The Cape Fear Emmaus History
by Stan Smith

Cape Fear Emmaus, like all Emmaus communities, began with a prompting by the Holy Spirit to answer God’s call to serve, in this case, to be instrumental with God and others in bringing to formation an Emmaus community into being. As I was returning from Mountaintop Upper Room Cursillo in the Spring of 1981, the Spirit planted a notion in me that this experience could bring spiritual transformation in both laity and clergy in the N. C. conference boundaries of the United Methodist Church. Cursillo was the forerunner on Emmaus which came into being a year later. Of course, God’s plan is broader than anything we can imagine. Cape Fear would include many denominations and people from from all kinds of places. However, the next step involved inviting members of Louisburg United Methodist Church to make the 8 hour trek across the NC mountains to Hayesville, NC. Six went in a 2 year period. In 1983, the Spirit interceded, and I was invited to participate in the first Women’s Walk for Seaside Emmaus, being formed in the Myrtle Beach, SC area. Only the Spirit knew that I’d move to Shallotte in 1984 and that in the next 5 years countless people from southeastern NC would make their Walks at Seaside. This would provide a nucleus when we held our first walk. Two minister friends I sponsored are examples of how the Spirit spread Emmaus. Wilmington District Superintendent, Jim Bailey, made his Walk and when he moved to White Plains in Cary, people from that area made their walks during the early stages of Cape Fear. Many became leaders. Likewise, Jim Lee, serving St. Luke in Laurinburg helped to impact that area then moved to Millbrook UMC in Raleigh, another strong Emmaus center. These are 2 ministers who helped facilitate the growth of Cape Fear. Countless laity would do the same thing. In 1985, the Board of Worship on the NC Conference of the United Methodist Church agreed to invest seed money to help Cape Fear Emmaus begin. A steering committee was formed and I was appointed chairman. The group followed the guidelines suggested by Nashville. Tow pieces of mail were sent to every minister who was a member of the conference at the time. One was the brochure about Emmaus produced by the Upper Room and the other was a piece entitled, What is Emmaus, Anyway?” which answered questions people raised about Emmaus. One goal of the steering committee was that Emmaus would be inclusive and would actively seek the sponsorship of African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanics and other ethnic groups in our conference. In the early walks, this was done with a measure of success and many became leaders in the Cape Fear community such as Mack and Wanda Parker, Jesse and Doris Brunson, and others. The first sets of Emmaus Walks for Cape Fear were held in the southeastern area of NC, at Fort Caswell Baptist Assembly. The Lay Director for the first Men’s Walk was Fred Mintz of Shallotte and the Spiritual Director was Steve Bryant of Nashville. The Lay Director for the first Women’s Walk was Jacque Whitaker of Myrtle Beach and I was the Spiritual Director. Jacque was from Seaside Emmaus who helped us staff the first sets of teams and gave a generous financial gift of love to help underwrite these Walks. Following the first walks, a Board was formed and Fred Mintz was elected Lay Director of the Community and I was elected Spiritual Director. Bylaws were formed and adopted. The Board met at Methodist College in Fayetteville. Eventually as Cape Fear spread, the Board felt that since so many were coming from the Triangle, a more central location would be helpful. Camp Dixie, near St. Pauls, was selected for the third set of walks and has been the preferred site for Cape Fear ever since. St. Pauls UMC has been the site for registration, send-off and closing. Purdie Church has generously shared their facilities for the weekends. Thus the community we know today as Cape Fear began in 1987 with the first set of Walks in October and November. It would be impossible to estimate how many men and women have walked since then and our Emmaus family continues to grow. Praise God!