Welcome to the Northern Inland Community website

Here you will find details of our two annual Walks, Eagles Wings Flight, Kairos short course, Community Gatherings and Board Meetings as well as links to the National website for more details about Emmaus.

What is Emmaus?
The resurrection story told in Luke 24:13-35 illustrates what happens for pilgrims on the Walk to Emmaus: faith is re-explained, grace is re-experienced, Christian community is realised, and the body of Christ is renewed through the renewed commitment of church members Christ's disciples.

There is more information about the purpose of Emmaus here on the national Emmaus website.

Northern Inland area extends from Quirindi in the south to Tenterfield and the border with Queensland in the north, and from New England highway areas west to Moree. The first walks were held in 1989 with North Coast Community helping out greatly with team members. We continue to enjoy the excellent facilities of Calrossy School in Tamworth for our 2 annual walks which have tended to be on the first 2 weekends in July during the school break. Tamworth has tended to be the main centre for activities with Armidale increasingly hosting more gatherings and meetings in recent years.

A feature of NI has been a mini-Emmaus day in November each year which we’ve called Going Fourth, a day of 5 talks on a theme (often an inspiring book as the basis) with table discussions, lots of singing, communion, fellowship and of course the mandatory excellent food agape! Initiated in 1992 (?) this day has been a popular feature of celebration of our Fourth Days and a means of further inspiration and encouragement.

Eagles Wings
New England North West Eagles Wings has replaced Chrysalis this year. New England North West Uniting Church Presbytery sponsors Eagles Wings with joint support from the Armidale Anglican Cursillo Movement and NI Emmaus. The weekend retreat is a co-ed 3-day model that the current board has developed. This year is the first flight (flight #15) and will be held at Lake Keepit State Recreation centre on Friday the 25th to Sunday the 27th of April 2008. The flight numbers have continued on to #15 rather than beginning at one, as we felt that Eagles Wings is a continuing ministry to the young people in our region that had it's beginnings in previous Chrysalis Flights.
Current Lay Director is Lyn Haack

Kairos
Kairos means "God's special time" and is based on the well known verse Galatians 4:4 "In the fullness of time God sent forth His Son born of a woman". The purpose of Kairos is to establish Christian Communities in Correctional Centres to give residents an opportunity to hear the Gospel message and especially that their past can be forgiven.

This special short course program over four days has been held for residents at the Tamworth Correctional Centre since 2005 with the fourth one planned for October 13-17 this year and hopefully in Glen Innes in 2009.

Teams are drawn from NI and other Emmaus and Cursillo Communities and have been greatly encouraged by the reception of the programs and the impact on the lives of the participants.

Current Kairos chairperson is Graham Barwick, ph 02 67432282. email barwick@northnet.com.au and Lay Director for this year's Short Course in October is Graham Bullock.

Whole Community Gatherings
We tend to have 4 or 5 of these each year, the last one being the Going Fourth day in early November. For 2008 the WCGs are on February 16, March 29, June 14, August 9, November 8 with Commissionings of teams being included on March 29 (Eagles wings) and June 14 (Men’s and Women’s Emmaus).

Board Meetings
The Emmaus Board comprises 15 members of the NI Community, meets 6 times throughout the year and exists primarily to plan and facilitate the Emmaus Walks and Fourth Day activities for the benefit and encouragement of pilgrims.

Prayer Vigils
Please go to www.3dayol.org to add your name to our walk prayer vigils at Northern Inland and to any others in the long list of nearly 100 walks and flights being held worldwide this year. As we all know, these events only work because of prayer!

The Best is yet to Come!
Read an encouraging and challenging story that warms the heart and gives us hope!

Our Badge design reflects the variety of terrain represented across the New England Tablelands and the Liverpool Plains hence a blend of mountain and plain landscapes.