Next Steps

Chrysalis is more than a three-day mountaintop experience for young people. The three-day experience aims to deepen young people's experience of God's companionship for everyday life and to strengthen their commitment to follow Jesus back into their familiar environments of friendships, school, family, church, and work. Chrysalis supports young people's return to the world as butterflies by encouraging and strengthening their local church and youth group connections. Chrysalis also provides follow-up through Reunion Groups and Gatherings. Gatherings are larger, less frequent, gatherings of all of the young people and adults in an area who have participated in Chrysalis for the purpose of renewing relationships, rekindling the fire of faith, and planning to support upcoming Chrysalis weekends. Reunion Groups are small groups of young people who have been on a Chrysalis Flight or Journey. The groups are designed to keep the spirit of the Chrysalis weekend alive and staying in relationship to help one another live in the light of God's love as disciples of Jesus Christ. At the end of a Chrysalis weekend, participants are broken into groups by churches, schools, or towns. In some communities, young people divide themselves into groups by regular times and days when they would be able to meet. After the Chrysalis experience is over, Reunion groups meet regularly to participate in a time of sharing based on the Next Steps Card (a card received during the Chrysalis weekend). Gathering are larger, less frequent, gatherings of all of the young people and adults in an area who have participated in Chrysalis/Emmaus for the purpose of renewing relationships, rekindling the fire of faith, and planning to support upcoming Chrysalis/Emmaus weekends.