Duties of Candlelight Committee Members

Candlelight Committee Chairperson

As chair of Candlelight, you will be responsible for selecting several members of the community to help you. You as chair have the sole responsibility to complete this team. As you know, anyone involved in the service must have been on a walk.

Maintain contact and liaison with Board Member responsible for Candlelight.
Review and become familiar with all the information and procedures in this Candlelight Manual.
Resolve questions with Board Member. Prepare printed program in coordination with Musicians. A Sample is available on this site.
Ask Lay Director for preferences in persons assisting on Committee.
Recruit additional persons as necessary to assist.
Before coming to the Camp, determine who is to do what.
Have all arrive no later than 6 p.m. to review duties and set up.
Give out written duties on paper and answer questions.
Contact Logistics about Table, Chairs, Radios.
Set up a table (from Logistics) for the Pilgrims' candles and place candles on the table. Make sure you have the same number of candles as there are Pilgrims and that the wicks are in good shape. The table is covered with a white tablecloth or sheet.
Contact Worship to ensure that the Communion elements are provided.
Set up chairs (See Section 2.)
Contact the ALD who will man the radio. Radio communication with an ALD will let you know when the Pilgrims are leaving the conference room. Make sure the ALD gets with you as soon as the service is over so he/she can tell you how much time you have to get the community lined up.
Have Committee members introduce themselves at beginning of service (using microphone).
Follow the printed program. Monitor the time. You must be ready to receive the Pilgrims by 8:55 p.m.
Make announcements listed in the Candlelight Manual.
Designate person (clergy if preferred) to give opening prayer and oversee collection of Offering.
Coordinate with Spiritual Director for time to come and report on Pilgrims and to conduct Communion Service.
Ask ALD to advise you when Pilgrims are ready to leave Conference Room.
Line up community - designate lead man and last man.
Remind persons at the openings who they are to follow.
Oversee entire process from beginning to end.
Thank in person, or write each committee member, an agape note of thanks.

Chair Set-Up (2)

Make sure 300 chairs - 150 each side of a center aisle or 15 rows of 10 chairs each side.
Check with Agape for letter box. Take to Agape at end of service.
Place chair at each end of altar rails for Spiritual Directors
At line up, disperse 1st 2 rows of chairs throughout area.
Place extra chairs in chair racks

Reader (1)

Get updated list of Pilgrims from Registration
Check PA system with musicians.
Announce prayer for individual Pilgrims.
Read names clearly and slowly as candles are lighted.
Announce AMEN.

Parking Ushers (2)

Get vests and flashlights from Logistics.
Determine appropriate spaces away from pavilion to park cars. Set up early enough to keep people from parking near the pavilion.
Greet and park all incoming traffic.

Luminaries (2)

Set up 70 luminaries (bags, sand, tea lights).
Light luminaries with long lighters 5 minutes before arrival of new Pilgrims.
Locate and dim lights upon signal from Candlelight chairperson.

Candle Lighters (2)

Locate 2 long lighters.
Set up table with white cloth.
Prepare votive containers and candles. Same number as Pilgrims.
Rotate lighting of candles as names are called.
At end of names called, place table and candles in far rear comer out of way.

Inside Ushers (4)

Check with Worship Committee or Logistics for candles, matches, and collection plates.
Greet and give out program sheets and assist those needing it in finding a seat.
Maintain QUIET in rear by having all arrivals take a seat.
At appropriate time, take up collection. DO NOT take collection back to altar.
With 1 other usher, count collection, record amount on form provided, and turns in to Treasurer, if present. If not, turn in to Registration.
Collect and dispose of program sheets at end of Communion service.

Candlelight Notes

Fourth Day Speaker

Prayerfully consider who God wants you to ask to be the Fourth Day Speaker. It is recommended that the Fourth Day Speaker be in a reunion group and an active church member. We suggest you begin this as soon as possible to allow ample time for the speaker to prepare for this talk through prayer and study. As stated above, this is not a sermon. The talk should be brief, 8 to 12 minutes, and appropriate for the community. If you or the speaker has never been to a Candlelight other than as a Pilgrim, or if you have any questions or concerns, visit with the Emmaus board representative that oversees Candlelight to get a clear understanding of what is expected.

Musician(s) to lead singing

Prayerfully consider who God wants you to ask to lead the service through music. There are no specific requirements as to what instruments or how many musicians you will need. Your choice could be one person playing a guitar, or a duet with an electric piano and guitar. The only instrument you may want to consider is an unamplified guitar so the musician(s) will be able to move about the community and led the song "Jesus, Jesus" as the Pilgrims approach.

Walk-Through

The Pilgrims pass through the candlelit community and gather in the chancel area facing the community. When the community stops singing, the Spiritual Director uses the narrative provided in the Spiritual Director's Manual to explain what is happening. The Spiritual Director then asks the Pilgrims to sing "Jesus, Jesus" in return, as an expression of gratitude. Having learned "Jesus, Jesus" earlier in the day, and with the support of the team and the Musician, the Pilgrims sing "Jesus, Jesus" as a round. After the Pilgrims have sung two rounds, the community begins to slowly file out, moving forward past the Pilgrims with candles lit, then out of the sanctuary, starting from the back pews. Upon exiting the chapel, the community members should extinguish their candles, go to their cars, and depart quietly.

Announcements During the Service

Remind the community that this is a worship service, and to maintain an atmosphere of reverence. Read the purpose of Emmaus (from The Upper Room Handbook on Emmaus.)

The purpose of Candlelight is to move the Pilgrims to a deeper realization of God's love and to demonstrate the support of a Christian community for their life as faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Though Candlelight is moving for both Pilgrims and community, its purpose is not to create a mountaintop experience for its own sake. Candlelight prepares the way for the time of personal prayer and recommitment that follows upon the Emmaus Community's departure. In the Gospels, many people sought Jesus out for the grace of healing and forgiveness, but fewer heeded the call to follow as Jesus journeyed toward the cross. Likewise, Dying Moments Communion gives the Pilgrims an opportunity to bring their needs to Jesus, but Candlelight moves them to take the next step of rededication as disciples in their response to God's grace. For this reason, Candlelight and the time of prayer that follows complete the unfolding of Saturday's theme of response to the grace of Jesus Christ.

Announce that there is a box in the back for agape letters.
Reminder to only wear name badge and have worship booklet. The Emmaus cross is only worn at Closing during the 3-day event. Wear cross and name badge and bring worship booklet to all post 3-day events.
It is the responsibility of the sponsor to get new Pilgrims to follow-up and to find a reunion group.
Find out what other Emmaus communities and Chrysalis flights are represented and where they are from (city & state). You will need to write these down and give this list to the Spiritual Director when he gives the community an update so he can tell the Pilgrims later in the evening.
Announce that Serenade is 7: 15 Saturday morning.
Announce that Closing is 4:00 Saturday afternoon.
Up-coming Walks and Lay Director (if in attendance, may want to make a brief announcement).
Remind everyone to leave quietly and with headlights off.
Remind everyone to remove their watches.
No hugs or reaching out to the Pilgrims.

12. At the conclusion of the service ask everyone to quietly put away their chairs before lining up for the Pilgrims (except 1^st 2 rows).

Check with Board Chairperson for announcements.

SUMMARY CHECKLIST FOR CANDLELIGHT

Prior to the Walk

People needed:

Confirm a Fourth Day Speaker.
Confirm a musician(s) to lead the worship service.
Get a volunteer to read the Pilgrims' names.
Get volunteers to light Pilgrims' candles as names are read.
Get four people to take up offering and hang chairs on rack at end of program
Get two or more to help with parking.
Select someone to dim the lights at appropriate time. Locate the light switches in the Camp Director's office. You can enter through the door at the far end of the pavilion or through the side door.
Get one person who can line up the community - all go to left when exiting.
Get one or more people to hand out community's candles.
Have someone take agape letters to agape hut after the service.

Supplies/To Do List before the Service Begins

Obtain up-to-date list of the Pilgrims' names
Talk with Logistics about chairs, table, and radios
Contact Worship to ensure that Communion elements are in place
Use the square glass votive holders to place the votive candles for each Pilgrim
Locate the long lighters and make sure they work
Place sand in the bottom of the white paper sacks and use tea lights to set up the luminaries. Use at least 70, and line them up outside the pavilion leading to the hill where the Pilgrims will appear.
Make sure you have at least 400 candles with plastic holders put together for the community. Check the candle in the holders. Remove candles shorter than four (4) inches and replace with new candles.
Locate the box for agape letters.
Provide pen and paper to write down the visiting communities and give to the Spiritual Director.
Make sure 300 chairs are set up, center aisle 150 chairs on each side, 15 rows of 10 chairs.

After Candlelight

Inventory community candles after Candlelight
Inventory Pilgrim candles (votives)
Inventory sand and tea lights for luminaries
Place candles and plastic holders in boxes and label the box with the date and number of candles.
Write down the inventory for the Candlelight board representative
Contact Candlelight board representative within one week to give him/her a verbal report and inventory numbers.

INVENTORY FOR CANDLELIGHT

(To be completed Friday after Candlelight or Saturday morning before logistics packs up.)

Walk # ______________ Date ______________________

Prepared by: ______________________________________

(please print name)

Approx. number of candles used:

New ______________

Discarded __________

Approx. number of plastic holders used: _________________

New ______________

Discarded __________

Number of glass votive holders _________________________

Number of unused votive candles _______________________

Number of unused tea light candles _____________________

Number of white bags for luminaries ____________________

Sufficient sand for the next Walk ________________________

Automatic Lighters in working condition ___________________

Kleenex boxes _________________

Collection Baskets ______________

Other

____________________________________________________

*Please return box with letters to Agape following the service.

*Please email this inventory and your Candlelight suggestions to the Board Representative.

Donna Goodwin (donna.goodwin@elmore.k12.al.us)

Sample Candlelight Program

Upcoming Emmaus Walks:

Walk 78 (Men) May 4-7, 2005 Ron Ennis, LD

Walk 79 (Ladies) May 11-14, 2005 Crystal Strickland, LD

Walk 80 (Men) August 24-27, 2005 Guy Perry, LD

Walk 81 (Ladies) September 21-24, 2005 Gwen Newton, LD

Walk 82 (Men) October 19-22, 2005 David Waldrip, LD

Walk 83 (Ladies) October 26-29, 2005 Bess Eakes, LD

Walk 84 (Men) November 16-19, 2005 Randy Lovelady, LD

Reminder: Sponsor a Christian brother or sister on an upcoming walk.

Upcoming Chrysalis Flights:

Flight #42 *June 23-26, 2005 Sue Ennis, LD

Flight #43 *July 14-17, 2005 Frank Courson, LD

* indicates joint Journey weekend.

Special Thanks to the Candlelight Team for CAEW #77:

Kim Hendrix Skoneki, Speaker

Danny Gilroy, Music

Doug Preister, Line-Up Coordinator

Jim Sasser

Terri Sasser

Marian Woodman

Mary Sue Burt

Terry Roberts

Ginny Roberts

Marsha Manning

Kim Boswell

George Mingledorff

Sarah Mingledorff

Tom Hollingshead

Wade McDevitt

Truman Hornsby

Linda Hines Hornsby, Chair

May you go in Joy and lead forth in peace!

DeColores

Central Alabama

Walk to Emmaus

#77

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

Candlelight Service

April 15, 2005

Pilgrim List Walk # 77