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| What is TRWE all about? |
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TRWE stands for the Three Rivers Walk to Emmaus. We are an
ecumenical Christian group affiliated with the Walk to EmmausŪ,
which is part of the Upper Room, and organization of the United
methodist Church. We sponsor and support a special form of retreat,
called a Walk, that follows a model established by the Upper Room
that is based on the Catholic Cursillio.
TRWE is run by an elected
board of lay and clergy persons.
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| So
what does Cursillio mean? |
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Cursillio means "Short Course" in Spanish. The Cursillio
movement was started in the early 1950's in Spain, as a means of
spiritual renewal for men in the Catholic church. |
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| What is the purpose of these Walks? |
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The purpose of Emmaus is to strengthen the local church
through spiritual renewal of its members. Although we have a number
of on-going activities that are necessary to support our Walks, and
we encourage each person to participate in these, we emphasize that
the top priority for each person is their local church community.
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| What happens on a Walk to EmmausŪ? |
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Our Walks begin on Thursday evening with snacks and a "Get
Acquainted" session. This is followed by a short overview presentation
and a brief chapel service. Over the next three days, there are
fifteen prepared talks by lay and clergy persons, followed by group
discussions. Throughout the day, we do a lot of singing, have daily
worship and communion, and experience a few surprises. Each Walk
is covered by a 24-hour daily prayer vigil. Our walks are serious,
but we also have a lot of fun, and the food is great! |
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| When and where are these Walks held? |
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Presently, we conduct four Walks each year. Men and women go
on separate Walks a week or two apart; one set is held in the spring
and the other set is held in the fall sometime around the first
of November. We hold our Walks at various camps and retreat centers
near Pittsburgh. |
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| How does someone arrange to attend a Walk? |
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Individuals must have a sponsor, so it is necessary to make
contact with someone who has been on a previous Walk or is otherwise
associated with TRWE. A sponsor is responsible for supporting you
and looking out for your family while you are on a Walk. Some prior
arrangements must be made for you by your sponsor, who is to stay in
touch with your family while you are away. Our walks are
"cloistered." This means that we want participants to focus on
what's happening during the Walk, so we minimize communication with
the outside world during the three days. Your sponsor makes sure
that you or your family are aware of any unusual circumstances that
require communication. If you are not approached by someone who
wishes to sponsor you and would like to have a sponsor, just send us
an Email, using the link at the top of this page. |
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| What does it cost to go on a Walk? |
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Our Walks cost about $200 per person, but it depends to some
extent on where a particular Walk is held. You get quite a lot for
your money on an Emmaus Walk. However, we don't want cost to be
a deterrence to your attendance. Confidential scholarships are readily
available. Your sponsor can arrange for this. |
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| Who leads these Walks? |
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Each Walk is highly structured, follows a well-defined model,
and is led by a team of individuals, both laity and clergy, and
directed by a Lay Director and a Spiritual Director who work closely
together. The team consists of individuals who have been on one or
more previous Walks and are given detailed training for each Walk.
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| What other activities are involved? |
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TRWE holds monthly worship and fellowship sessions called
"Gatherings," and weekly brief accountability group meetings. Our
Board meets monthly, and annually we hold an Education day plus Team Training sessions. Participation in these events is
strictly voluntary. Emmaus community members help support each Walk,
may also serve on teams, and can be elected to serve on the Emmaus
Board. Individuals who can not be actively involved are urged to
pray for Emmaus community members and leaders. |
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| Where are these events held? |
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At the present time, our monthly Gatherings are held at
Ingomar UMC in the North Hills of Pittsburgh. Each quarter four seperate regional gatherings are held.. Our training meetings are often
held at Ingomar UMC, but can be held in any suitable location.
Weekly accountability groups meet in locations chosen by their
members, in someone's home or a convenient public location, such as
a local restaurant or a church facility.
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