There are Two kinds of change, said Rev. Wesley Denyer, chair of the Emmaus Project planning team. One is a slow, often budget-driven change, and the other is a sudden revelatory change akin to suddenly opening your eyes and perceiving the world in a different way.
“The dream [of next summer’s planning conference] is that our eyes will be open to the reality that the Presbyterian Church already has God and Christ with it,” he said. “And with us recognizing that, we’ll be instantly changed.”
Titled The Emmaus Project: Open Eyes, Burning Hearts, the conference will run from April 29 to May 2, 2010 in Alliston, Ont. It will be geared toward presbyteries—the building blocks of the Canadian Presbyterian system—and will encourage participants to develop strategic plans for local contexts.
“It’s a unique approach, in some ways, because it takes us outside of the usual structures,” noted Rev. Stephen Kendall, the church’s principal clerk. Although national staff will likely attend, the conference itself has been geared toward more grassroots components of the church.
A handful of ‘reflectors,’ who understand the Presbyterian context, will be there to listen and report back to the long range planning committee, Assembly Council and other national church bodies. The team hopes this feedback will help national church groups discern their own visions for the future.
Interested presbyteries must apply for the conference and commit to engage in follow-up work after it ends. This will ensure that presbyteries come by choice—not obligation—and will have enough ‘critical mass’ for participants to implement their strategies when they return, Denyer said, noting that it is always harder to maintain enthusiasm or clarity of vision if one does not share it with others.
Fifteen presbyteries will be selected from the applicants, equalling about 100 active participants. There is a fee for the conference based on the size of the presbytery. The national church will be footing the majority of the bill.
The event’s keynote speakers were chosen for their approach and expertise rather than their denominational affiliation. They will include Don Posterski, Bill Easum, Diana Butler Bass, and Brian McLaren who will appear in a videoconference.
Although he said he looks forward to the event with “cautious optimism,” Denyer believes that “in a moment, an opening of eyes can be a catalyst for change. And I believe it’s possible, because it’s happened before.”
Many of the disciples experienced instantaneous change in response to Christ’s call. “It’s the same in the story of the road to Emmaus,” Denyer said. “The disciples were tired and depressed and going the wrong way. But the moment their eyes were opened when Christ broke bread with them, they suddenly said ‘okay, we’re in the wrong place, and now we know where we need to be.’”
For more information please see presbyterian.ca/emmaus. Deadline for applications is November 15. Successful applicants will be informed by the end of the year.
