The weekend begins Thursday evening. People get acquainted with each other, and participate in a service of Confession and Forgiveness. The next three days include talks followed by discussion, worship and fellowship. The weekend concludes on Sunday evening.

 

The Talks

The main part of the weekend centers around nine talks given by laypersons and five by pastors. Some of the talks utilize personal experience as a living witness to the content of the talk. Each talk is followed by a discussion period. During the first two days the table groups also draw posters depicting the talk and the discussion. In the evening table groups share the content of their discussion and the meaning of their posters with the whole group. Usually there are four to six table groups of six or more persons each. Five meditations also are given by the pastors during the worship and devotional times of the weekend.

 

Thursday

In Thursday's worship, two meditations are given: Know Yourself, an introspective look at our lives, what motivates us, and how we stand in relation to our God: the second is on the prodigal son parable in Luke, and how the Father sees his relationship to us, always happy to welcome us.

 

Friday

Friday morning's meditation is the "Three Glances of Christ" in which Jesus gazes at the Rich Young Ruler, Judas, and Peter in the midst of their denial with a look of love and longing. Five talks follow during that day:

 

1. IDEAL (Layperson): We are encouraged to examine our priorities in life. What is our Ideal'? What goals do we set to reach it? What steps do we take to achieve it? Is it attainable?

 

2. GRACE (Pastor): God's "Ideal" is to love his creation. Grace is God's free gift of love to us. The Father is seen as always loving, always giving freely, no strings attached, always creating newness.

 

3. LAITY (Layperson): The nature of the church is defined: the local community is the nurturing, sending Body of Christ. Pastor and Laity work together to accomplish the mission of Christ - to "go and tell." Ministry is the vocation of every believer.

 

4. GRACE IN ACTION (Pastor): God's grace, showered on all, is also poured out in real, tangible ways in each of our lives - in relationships with spouse, children, and friends. God's spirit is in us to enable us to believe and to love. God's grace overflows our lives to touch other lives through our ministry to others.

 

5. PIETY (Layperson): Various kinds of piety are presented, both false and genuine. We discover that we are practicing some forms of piety, even though not feeling "pious." Piety is seen as "directing  our entire life to God" as we worship, study, grow, and serve.

 

Saturday

Saturday morning's meditation is "The Figure of Christ." Here Christ is presented as both God and Man. Jesus is the "word made flesh dwelling among us." Jesus is completely God, existing before he created this universe, and completely human, born and as any other child. He lived the life we live, and he willingly died and rose from the dead, bearing God's grace to us in love. This theme is enlarged upon during the talks:

 

6. STUDY (Layperson): The role of, and need for, study in nurturing our spiritual life are explored. The goal and purpose of study, with the obstacles to overcome, are discussed along with the resources available to enrich our understanding of the faith. References to books, Bible studies, devotionals, tapes, etc., are provided.

 

7. MEANS OF GRACE, Word and Sacrament (Pastor): God's word is a living, active presence in our daily living and his word is also enfleshed in sacrament. Here Christ is seen to be THE Sacrament. As grace is imparted in the earthly elements of water, bread and wine, so in the earthly body of Christ is God's grace made real and personal, "given for you." Baptism and

Holy Communion are discussed at length. Some emphasis is also given to the special times in our lives in which we experience the love and grace of God in deeply meaningful ways, for example, birth, confirmation, marriage, and death.

 

8. ACTION (Layperson):T he apostles action in "going into all the world" is the model for examining our evangelical vocation. We are encouraged to act in a way that fits our personality to "Make a friend, be a friend. and make another a friend of Christ."  (Friendship Evangelism)

 

9. OBSTACLES (Pastor): The things (sin) that keep us from being aware of God's grace and following him are presented: the devil, the world, our flesh. We are the ones who do not allow Christ's atonement to overcome the obstacles; God's grace is sufficient.

 

10. LEADERS (Layperson): The definition and qualities of a leader are presented as well as the spiritual qualities of a Christian leader. No one possesses all of the qualities, but each possesses

enough to be used in ministry to influence and lead others to Christ.

 

Sunday

Sunday morning's meditation, "Christ's Message to the Via de Cristo Participant" begins with the account of the transfiguration and ends with the descent from the mountain back into life and ministry. Likewise we will descend from this mountain and go back to home, job, community, church and the nitty-gritty of our daily lives. The four talks that follow build on this theme;

 

11. ENVIRONMENT (Layperson): What individuals can do to relate to, enrich and/or change the environment in which we live, work and play. How we can be a leavening agent in our families, at work, at church, in small groups, or with our friends. How we can bring Christ into all environments.

 

12. LIFE IN GRACE (Pastor): Sustaining our life of action takes regular feeding and encouragement and training - all provided within the community of faith, the church. Worship, prayer, family devotions and a weekly plan of action are presented. We are encouraged to be part of a small group to support, encourage and nurture each other while living in God's grace.

 

13. CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN ACTION

(Layperson): Here the content of the Action Talk is enlarged upon. The heart and soul of Christian Community is apostolic action, something we never do alone. There is strength in community which empowers us to act. Practical resources are offered.

 

14. TOTAL SECURITY IN THE FOURTH DAY

(Layperson): How we find security in life is compared with the total security we have been promised by God. We tap that security through others of the Body of Christ in all walks of life by sharing our pilgrimage, encouraging, building up, strengthening and loving each other. How to form a small group is presented. After this third day, we resume our daily lives - in the

fourth day. Our vocation (calling), issued in Baptism, moves us to mission. It won't be easy. We are encouraged to be leaven, not a bomb, in our home community, and to serve without being discouraged.

 

WHAT KIND OF WORSHIP SERVICES ARE HELD?

In the morning, before breakfast, the weekend community gathers for prayer, a portion of Scripture, some devotional readings, and a brief meditation. Each evening before bed, the community gathers for a brief devotion and prayer.

 

Each day the place of Scripture in our lives is dramatized with a "Bible Enthronement.” A passage of Scripture related to the theme of the day is read from the Bible and then the book is placed on a stand to signify and emphasize the preeminence of its message that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior.

 

On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday the weekend community participates in worship and Holy Communion. The sermon is usually a "shared homily" with comments from all on the meaning and application of the Word.

 

In a brief closing ceremony we are reminded of our part in the mission of Christ on earth - that we have been called for a purpose, outlined below.

 

THE FOCUS OF THE VIA DE CRISTO IS ON THE LOCAL CHURCH:

l. Supplementing what we learn in our own congregations;

2. Equipping us to help strengthen and renew the faith of other Christians and, through them, their families, congregations, and the environments in which we all live, work, and play; and

3. Encouraging men and women to grow in Christ through their

a. worship attendance,

b. Bible study participation,

c. congregational involvement,

d. stewardship,

e. renewed sacramental life, and

f. sharing the love of Christ.