Walks

To see a list of the current pilgrims/caterpillars and team members and to participate in the Northern Lights Prayer Vigils click here

Upcoming Walks

Spring Men’s Walk #38 will be May 2-5, 2024 at Monroe UMC – 206 EAST AVE, MONROE, OH 45050

We are accepting Pilgrim applications for the Spring 2023 Men’s and Women’s Walks.

We accept pilgrim applications year round so we can contact a potential pilgrim when dates have been finalized.

Northern Lights Emmaus COVID Policy for Both Gatherings and Walks

This policy is meant to address the most common objections and questions that community and team members as well as pilgrims may have about how our community is keeping our members safe against the COVID virus. Our community intends to follow guidelines setup by Butler & Warren Counties and the Ohio Dept. of Health and keep our best practices updated as the situation in our county changes. The guidelines we intend to follow at gatherings, team meetings and walks include:

  • Making the recommended surgical masks available to anyone who wishes to wear them without mandating or requiring mask wearing.
  • Providing bottles of hand sanitizer and making them available throughout the room being used. The use of hand sanitizer is highly recommended but we will not require its regular use.
  • The social distancing guidelines recommended by government agencies are woefully outdated (proposed by a German physician in the 1880’s and also in the 1920’s). Six foot distancing is not necessary unless someone has symptoms such as a fever and sneezing or coughing. However, we have grown accustomed to using social distancing and will provide adequate space between members, especially pilgrims during walks.
  • If someone is ill with a fever above 99 degrees Fahrenheit, has a bad cough, intestinal symptoms of sickness or is sneezing for any reason except seasonal allergies, they should see their doctor or at least stay home to avoid exposing others to possible infection.
  • While we agree with public health officials recommending COVID vaccination, we WILL NOT REQUIRE that team leaders, team members, pilgrims or community members be vaccinated before attending gatherings or walks. While vaccination is a good step toward better COVID immunity for most people, there are exceptions and we strongly feel that vaccination is a personal health choice for each individual. While there are Emmaus communities that require testing before an Emmaus Walk, that is not part of our policy.

What is the walk to Emmaus? The Walk to Emmaus is a spiritual retreat weekend for men and women. The walk is based on the story in Luke 24:13-35 where the two friends are walking on the road to Emmaus and encounter Christ but they don’t recognize him until he reveals himself. Just like our daily walks in life, we are interacting with others but often aren’t paying attention to, or aren’t seeing, how Christ walks beside us. The Upper Room, the organization responsible for the creation of the Walk to Emmaus, tells us the following: While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and walked with them. – Luke 24:15 The walk to Emmaus is an experience of Christian spiritual renewal and formation that begins with a three-day short course in Christianity. It is an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in a new way as God’s grace and love is revealed to you through other believers. The Walk to Emmaus experience begins with the prayerful discernment and invitation from a sponsor. The objective of Emmaus is to inspire, challenge, and equip the local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, communities and places of work. Emmaus lifts up a way for our grace-filled lives to be lived and shared with others. Just like Christ, we are unable to serve, or hear the ways we are to serve our Father until we spend time alone with Him. Jesus went off on his own in a variety of ways, and a variety of places to “be” with God and to be in “communication” with Him. During this three day event, you will hear talks from both clergy and lay persons about the relationship God wants with each of us, and methods to discern what He wants for your life. There are memorable ceremonies and opportunities for individual and corporate worship, in an atmosphere of worship and conversations with other believers. You may not get specifics from past participants because each individual has their own personal experiences and reactions and they don’t want their experiences to dictate yours. What most of us do know is that the Walk to Emmaus has had a significant impact on our lives, either during the three day event or in the days following, which we call our “4th days”. God’s timing will always be the determination of when you will go, but talk to Him about his plan for that timing and open yourself up to the possibility of going and renewing yourself in an effort to move forward for His plans for your life.