You may have heard about Cursillo and possibly felt a bit uneasy. Those who have attended a Cursillo weekend may have been a little over-enthusiastic when it comes to persuading others to give it a try. What is it about this movement that is so compelling? And why does some of it seem shrouded in mystery? Let us try to “demystify” this for you.
Cursillo is a Spanish word for “short course” and the Lutheran Cursillo is a short course in Christianity and Christian Living. It can be compared to the Alpha Course condensed into one retreat weekend. The retreat starts on Thursday evening and runs through Sunday late afternoon. The retreats are held three times a year, generally in early Spring, Summer, and Fall.
The weekend is led by a team of about sixty laity who have previously attended Cursillo. Pastors are part of the team. You will attend fifteen talks, ten given by lay members and five by clergy. There will be approximately 36 "pilgrims," first-time Cursillo attendees, in each group.
The weekend consists of table discussions about the talks, prayer, singing, and great fellowship. Communion is offered daily. Accommodations include twin beds in dorm-style quarters and plenty of food - three meals each day, prepared by the cook team. Each participant will experience something different over the weekend, but we can assure you that you will feel and understand God’s grace in a new way.
Lutheran Cursillo of Southern California is a family of over 3,000 people from Lutheran congregations as far South as Hemet and Mission Viejo and as far North as Bakersfield and as far East as San Bernardino. You will be meeting people from churches in those communities and many in between.
Past church leadership attendees include Joe Johnson, Rachel Zippwald, Lou Mannone, Ann Cramer, June Welton, Mark Ahrens, Gayla Totaro, Nathan Thompson, Christine McGraw, Dave Nugent and John Velliquette.
If you have any questions please feel free to talk to anyone who has attended a Cursillo weekend. Several members at Grace have been very active in the community and are willing to share their personal experiences. Feel free to ask Jan Stolzenburg, Linda Woodbury, Steve Barber, Dave Boyer, Mike and Diane Wallace, and Debbie Graves.
CLICK HERE for a PDF with a complete list of Cursillo members you may know.
All "pilgrims" attending a weekend must be sponsored by a previous attendee. If you are interested in attending, download and fill out the PILGRIM APPLICATION, find a sponsor (see if you recognize anyone from our member list above) and bring it to your church office.
We look forward to serving you on your weekend in God's timing.
In His name and service,
The Cursillo Community of Grace Lutheran Church