The Christian pilgrimage is one of continual dying to self in order to grow by grace through faith with the hope of being empowered to love God, self and others more wholly.

The purpose of Chrysalis is to serve as a ministry of the church to inspire and support the spiritual formation of Christian young people. Chrysalis provides young people in the church a course in the essentials of Christian faith and practice that is educational and experiential in character. Chrysalis declares the Gospel message of Jesus as the Christ in the fellowship of the community brought together by the Holy Spirit in order to serve the Christian Community and the world. It is the intention of the Chrysalis three days, to call the young person to seek a dynamic friendship with God through Christ and to grow towards the unique person each was created to be so that each can serve as Christ served in the world. This dynamic spiritual growth involves dying to the old self and by the gift of faith rising to the new self in Christ.

Day One builds towards a service of reconciliation with God in which one symbolically dies with Christ by letting go of all that stands between oneself and God.

Day Two focuses on the rising with Christ with the hope that each person can have new life, as Christ rose on Easter morning. The goal is to build a community of love and worship centered in the encounter with Christ in Holy Communion.

Day Three focuses on the love of God which empowers each person to serve, going forth to be Christ in the world. As a Christian increases in faith and hope, each seeks ways of loving in the name of Christ.

The symbol of caterpillar/chrysalis/butterfly is used to represent the death, resurrection and new life found in Christ. Chrysalis is the cocoon state of the butterfly. It is the intention of Chrysalis for each person to experience the living Christ through worship, scripture, systematic teaching and the living Christian community. It is designed to encourage the young person to become intentional and more mature about living out his or her faith in God through Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Sponsors hour for Emmaus weekends begins at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday evening.

Sponsors hour for Chrysalis weekends begins the first day of the Flight at 8:15 a.m.

Candlelight begins at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday evening for Emmaus weekends and the
second evening for Chrysalis (could be Saturday or Sunday).

Closing begins at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday for Emmaus weekends and at 4:30 p.m. on the last
day of Chrysalis (could be Sunday or Monday).

Chrysalis Candlelight and Closing

Family and friends that have not participated in a Chrysalis or Emmaus weekend are welcome to attend a Chrysalis closing. However, in keeping with tradition we would ask that those persons that have not attended a Chrysalis or Emmaus weekend refrain from attending the Chrysalis Candlelight service.

Candlelight and Closing for Emmaus

It has been a long-standing Emmaus tradition to preserve the special and unique experience of Closing and Candlelight services. In keeping with that tradition, your community Board of Directors for Emmaus would like you to prayerfully consider limiting attendance to those persons who have already experienced an Emmaus Walk or Chrysalis Flight. Children and adults who have not been through a Walk or Flight are discouraged from attending an Emmaus Candlelight or Closing. Also, please TURN OFF CELL PHONES AND PAGERS! They can be very distracting. Thank you for your cooperation.