About the Fourth Day
As participants conclude their Walk to Emmaus weekends, they are introduced to the concept of the Fourth Day -- a symbol of all the days that follow the three-day Emmaus experience. The Walk to Emmaus is a unique opportunity to reflect on one's faith journey and make a deeper commitment to Christ. In fact, the reason for The Walk to Emmaus is to grow you as a more faithful disciple and active member in your church. Thus, the Fourth Day is central to the Emmaus experience, as it extends each individual's experience beyond the weekend and into life in the world
In living their Fourth Days, participants are encouraged to continue to grow in relationship with Christ and live as faithful disciples in all aspects of their lives. An important and necessary foundation for faithful Christian living is a vital connection to the Christian community for support, guidance, and challenge. This is most available through local church communities, reunion groups, and the monthly Gatherings of the Emmaus Fourth Day community.
Group Reunion
The Emmaus group reunion is a small accountability group of two to six persons who have usually participated in the three-day Walk to Emmaus and who want to continue their pursuit of a life lived wholly in the grace of God. These small follow-up groups help pilgrims translate the message conveyed on the Walk to Emmaus weekend into a daily walk with Christ. With the regular support of a few faithful friends, the gift of God's love in Jesus Christ becomes a lifestyle of Christian discipleship.
Group reunions meet at regular times, usually weekly for an hour. The meeting consists of persons' sharing the highs and lows of their lives during the past week. Members listen to one another, celebrate the grace of God in each person's life, and reinforce each one's core commitment to living in union with Christ in all facets of daily life. Members express that reinforcement through gentle accountability, encouragement, and support of one's stated discipline and plans.
Reunion groups provide a natural launching pad for mission in the community. Some groups, where members relate to the same church, find a shared ministry within their congregations. Other groups choose to serve together in the kitchen for an Emmaus weekend or make it their mission to set up facilities for Emmaus weekends. Many groups spend time making table agape, creating banners, and writing general agape letters to support their own and other Walks to Emmaus. Some Emmaus groups take on ministries in their local communities.
As valuable as group activities and a sense of common mission can be, Emmaus groups must remember that these efforts are “extracurricular.“ Always make time for the primary work of the group -- reviewing the service sheet and reflecting on Christ's presence and call.
Sponsorship
Do you remember how much your Walk to Emmaus meant to you? It would not have been possible without the prayer and sacrifice of your sponsor. The responsibilities of being a sponsor are many and crucial to the effectiveness of the experience. You can share God's love with someone you know by sponsoring him or her during an Emmaus weekend. For more information about sponsorship, visit the Sponsorship page.
Local Church Involvement
The sole purpose of the Emmaus Movement is to strengthen disciples within the ministry of individual congregations. Emmaus is in partnership with the church to inspire its leaders to become more effective and intentional in their ministry. Although the Walk to Emmaus is a unique and powerful instrument through which faithful people are renewed and inspired, it cannot provide the well-rounded programs such as education, evangelism, missions, and stewardship that are provided by an individual congregation. One way to act in Christ's service is to become involved in some facet of your local church's ministry.