Welcome to everything you ever wanted to know about

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Welcome to everything you
ever wanted to know about
IN-KY
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Christ is Counting on You
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What does Via De Cristo mean?
Way of Christ
Via de Cristo is a Spanish phrase meaning Way of
Christ. Via de Cristo is a highly structured
three-day weekend designed to strengthen and
renew the faith of Christian people and bring
them to a new awareness of living in God's grace.
It is a combined effort of lay people and clergy
toward renewal of the church.
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Cursillo, The Great Banquet, The Emmaus Walk, Way
of Christ, Via De Cristo
The movement originated as Cursillo in the
late 1940's in the Spanish Catholic church and
moved to the United States in the late 1950's.
The first Lutheran sponsored weekends were held
in 1972 in Iowa and Florida and have now been
held across the U.S. and several foreign
countries. Via de Cristo is the Lutheran
expression of this weekend. Other denominations
including Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian,
Brethren, and Reformed churches have similar
3-day retreats with different names, all based on
the original Cursillo methods.
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Whats in it for
me?
Via de Cristo is based on the fundamentals of
Christianity, concentrating on the person and
teachings of Jesus Christ. The objective of Via
De Cristo is to inspire, challenge and equip
local church members for Christian action in
their homes, churches and communities as leaders.
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What happens on a weekend?

• A Via de Cristo weekend is 72 hours long. It
  begins Thursday evening and ends Sunday evening.
• Everyone lives, studies, laughs, sings,
  worships, and eats together daily. You are never
  asked to do anything youre not comfortable
  doing. You are never asked to
  pray out loud.

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Weekend Talks

• Fourteen talks are given, nine by lay people
  and five by clergy. Following each talk, small
  round table discussions focus on the main points
  of the talk and a poster is drawn. The talks, in
  an overlapping fashion, present the Christian
  life, based on the person and teachings of Jesus
  Christ. The titles of these talks indicate their
  content

• Ideal
• Habitual Grace
• Laity
• Actual Grace
• Piety
• Study
• Sacraments
• Action
• Obstacles to Grace
• Leaders
• Environment
• Life in Grace
• Christian Community
• Total Security

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After attendingthen what?

• You may attend Via de Cristo only ONCE in your
  life, but you are asked to build on it for the
  rest of your life. After you have attended a
  3-day Via de Cristo weekend you begin your
  Fourth Day (meaning the rest of your life), and
  you are encouraged to
• Expand your inner spiritual life through
  study and church
  participation.
• 2. Become more active witnesses for
  Christ in your daily
  life.

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Perseverance? Continued Renewal!

• Via de Cristo also encourages two ongoing means
  of perseverance
• REUNION GROUPS, small groups of men or women who
  meet regularly to study, pray, share and help one
  another in their quest for spiritual development,
  
• 2. ULTREYA, gatherings of the Via de Cristo
  community for encouragement and fellowship.

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Who should attend?
Via de Cristo is intended for lay people, for
pastors, for people who live strong and active
lives in Christ, and also for those who seek to
be renewed and strengthened in their relationship
with Christ and the people around them. Via de
Cristo weekends in the are either paired, with
men attending the first weekend, and women
attending the second weekend or Co-ed or Mixed
weekends. Mixed weekends arent just for married
couples singles are welcome and encouraged to
attend as well!
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How do I decide?
Keep an open mind and heart in making your
decision to attend Via de Cristo. Many of those
who have attended also wondered whether they
should go. Now that they have attended, they want
to share this wonderful gift from God. Please
understand that their experience attending Via de
Cristo was unique, and all the conversations in
the world will not become a substitute for your
weekend. Through the 15 talks you will learn
valuable tools to use as a leader in your church
and in your communities. You will gain new and
lasting friendships. You will walk with Christ.
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Frequently Asked Questions about
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Can I take my golf clubs?
Sorry, this is a spiritual retreat. The weekend
is jam packed with activities. The only time
available to golf would be bedtimeand you should
be in bed then, right? Other items not necessary
include toilet paper, cell phones, pagers,
computers, canned foods, and pets.
How much does it cost?
Great question! The weekend itself costs 100 per
person. There is a 20 non-refundable
registration fee for a total cost of 120 per
person. This amount covers the entire weekend
your transportation to and from the retreat site,
9 meals and snacks, supplies, and 3 nights
accommodations. All expenses for the weekend are
covered. You won't need to bring any extra money
on the weekend. INKY Via De Cristo is a
non-profit organization, donations are
tax-deductible. Chances are good that your
weekend has been paid for by someone who attended
before you . You will be given the same
opportunity.
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What should I bring?
Comfortable, casual clothes. An umbrella in case
of rain. Comfortable shoes. An open heart.
Bedding, towels, toiletries. Dont worry, if you
forget something, we usually bring extra supplies.
Will I be sleeping in a tent?
No! Its not home, but it has everything youll
need to be comfortable. The weekends are held at
Retreat centers. Depending on the location,
sleeping arrangements are in bunk-style dorms or
2 beds to a room. Restrooms are located within
the buildings (whew!)
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How do I sign up?
You need to have a sponsor. Once youve decided
to attend, they will have an application for you.
You will need to complete it, have your pastor
sign it and then return it to your sponsor. They
will send it to VDC. Your sponsor will take
care of everything else. They will pick you up on
Thursday night, take you out to dinner and return
you safely home on Sunday.
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What if my spouse cant go?
We encourage couples to attend the same set of
weekends together. You can then share your
experiences with each other. If one cant go, it
places a hardship on the spouse attending because
the other wont be able to relate to the talks or
activities of the weekend. If plans cant be
changed, perhaps a different weekend when both
can attend would be better. Attending separately
is discouraged.
What if my spouse WONT go?
Perhaps the spouse doesnt attend church, or
isnt the same place in their faith. It is
unfortunate, but it does happen. Discuss the
matter with your pastor. What is their opinion?
If they agree that the weekend would be
beneficial to you without spousal support, you
will need a special exemption from the Via De
Cristo council.
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IN-KY
Fall Calendar
68 Mens North
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Rector Greg Frazier Oct 4-7 SonRise Camp,
Anderson IN
Christ is Counting on You
69 Womens North
Rector Mary Coffman Oct 11-14 SonRise Camp,
Anderson IN
18 Coed South
Rector Rick Kloos Nov 1-4 Camp Lakeview, Seymour
IN
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More Questions?
If you still have unanswered questions, please
contact someone who has attended the weekend.
They will be happy to answer any questions you
may have.
If youd prefer to learn more on your own,please
visit our website at www.inkyvdc.org