What is an Epiphany Weekend?
The Epiphany Weekend is designed to be a short 3-day course in Christianity with on-going follow-up to incarcerated youth.
The word "Epiphany" is a Greek word that means appearance or manifestation. Our purpose is to manifest God’s Love to incarcerated young people. Each Epiphany event involves a team of adults from the Christian community who work together to show the Love of God to those attending. The coming of the Magi or Wise Men marks the time when God is manifested on Earth to the entire world through Jesus Christ and symbolizes the type of witnessing individuals can have when they allow God to transform them through the power of His love on an Epiphany Weekend.
This will be a time of spiritual introduction that offers many beautiful surprises for those participating. An Epiphany Weekend inspires, challenges and prepares participants for a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, allowing them to feel the gift of His love and the presence of His grace.
Participants will explore deep questions about where their faith is right now and what steps they want to take to deepen it. Guys and girls attend separate Epiphany Events, and discussion groups are typically arranged in young people of similar ages.
What happens on an Epiphany Weekend?
An Epiphany Weekend is three days of group interaction, singing, laughing, learning, praying, and worshipping, with opportunities also for individual introspection. The format features fifteen talks on various topics related to life as a Christian, as well as plenty of time to relax and form new bonds with other Christians.
The Epiphany program is based upon the following types of weekend models: Chrysalis, Cross, Cursillo, Happening, Kairos Prison Ministry, Tres Dias, Cursillo, Vida Nueva and the Walk to Emmaus.
Clergy and mature Christian adults are on hand and available for participants wanting to go deeper or discuss issues in their lives. The overall experience is both corporate and very personal, and each person's experience will be unique.
Who can go?
Epiphany Weekends are open to young men and women who are troubled and/or in the custody of Juvenile Justice Facilities. Each Epiphany Weekend involves a team of adults from the Christian community who work together to show the Love of God to those attending.
On an Epiphany Weekend, youth are referred to as "Stars" and most of the teenagers are in the 15 to 17 year-old age range. Many teenagers are skeptical of Christianity. We find that most of these youth know about it but few have actually witnessed Christianity in ways that have prospered a belief in it. It takes the love of Christ being manifested in our Epiphany volunteers to make Christianity comprehensible to these young people.
What is the cost?
Where is the Epiphany community and how does it operate?
Epiphany communities are located throughout the U.S. and around the World. The local Emmaus chapter is called Central Carolinas Epiphany Community. It is centered in Charlotte but reaches as far as Gastonia, Lake Wylie, Fort Mill, Rock Hill, Kannapolis, Mooresville, Marshville, Midland and surrounding areas.
Our community is governed by an independent, 15-member, volunteer board of directors that includes representatives of different denominations, clergy and laypeople. The Epiphany board conducts each Weekend with the assistance of many volunteers.
When does an Epiphany Weekend happen and where are the they?
Epiphany Weekends are held once or twice a year, for us they are most often held at the Cabarrus Youth Development Center. All participants arrive in the evening on a Thursday and depart on Sunday.
Visit our Event Schedule for more information about the dates and locations of our most current upcoming Epiphany Weekends.
Where does the Epiphany Weekend originate?
The Epiphany Weekend itself originates from the “Cursillo” movement. There is also another weekend called "Chrysalis" which is the youth version of the Walk to Emmaus weekend and is the primary model the Epiphany Weekend takes after.
The Epiphany, Chrysalis and Emmaus programs are sanctioned by the Upper Room and the United Methodist Church. Flights, Walks and Epiphany Weekends are Methodist in expression, but sensitive and welcoming to participants of all denominations.
Where do I get more information?
Please continue exploring this website for more information about upcoming Epiphany Weekends and Epiphany contact information.
Visit the national Epiphany website (epiphanyministryinc.org) to find other Epiphany communities in the U.S. For information about “Chrysalis” for youth, visit centralcarolinaschrysalis.org and for information about "Emmaus" for adults, visit centralcarolinasemmaus.org.