bathed in prayer by the Sponsors. The spirit of the evening is
one of gratefulness for the Sponsor’s work to "go make disciples," and of praise
to God for what the Holy Spirit will do in the hearts of the Pilgrims.
The Walk Team is responsible for setting up the chapel for the service. They
will have the large cross in place and the pilgrim crosses and lanyards laid
out, and they will provide a list of the Pilgrim’s names. They will also have
the communion elements in place. The Sponsoring Community is not responsible for
any of the Sponsor’s Worship Service setup or cleanup.
The Sponsoring Community is responsible for providing the Lay Leader for the
evening and the Spiritual Leader for Communion. The Spiritual Leader must
meet the qualifications for a Spiritual Leader as established by the Upper Room
for the Walk to Emmaus (see attached Walk to Emmaus Clergy Qualifications).
The Lay Leader is the "guiding host" for the Sponsor’s Worship Service.
He/she should remember that there will probably be first-time Sponsors in the
group and should explain everything that will be done. The Lay Leader will do
the following:
Call the group to Worship when the Chapel Servants determine that all
Sponsors are present.
Welcome the Sponsors, and explain how wonderful it is that the Sponsors
are "going and making disciples" as Christ asked us to do. Express
appreciation for the sacrifices that the Sponsors are making for their
Pilgrims, and for their willingness to put themselves and their comfort
aside just to help their friend/loved one come closer to Christ.
Explain that each Pilgrim’s name will be called and that the Sponsor
should come forward and receive the Pilgrim’s cross from the Chapel Servant.
The Sponsor should then hang the Pilgrim’s cross on the large cross as
directed by the Chapel Servant. If there are Pilgrim Candles, the Sponsor
will light the candle at the direction of the Chapel Servant. Also explain
that the community should be in prayer for each Pilgrim as the Sponsor is
hanging the cross, and that all will respond as the cross is hung with "This
is our prayer."
When all the crosses are hung, invite the community to participate in the
Sponsor’s Worship Service Offering and direct the assistants to collect it.
[Please note that it is very important to take an offering at this special
service. Be prepared (make sure there are offering plates), and have whoever you
ask to collect the offering give the plates and money to the Chapel Servants.]
[Music is appropriate during the offering and during communion in the Communion
Service using short, spiritual songs such as "Sanctuary" and "Surely the
Presence."]
When the offering has been collected, invite the community to join in the
Communion Service, using the Great Thanksgiving beginning on page 30 of the
Purple Worship Book. Normally, the Lay Leader will lead the Communion
Service, and will stop after the sentence "By dying, He freed us…." in the
middle of page 31. The Spiritual Leader will normally pick up with the next
sentence "On the night…" and will complete the Communion Service including
the Prayer After Receiving and the Benediction.
III. Candlelight Service
The Candlelight Service is a focal point for the Emmaus Community. It is a
time for everyone to focus all their excitement on their love for Jesus! The
Sponsoring Community is the loving host for the community in this great love
expression.
The Walk Team is responsible for the physical setup of the Candlelight
Service including the altar and the communion elements. The Team will also
provide a list of the Pilgrims’ names to be used in the Worship Service.
The Sponsoring Community is responsible for providing the music leader and
music personnel for the Candlelight Service. We encourage other musicians to
show up, and they are to be welcomed to the music group for the night. The music
leader should make every effort to avoid using special music that will prevent
all musicians from participating in the selected music. The music leader should
also insure that visual materials for leading the music are provided. This can
be song books or overhead projection. Song books will be provided by the Walk
Team unless the music leader informs them the books are not necessary. The music
leader should remember that everyone leaves the Candlelight Service area after
the Pilgrims arrive and the Pilgrims stay there for the meditation period. Any
equipment used must be removed between the conclusion of the Community portion
of the Service and the entry of the Pilgrims or it cannot be removed until after
all Pilgrims leave the area to go to the Agape Feast.
The Music Leader is responsible for the community music that will start at
7:30 p.m. and will continue until approximately 8:00 p.m. or when the Sponsoring
Community’s Lay Leader takes over. The Music Leader is also responsible for the
following:
Hymn of Praise
Act of Praise
Music during Communion
"Jesus, Jesus" as the Pilgrims arrive
The Sponsoring Community is responsible for leading the evening’s Worship
Service which includes providing the following. [If possible, these assistants
should come from the sponsoring Community except for persons included in
response to Walk Lay Director requests.]
Ushers to collect and count the offering (usually 4 persons)
[The CABM will supervise the count of the offering and take
possession of the funds for the Board.]
Communion Assistants (usually a total of 8 persons, the Lay and
Spiritual Leaders and six others)
The Lay Leader is typically the coordinator for the evening. The Spiritual
Leader must meet the qualifications for a Spiritual Leader as established by the
Upper Room for the Walk to Emmaus (see attached Walk to Emmaus Clergy
Qualifications).
The Schedule and detailed responsibilities for the evening are contained in
the attached SPONSORING COMMUNITY ORDER OF SERVICE FOR CANDLELIGHT.
IV. Closing Worship Service
The Walk ends when the Walk Spiritual Director presents the Team Cross to the
Walk Lay Director. Then, as the first act of the Pilgrim’s Fourth Days, they
participate with their Community in Worship. The actual Worship Service is a
Sponsoring Community conducted activity, and the Walk Lay and Spiritual Director
are merely members, as are all in the room, of the Community. This means that
the answering of the two questions and the gift of the cross are part of the
Team’s Closing, and are not part of the Worship Service.
The Walk Team will handle the logistical setup of the Closing, including
providing the communion elements.
The Sponsoring Community is responsible for providing a Lay Leader and a
Spiritual Leader for the Worship Service that follows presentation of the Team
Cross which concludes the Walk.
The Sponsoring Community is responsible for providing the music leader and
music personnel for the Worship Service portion of the Closing. While the Team
musicians are obviously available, it is desired that Community musicians be
used to make the connection to the Community rather than to the Team. The music
needs are for a song as the Pilgrims enter the service area from Commissioning,
the Hymn of Praise and the Act of Praise in the Worship, and for music during
communion.
Procedurally, the Walk Team’s Spiritual Director will conduct the answering
of the two questions, and will present the Walk Lay Director with the Team
Cross. Then they will leave the front of the room and sit down. At that time,
the Sponsoring Community provided Lay Leader for the Worship Service will come
to the altar area and say:
My sisters (brothers), your three day journey has ended, and now your Fourth
Day begins. It is appropriate that as you begin your Fourth Day, you begin not
as Walk #_______ members, but as Community members. You have people here who
love you and who want to welcome you to the Community. We are going to take just
a few moments to let you go to those who are here for you, to greet one another,
and to join together into your Community. Please, greet each other in your
Fourth Day as we prepare to worship."
At that time, the Pilgrims, Team, and Community will get up and begin to
mingle with one another. There will be a lot of joy (noise). After a few
minutes, the Lay Leader should ask everyone to please be seated. Once everyone
is seated and quiet, the Lay Leader shall say:
"We are now in our Community, and our Fourth Day has begun. Let us start
our Fourth Day in Worship and Praise to our loving and gracious God. Please
turn to page 26 in your Worship book."
The Lay and Spiritual Leaders will conduct the Closing Worship service in
accordance with the Purple Worship Book (starting at page 26). The complete
liturgy shall be used except that there is NO Prayer Time and there is NO
Offering. The Spiritual Leader is responsible for providing a devotional
message not to exceed 5 minutes in length that should focus on
Walking in the light of Christ back in the real world.
V. Prayer Chapel
All Walks will have an on-site Prayer Chapel. The Prayer Chapel will be set
up by the team, and is open for anyone to use during the weekend. Many team
members, especially members of the Servant Team, will make use of the Prayer
Chapel during the Walk.
While there will be Team Members who serve as a Prayer Team to conduct
around-the-clock prayers, all Community Members are encouraged to come
throughout the weekend and use the on-site Prayer Chapel. Spouses and friends of
the speakers are urged to come and be in prayer while the speaker is giving
his/her talk. Community Members can come early and/or stay late before and/or
after the Sponsor's Worship Service, Candlelight, and Closing. The Prayer Chapel
is available for the Community to rally in prayer. As Community Leaders, you are
urged to encourage others to come and hold up each Walk on wings of prayer.
SPONSORING COMMUNITY ORDER OF SERVICE FOR
CANDLELIGHT
7:00 p.m. Social Time
The Sponsoring Community provided Lay Leader should use this time to:
1. Locate Team members, get the Pilgrim list, determine number of
scholarships needed, and find out when and where Closing will be.
2. Locate the other Service leaders (Spiritual Leader, Music Leader,
Communion assistants & Ushers).
3. Locate the CABM and share information about Closing.
4. Build the evening on a foundation of prayer by praying with the
Spiritual Leader and the CABM.
5. Review the order of worship with the Spiritual Leader to ensure that
you are in agreement on who is doing what (such as who will do prayer time
and read the list of Pilgrim’s names).
6. Review the Altar area to make sure everything is ready:
Enough Communion Elements for Four Stations
Offering Plates
Check the Microphones
7:30 p.m. Community Singing
8:00 p.m. Community Worship Service
The Lay Leader should introduce him/herself, tell where he/she is from,
and when and where he/she took his/her Pilgrim walk. The Lay Leader should
introduce the Community Advising Board Member who will conduct the
announcements and information portion of the Candlelight Service.
At the conclusion of the CABM portion of the Service, he/she will
announce, "Let us go to God in an attitude of worship as we begin our
service." The CABM will return the service to the Lay Leader and
Spiritual Leader who will immediately start the Worship Service portion on
page 26 of the Purple Worship Book.
Worship Service Notes Typically Done By
a. Greeting Lay Leader
b. Hymn of Praise Music Leader
c. Confession & Pardon Lay Leader
d. Act of Praise Music Leader
e. Prayer for Illumination Lay or Spiritual Leader
f. Sermon Spiritual Leader
g. Affirmation of Faith Lay Leader
h. Prayers for Others Lay or Spiritual Leader
We are going to pray tonight for the Pilgrims on
this Walk. As each name is read, the Community will
respond with "This is our prayer." Let us pray….
i. Offering Lay Leader
Announce the number of Scholarships needed for this Walk.
[The ushers will give the offering to the CABM, who
will supervise the counting of the money and will take
possession of the funds for the Board.]
j. Great Thanksgiving Starts with Lay Leader, finished by Spiritual
Leader
k. Lord's Prayer Spiritual Leader
l. Breaking Bread Spiritual Leader
m. Giving of Elements Spiritual and Lay Leader (and assistants)
n. Prayer after Receiving Spiritual Leader
o. Benediction Spiritual Leader
[After the conclusion of the worship service, look to the Team for an
update on the arrival status of the Pilgrims. If they are not yet ready to
come, this time can be filled with music. Candles are not lighted until the
signal is given.]
9:30 Pilgrims arrive.
Walk to Emmaus
Clergy Qualifications
The team Spiritual Director for an Emmaus Weekend must be a clergy person in
the eyes of the church (active or retired). He or she must be engaged in
professional ministry, have the theological and pastoral education
required for that role, and be authorized to administer Holy Communion in
a setting (e.g., Emmaus) beyond the local church to which he or she is
assigned.
In the United Methodist Church, this includes seminary trained, ordained
elders who are in good standing with their annual conference. An ordained deacon
or "local pastor" who has completed his or her course of study may only
qualify as the team Spiritual Director if and when the presiding Bishop extends
his or her appointment to include Emmaus. This is because the deacon's and
"local pastor's" authority to preside over the administration of the sacrament
of Holy Communion is limited to the local church to which they are appointed.
If, however, such permission is not granted, that person should not serve in
the head Spiritual Director role. To have an assistant consecrate the elements
in the place of the Spiritual Director of the weekend could lead to confusion on
the part of the Pilgrims, or a sense that the Spiritual Director was not
properly qualified to have that role for the weekend. It might also,
unintentionally and unconsciously, lead the community to a less rigorous
standard for clergy qualification than should be consistently applied.
The Board is responsible to insure the quality of the weekends, and is therefore
rightly concerned about how this situation communicates not only to the
Pilgrims and community, but also sets the tone for future walks
Qualified Spiritual Directors from other recognized denominations must also
be fully ordained clergy persons in good standing with their denominations. They
must be engaged in the ministry of the Church, have completed theological
and pastoral training required of clergy in their denomination, and he
authorized to administer Holy Communion in the Emmaus setting. They must
also be able to maintain mainline theological balance while being sensitive to
the variety of perspectives in this interdenominational setting.
The assumption underlying the manual is that the Community Spiritual Director
should meet the minimum qualifications of Walk Spiritual Directors,
and therefore should be ordained and recognized by the larger community
served by the Emmaus community as a competent spiritual leader.
There is no general requirement that he or she be a United Methodist. On
occasion, however, it may be beneficial to consider utilizing a United Methodist
in the position because of the association of the Upper Room Emmaus program with
the United Methodist Church through the General Board of Discipleship. From time
to time, issues may arise in the community about which the International Office
should be consulted. These issues may involve theological issues and language
which a clergy in the United Methodist tradition may have a greater ability to
interpret to the Emmaus community due simply to the similarity of the Emmaus
movement with that tradition.
Provided by the Upper Room Walk to Emmaus International Office
- May, 2000
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