Who We Are: Getting to the Heart of Emmaus

In her final Words for Reflection as Director of Emmaus Ministries, Brittany Sky shares a heartfelt invitation to reflect on the values at the heart of the Emmaus movement. Drawing on her time serving and walking alongside Emmaus communities, Brittany reminds us of the importance of belonging, authentic companionship, unity, servant leadership, and grace as we continue this journey together.

Over the past several months, one question has found its way into many of my conversations with Emmaus communities around the world: 

What does it really mean to be ecumenical? 

Emmaus has always been an ecumenical movement. From the very beginning, Christians from many traditions have gathered around the same tables, prayed together, shared meals, laughed, cried, and discovered that Christ was already present among them. That has never meant we all believe exactly the same things. It has meant believing that Christ is greater than our differences and that Christian friendship can become holy ground. 

Ecumenical ministry is not the absence of conviction. It is not pretending our differences don't matter. And it certainly isn't avoiding difficult conversations. 

Instead, ecumenical ministry asks something much harder of us. 

It asks us to practice humility before certainty, remembering that discipleship is a lifelong journey and that the Holy Spirit continues to shape us along the way.

To listen before we judge. 

To extend grace before we draw conclusions. 

To trust that the Holy Spirit is still at work in one another. 

Over the last year, I have spent a great deal of time researching the history of Emmaus Ministries. I wanted to better understand the essence of our Christian movement. Knowing who we are—who we've always been—helps us discern our unique calling in the here and now. 

What became clear to me through digging through old manuals, studying the history of the Fourth Day Movement, and talking with previous Directors is that the heart of Emmaus can be expressed through these guideposts: 

The Emmaus Guideposts 

Belonging  Empowered by radical love and acceptance. 

Authentic Companionship  Leading to and nurturing pilgrims in piety, study, and action—faith, hope, and love. 

Diversity and Unity  Through ecumenical, interracial, and international communities of Christian acceptance and unity. 

Servant Leadership  Team-based and collaborative, built on flexibility and adaptation, and led by the Holy Spirit. 

Grace-Filled Environments  Teaching rhythms of spiritual practice and inviting spiritual renewal for the transformation of individual disciples and the world. 

Throughout my time serving as Director of Emmaus Ministries, I've become increasingly convinced that these guideposts offer us a faithful framework for discernment. They are not rules to enforce or tests to pass. They are an invitation to ask, together, what kind of community Christ is calling us to become. 

Whenever difficult questions arise—and they always will—I hope these guideposts become less of a checklist and more of a prayer: 

• Does this help people belong?  
• Does this strengthen authentic companionship? 
• Does this honor the beautiful diversity and unity of Christ's Church?  
• Does this reflect servant leadership?  
• Does this embody grace? 

One of my favorite verses in Scripture is John 15:15, where Jesus tells the disciples, "I have called you friends." Before Jesus sent them out, before they understood everything, before they agreed on everything, he called them friends. Friendship—not hierarchy. Love—not control. Mutuality—not dominance. 

As I write my final Words for Reflection, that is my prayer for Emmaus. 

May we continue to be known not for our uniformity, but for our unity in Christ.  May we create communities where people know they belong before they are asked to become.  May we cultivate authentic companionship that encourages one another in piety, study, and action.  May we celebrate the beautiful diversity of Christ's Church across denominations, cultures, races, languages, and nations.  May we lead as servants, trusting the Holy Spirit more than our own certainty.  And above all, may grace have the final word. 

Thank you for allowing me to walk beside you during this season of Emmaus Ministries. Serving as your Director has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Though my role is changing, my prayers for Emmaus will continue. 

May Christ continue to meet you on the road, surprise you in the stranger beside you, and send you back into your local church with hearts burning and lives transformed. 

De Colores, 

Brittany Sky

Former Director of Emmaus Ministries

Emmaus Advisory Board Member