Walk to Emmaus: Volunteer Opportunities

NOTE: some duties (**) can easily be shared by a Fourth Day group.

W – women's Walk; M – men's Walk; C – Chrysalis

Behind the Scenes:

Registration:  Work begins early in January (October for Chrysalis) with letters to candidates and sponsors that have been accepted for the upcoming Walk.  Applications must be postmarked no earlier than January 1 (October for Chrysalis).  Registration committee is responsible for providing current list of candidates for other committees including welcoming, candlelight, and agape.  One individual can usually handle this responsibility.  (W, M, C)

 **Welcoming Committee:  The committee is responsible for preparing name-tags for the candidates, the room team, and all other members of the team that will be there for the weekend.  The committee is also responsible for making posters or signs with the candidate's names to place in their sleeping area and for providing treats/refreshments for the Thursday "mixer" in the fellowship hall.  The committee is also responsible for greeting the candidates and passing out the name-tags on Thursday evening (Friday morning for Chrysalis) of the Walk. (W, M, C)

Set Up and Clean Up Committee:  The chair of this committee must be very familiar with St. Paul's Methodist Church and the scheduling and use of rooms.  The Set up chair is responsible for making arrangements with the Church regarding which rooms are available during the weekend.  The committee should have someone on hand on Thursday afternoon to prepare all of the rooms for use.  The committee should also have members available during the clean up on Sunday morning and Sunday evening to make sure that rooms are put back exactly the same way as they were before the weekend.  The committee should recruit a number of to clean up early Sunday morning (starting with the Sanctuary at 5:30 a.m.) and a crew to clean up after (or may start during) the closing ceremony on Sunday afternoon.  (W, M, C)

 **Team Dinner:  The team dinner committee is responsible for preparing the team dinner for the opposite walk (women do the men’s and men do the women’s on Thursday night of each Walk.  The Chrysalis has a committee do the team dinner.  The committee plans the menu, purchases the food, prepares the food, serves the food, and cleans up after the meal.  (W, M, C)

 **Agape Committee:  The agape committee acts as the "post office" to sort and distribute agape during the weekend.  The committee handles agape for the candidates as well as the team.  There are generally two agape drops during the weekend.  One is Saturday evening and the other is Sunday midday.  The committee is also responsible for setting up the agape room including providing paper, pens, etc. for people who want to write agape.  It has been traditional for the agape committee to prepare special "bags" (usually have been sewn but not mandatory) for the candidates for the first agape drop.  (W, M, C)

 Sponsors Hour:  The Sponsor's Hour occurs on Thursday evening after the candidates have been separated from their sponsors. It is on Thursday for the Chrysalis as well, but candidates do not come until Friday morning.  The committee is responsible for setting up the holder that the crosses hang from.  The Sponsor's hour chairperson needs to contact the Setup Committee chair to find out where the Sponsors hour will be held as it varies from year to year.  The Sponsor's Hour committee may arrange for a Clergy Person to provide communion or for music (both are optional).  The main purpose for the sponsor's hour is for the sponsor's to pick up the candidates cross and for each sponsor to say a prayer for their candidate.  One individual can usually handle this responsibility.  (W, M, C)

 Vigil Room:  The vigil room chairperson is responsible for preparing and distributing a prayer vigil sign up sheet.  Someone from the committee should be able to attend the Gatherings in January, February and March for Walks and October, November and possibly December for Chrysalis and most of the Sunday team preparation meetings.  The sign up sheet should also be distributed at the opposite teams Sunday team preparation meetings  (coordinate with the other Vigil Room chair or Lay Director).  The Vigil chairperson and committee should call people that have signed up and remind them of their commitment the last week before the Walk/Chrysalis.  The Vigil room needs to be set up for the weekend.  Candles (preferably unscented due to allergies of people who will be praying), bibles, prayer books, meditation books, meditation tapes and music should be available.  There should be a large sign-in poster on the door of the vigil room for people to sign when they show up.  This poster is shown to the candidates on Sunday.  One person can do this job, but help is beneficial especially in making the reminder phone calls.  (W, M, C)

 **Chapel Decorations:  The Chapel job is for "creative or artistic night-owls".  The committee is responsible for decorating the Chapel for the weekend.  The decorations have traditionally changed during the course of the weekend.  The changes need to take place after the final chapel in the evening and before the next morning's chapel.  This is generally at 10:00 p.m. or later.  A committee of two or three is sufficient.  (W, M, C)

Cookies & Veggies (Snacks):  This chairperson is responsible for preparing and distributing a sign up sheet for people willing to bring cookies, veggies, fruit, etc. for snacks for the weekend.  Someone from the committee should be able to attend the Gatherings in January, February and March for Walks and October, November and possibly December for Chrysalis and most of the Sunday team preparation meetings.  The sign up sheet should also be distributed at the opposite Sunday team preparation meetings  (coordinate with the other Cookie and Veggie chair or Lay Director).  The chairperson and/or committee should call people that have signed up and remind them of their commitment the last week before the Walk/Chrysalis.  This chairperson should coordinate closing with the Kitchen Co-Chairs to insure that there are sufficient snacks to cover all of the breaks for the weekend.  One person can do this job but additional help is beneficial especially in making the reminder phone calls.  (W, M, C)

 **Angel Crew:  The Angel will work with the Kitchen crew in the planning process to determine ways to support and relieve the kitchen.  Angels have also sometimes put together little surprises, or possibly backrubs, foot rubs, etc., for the kitchen team.  These surprises are, of course, entirely up to the energy and imagination of the Angel Crew.  Close coordination with the Kitchen chairs (also with the Decoration and Saturday night dinner chairs) is very important.  They may also appreciate your help with preparations before the weekend.  Angels should feel free to join the Kitchen Team in all of their meetings.  It may be helpful to plan to stay overnight Saturday if you are giving backrubs and foot rubs after candlelight.  (W, M, C)

 **Candlelight Committee:  This committee is responsible for the Candlelight ceremony on Saturday evening.  The candlelight service is open to the entire Emmaus, Cursillo, Journey, Pathways, Chrysalis communities.  The committee should notify these other groups of the date and time of the candlelight service so that they can announce it at their monthly reunions.  The Candlelight committee responsibilities include: candles for the candidates, setting up a lighting the luminaria's, musicians to perform during the service, arranging for the slide projector and screen to use to show the candidates and team pictures (coordinate with the photographer for the weekend), finding a clergy person to serve communion, having bread and juice available for communion, having song sheets available to hand out, and getting the candles for the people to hold.  The committee should also enlist members or other volunteers to do the opening and closing prayers, scripture readings, and act as MC for the event.  (W, M, C)

**Closing Ceremony Committee:  This committee is responsible for the Closing Ceremony on Sunday.  The responsibilities include securing musicians to perform during the service and having song sheets to hand out (coordinate with the Candlelight committee).  The committee should do the opening and closing prayers, scripture readings, and an MC for the event.  (W, M, C)

Backup (Lay) Spiritual Director:  his person is responsible for chapel services for the kitchen crew and the rest of the back up team.  The person should coordinate the timing of the services with the Kitchen co-chairs.  (W, M, C)

Backup Musical Team:  The backup musical team provides "background" music during the weekend.  The backup music team may provide music for candlelight, closing, and backup chapel services.  In addition, the backup music team can perform behind the scenes during the meals.  The backup music team may also help with the Saturday evening dinner "skit".  (W, M, C)

Kitchen Committee:  Probably the biggest job of the weekend!  The Kitchen Co-Chairs plan the menus, budget the food costs for the weekend, do the shopping and supervise the rest of the kitchen crew.  The kitchen committee is responsible for preparing, serving, and cleaning up after most of the meals.  The Kitchen committee coordinates with the Cookies and Veggies committee for snacks.  Committee members will help with all aspects of the kitchen.  (W, M, C)

**Table Agape/Crafts: One of the traditions of the Women's Walk is to provide table favors, colored place mats, and other "crafty" gifts placed at the tables for the candidates and room team.  This committee needs a "creative" chairperson and a lot of handy "crafters" to work on the items prior to the weekend.  The committee coordinates closely with the Kitchen to match the decorations with the theme and menu.  The committee also needs to coordinate with the Angel Crew to see if they need the crafts committee to help with Saturday evening (optional).  This committee needs lots of helpers that will work on crafts before the weekend.  The more the merrier.  (W)

Special Gifts:  There are many other ways that an individual can serve the Team during the weekend.  We have had lots of special gifts bestowed upon us, which are almost always welcomed.  Some acts of agape have included: offering to "style" the speakers hair, massages for the team members, Latte's for the Kitchen in the morning, a special musical performance, special art "murals" or displays.  If you have a talent that you would like to share, just let one of the Lay Directors know.  (W, M, C)

Saturday Night Dinner:  This committee does the Saturday night dinner decorations.  You will need to coordinate all your activities with the chairs of the following committees: Kitchen, Decorations/Crafts, Angels, and Chrys Team.  (W, M, C)

Chrys Team:  This committee is responsible for being pen pals to each of the candidates on the Chrysalis weekend.  Each Chrys is assigned a couple of the candidates and they wear a bracelet and their cross for them throughout the weekend.  They also go into the room when they are not there and leave them little notes and gifts.  Many of the Chrys members spend the whole weekend there and help out in the kitchen or other backup areas for the weekend.  (C)  

Drop-In Help:  This position will have a chairperson that will help to coordinate and put together a team of volunteers that can only help at certain times throughout the weekend.  This group will have a variety of jobs, depending upon what is needed at particular times.  It will likely include a crew that helps keep the bathrooms clean in the sleeping areas throughout the weekend. It will also include helping certain committee's that may need help at busy times.  This committee is great for community members that cannot commit to the full weekend, but would like to help in some fashion.  (W, M, C)  

In the Room Team:

Room Music:  Musicians involved throughout the weekend to lead the room in song.  Helpful if you play a musical instrument (especially a guitar).  Also welcome if you love to sing and love to lead people in singing.  (W, M, C)

Assistant Table Leader:  A part of one of the table groups.  The role is to help facilitate the discussion at the table and to support the candidates during the weekend.  (Also called Silent because they don't give one of the Talks).  For the Chrysalis the assistant table leader is a youth and this person often times gives a talk.  (W, M, C)

Table Leader:  Acts as a member of one of the table groups.  Helps to facilitate discussion and to support the candidates during the weekend.  The Table Leaders give one of the talks during the weekend.  For the Chrysalis this person is usually an adult and will sometimes give a talk.  (W, M, C)

Lay Coordinators:  The helpers throughout the weekend.  They also have many responsibilities prior to the weekend.  They are responsible for preparing the supplies for the "activities" following the talks.  They have traditionally made the necklaces for the candidate's crosses.  They are the messengers between the room and the back-up team.  They are the go-for's to assist the candidates with their personal needs.  They sleep near the candidates.  They wake up the candidates and team every morning.  They help transport the candidates to showers.  They may help the Kitchen serve meals.  They perform a "welcoming" skit the first night of the Walk.  They help to set up the room for each talk, prepare handouts for the talks, and coordinate the tapes or music for the talks.  They also assist the Spiritual Directors with the supplies that they need for the Chapel services including communion supplies.  This is a huge job… but lots of fun.  (W, M, C)  

 

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