Emmaus Groups: The Four Pillars
Spiritual Reflection
At the heart of the weekly 90-minute gatherings are a warm welcome and the opportunity to reflect on one’s life of faith and one’s relationship with God – where do we sense God in daily our lives, and how are we meeting the challenges of living faithfully? Sometimes groups will use a passage from the Bible, a spiritual book, or a special topic chosen by the group to serve as a catalyst for reflection. Scriptural and other resources are available for groups who request them. But it is enough for groups to provide an environment in which one is invited to reflect deeply, “How is it with my soul?” The opportunity to tend to that question in the company of nonjudgmental, imperfect fellow travelers who care about you is healing and restorative in itself. In a busy world that is apt to forget God, Emmaus Groups provide a unique opportunity for participants to step off the treadmill, take a deep breath, and give focused attention to the presence and activity of God in daily life. Just as the original disciples on the road to Emmaus felt their hearts burn within them as they discussed the Scripture and their life experiences with each other and with Jesus, so Emmaus Group meetings are times when fellow travelers who are journeying in faith give focused attention to their lives in God, with the belief that Christ is among them.
Mutual Care and Support
Emmaus Groups are not therapy groups; they are communities for growth and deepening in the Christian life. Emmaus Groups are designed to be centers of hospitality – we first of all welcome each other as Christ welcomes us. And Emmaus Groups are safe places where participants can explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without judgment. Emmaus Groups provide a weekly opportunity for participants to make the kind of connections that truly matter, providing mutual care and support for the spiritual journey. Emmaus Groups very often manifest this care and support outside group meetings, as well. When a participant is having a medical procedure done, for example, he or she might choose to ask for the prayers and support of group members. When a group participant is going through a challenging time or a time of special celebration, fellow group members are sometimes the first to know and offer their support.
Prayer
Each 90-minute gathering of Emmaus Groups includes an informal prayer or worship experience decided by the group. In this way, participants surrender themselves more completely to God and prepare for a meeting in which all are more attuned to the presence of God in their midst. Some groups choose simply to begin with a period of prayerful silence, as a way of leaving the busy world of “doing” and entering into a posture of listening and receiving. This can dispose group members to welcome the presence of God among them, as well as welcome the reflections of the group’s members. Between meetings, Emmaus Group participants agree to pray for each other, providing spiritual support for their daily lives. Group members regularly ask for one another’s prayers during challenging times or times of discernment. And just as the disciples on the Road to Emmaus recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread, so the regular Eucharist at St. Stephen’s provides a time of special encounter for participants.
Service
Instead of a regular meeting one week each Covenant Period, groups usually choose to do a service project together, discovering Christ in our act of serving together. It could be helping with an event at the Anna Julia Cooper School, Peter Paul Development Center or Fairfield Elementary School; it could be helping with a church meal, our farmers market, or providing hospitality for a church event; or it could be stocking our food pantry or helping with food distribution and welcoming the hungry; it could be preparing supplies for a pilgrimage to the Dominican Republic, helping the Fruit Ministry, or serving a meal to homeless people. The possibilities for a simple service project together are numerous. The idea is that we experience together something of what it means to embody Christ in the world, even as we meet Christ in those whom we serve.