…but Were Afraid to Ask
The purpose of The Walk to Emmaus is to produce leaders for the church. Leadership is developed in serving the Emmaus community and through one’s service to the pilgrims one sponsors. Building up the body of Christ and bringing spiritual revitalization to Christians who will in turn bring new life and vision to their churches, homes, workplaces and communities is the aim of sponsorship. The Walk to Emmaus is not meant to convert others to Christ, to fix people’s problems or to reproduce one’s own religious experience. With that in mind, one needs to prayerfully consider who to sponsor. This would include church leaders, active Christians whose own renewal will mean new energy, commitment, and vision to their churches, those who are the quiet backbone of the church they attend, who desire to renew their commitment, who are hungry for “something more”, who want to grow spiritually, who will keep the Emmaus movement theologically sound and those who will help build a sound, balanced leadership base for their communities.
The first rule of sponsoring is pray, pray, pray. When the Holy Spirit leads you to ask a friend about going on the Walk to Emmaus, show how important it is to you by making an appointment. If you are talking to a married couple, be sure to present the offer to both husband and wife. Emmaus involvement is not meant to cause any kind of resentment between spouses. Often times a reluctant spouse will attend in order to be supportive of their husband or wife who is eager to attend a Walk. When you meet with your prospective pilgrim, share your personal experience. Remember there are no secrets in the Walk to Emmaus, only surprises, which are indescribable anyway. Answer any questions you are asked honestly.
No one’s name can be added to a Walk list until the entire application is complete. This includes the name of the church your pilgrim attends and his or her pastor’s signature. The cost of the Walk to Emmaus is $185. Scholarships are available at a 50/50 split. At least $75 must be attached to the application along with a letter stating the reason a scholarship is needed. Mail the applications to PO Box 5080, Abilene, TX 79608. Names are added to the Walk lists by the registrar based on the postmark on the envelope, the completeness of the application and the inclusion of the Walk fee. Don’t delay your pilgrim’s placement by failing to complete the process. As the sponsor you will be contacted by the registrar of the date to which your pilgrim has been assigned. You will need to check this date with your pilgrim and notify the registrar immediately if your pilgrim needs to be scheduled for a different date.
Gathering the agape letters is another responsibility of the sponsor. As sponsors one of the most perplexing situations arise when we try to explain to someone what kind of letter we want from them for the pilgrims. You may want to use this example letter as a pattern for your requests for agape letters. Ask a good friend or a relative of your pilgrim to help you with names and addresses of other family members and close friends. Aim for quality rather than quantity. Each pilgrim will be given 8 to 12 letters to read. Any letters above 12 are placed in the pilgrims’ closing packets.
It is important for you to pick up your pilgrim, make sure they have eaten, and deliver them to the Walk site. At Send Off stay with your pilgrim and help your pilgrim meet others who are attending the same Walk. Bring your agape (letters, food, drinks, pillow and dining room agape) with you to Send Off. After the pilgrims go to the conference room, sponsors go to Sponsor’s Hour. You will have the opportunity to hold your pilgrim’s lanyard and cross and pray for them specifically. Sponsors pay the $5 fee for the nametag attached to the lanyard. Be sure to be at Candlelight and Closing.
As a sponsor you also have the opportunity to serve your pilgrim’s family during the Walk weekend. Your may help with their family, pets or even their business. Another way the sponsor serves a pilgrim is after the Walk. Take them to their first 4th Day activities, including the follow up meeting, 1st Gathering, 1st Candlelight, etc. Help your pilgrim get into a reunion group.
FAQs:
How many pilgrims should I sponsor on one Walk?
Since sponsoring is a big commitment, it is best to only sponsor 1 pilgrim at a time.
Should I sponsor a pilgrim when serving on the team?
It is best not to.
How soon should I sponsor a pilgrim after my own Walk to Emmaus?
Approximately 1 year which gives you time to become fully involved in the Emmaus community.
Can I bring someone who lives somewhere else to my Emmaus community to go on a Walk to Emmaus?
It is best to go on a Walk in the community where a pilgrim lives. It makes becoming involved in the Community much easier.
Why are the Walks for men and women separately?
It encourages freer discussion and allows single people to feel more included.
Can I provide special surprises and gifts for my pilgrim during their Walk?
One of the most effective aspects of the Walk to Emmaus is that everyone is loved the same. If you want to provide something special, you may do so, IF you provide the same thing for everyone on that Walk. This is referred to as Agape.
I heard there is a Sponsorship Training class, what is that?
Sponsorship Training is held at 6:00 pm just before the monthly community gatherings. Here you will find this information, and more. You will also be able to ask questions in a open forum format. We think this training will help improve the quality of our sponsorship efforts.
I need an example of how to write an agape request letter?
Ask and you shall receive, then you need to click here for the template.
Where can I find more information?
Chapter 8 of the Day Four booklet you received at your Babe Chick Orientation is a good source of information on sponsorship. The booklet entitled “Sponsorship” is available at the book table at Gatherings for a suggested donation of $5.