The Upper Room’s Emmaus Ministries are a group of ministry programs that offer participants spiritual formation experiences. These experiences come in the form of a retreat over consecutive days or through sessions scheduled over a fixed period of time. The group of ministries includes The Walk to Emmaus, Face to Face, Journey to the Table, Chrysalis, and Discovery and meet the needs of individuals aged 11 to 100.
In this eCourse, we offer instruction for Emmaus Ministries Spiritual Directors. This instruction seeks to prepare and offer guidance to those who have committed to serving as Spiritual Directors for an Emmaus Ministry event or community. Our instruction, offered by Upper Room Emmaus Ministries staff members Stéphane Brooks and Hess "Doc" Hall, includes 8 sessions. In these sessions, you’ll find video, animation, reading, and quizzes all designed to prepare you for your role as Spiritual Director. In addition to this eCourse, Stephane and Doc will engage in conversation with you personally to insure you are ready and well-supported to serve. Our eight sessions include:
- Introduction to the Family of Emmaus Ministries.
- The WHY.
- The Theology of Emmaus Ministries.
- The Ecumenical Heritage of Emmaus Ministries.
- The Scriptural and Historical Basis for the Clergy-Laity Partnership.
- The Community Spiritual Directors Package.
- Clergy Qualifications.
- Spiritual Director Roles and Responsibilities.
Prepare to spend about four hours (total) to review all session material. You can start and stop at any time.
- Should you have questions about accessing or using this eCourse, email [email protected] for help.
- Should you have questions for your course instructors, email [email protected].
Your Instructor
Stéphane G. Brooks is married to Claudine and is the father of 3 girls – Stephanie, Sophia and Charisse. A former General Technology teacher with the French Ministry of Education, he was ordained by the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas in 2004. In August 2012, Stéphane was invited to the Upper Room where he continues to work with the Emmaus Ministries at providing spaces for persons to experience God’s grace in new and profound ways. As he puts it, “this mission keeps me on my toes.” Stéphane believes that knowledge is one of the keys to liberation and has great hope for the Emmaus Ministries classroom. For him, this informational and transformational tool will lead to Emmaus Ministries communities continuing to step into their calling to renew disciples and strengthen local churches.
Hess B. “Doc” Hall, Jr. has served as a Local Pastor in United Methodist Churches since 1998, first in North Georgia, then in Tennessee. He began working with the International Emmaus Ministries Office of The Upper Room in 2014 as the Program Manager of Face to Face, an event for Older Adults in the Walk to Emmaus tradition. In 2020 he was named Associate Director, Emmaus Ministries. He has background and experience in Musical Theater, Opera, and Storytelling. He is married to Karen, and they have two children, Jacob (Christy) and Mariela—both serving in the USMC—and three granddaughters.