Praising God for 10 years of God’s love

and grace shown through the gifts of

Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis

March 12, 2005

 A History of the

Mountain Top Community

 A History of the

Mountain Top Community

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The Mountain Top Community traces its roots back to 1980 when several Bethlehem residents—and members of Wesley UMC—attended Cursillo weekends sponsored by the Episcopal and Moravian Churches. Among those Cursillistas are present-day Mountain Toppers Carolyn Miller, Judy Kehler, Dr. Don Follmer, as well as the late John and Helen Garihan, and others. 

These brothers and sisters in Christ were so excited about their eye-opening experience—and wanted so much to expand on the vision of empowering lay people to be more active in their local churches—that they sought to start a Walk to Emmaus Community in Eastern Pennsylvania.

            They got together with other Cursillistas from Lancaster County and in the Levittown area, where other United Methodists—including Bob and Janet Rugg, Charlie and Tanya Evans, Bob and Rola Pope—and others had experienced this marvelous gift. After much planning, the first Eastern Pennsylvania (now Crossroads) Walk to Emmaus was held in at Gretna Glen camp in March, 1984, with Mark Foltz and Tanya Evans as Lay Directors.

             In the following years, two sets of weekends were held each year (with a hiatus between #1 and #2 and #5 and #6). Weekends #2-9 were held at Kirby House in Mountain Top, PA, and all subsequent weekends at Camp Innabah in Spring City, PA. Hundreds of pilgrims from all over Eastern PA attended in the weekends that followed—from Lancaster to the west to Levittown to the south and Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton to the north.

            Lives were changed. Small groups and local gatherings kept spiritual batteries fully charged. Lay people and clergy were recharged. Spiritual strongholds were broken. Churches were enlivened. Many of lay people felt and answered the call to ordained ministry.

            The fruit of Emmaus has been and is good!

            At a Bethlehem Gathering in February, 1994—after 17 sets of E. PA weekends—God led the Emmaus pilgrims gathered to consider starting a new Emmaus Community for the purpose of expanding the opportunities by which people in eastern Pennsylvania can experience Christ through the Walk to Emmaus.

            After much prayer, the wheels were put in motion for the start of this as-yet unnamed community as Steering Committee members applied to the International Emmaus office to start a new community.

            We set our sights on March, 1995—just one year—as the dates for our first weekends.

            For those who took part in the venture, it felt like the Christian church as described in the book of Acts…

    Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:43-47 (NIV) 

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            Talk banners were needed… and gorgeous works of art appeared. A communion set was needed…and two hand-made ceramic sets were created. A sponsor’s cross was needed…and a stunning oak cross was handcrafted by a community artisan. Conference room table supplies were needed and poof—pencils and markers and scissors and more appeared in plastic tubs! Lay Director crosses were handcrafted and wooden agape crosses were crafted by community craftsmen.

            It seemed like every day new gifts were brought before God—loving gifts of agape love— to start this community, which was now to be called Mountain Top (two words!) of Northeast PA. A community Bible was given. A three-legged stool. Weekend crosses. A community logo by Miki Howell. Two community banners, one created by Stella Basile and the other by the Garden State Emmaus Community.

Roger Amerman and the Rev. Russ Wentling were named Steering Community Chairman and Community Spiritual Director as teams were created for the first weekend, which would be held at Pocono Plateau, Michael Grube and Miki Howell served as first Lay Directors, and Tom Filiatreau serving as our liaison with the Emmaus International Office.

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The Community Cross

As the weeks drew close to the first weekends, however, there was a big piece missing—a community cross—the cross that was to be the focal point of each weekend and community event.

John Garihan, a man whose life was changed by his Cursillo experience and who had created hundreds of wooden crosses over the years for Emmaus pilgrims—as well as other large community crosses for other communities—was having trouble with his offer to create the community cross for this new Mountain Top community.

John was suffering from emphysema and was so weak, he found it impossible to complete the task which he so desperately wanted to complete. Then, just a week before the first weekend, his son from Virginia came for an unexpected visit. At Helen Garihan’s prodding, both men went to the basement of their home.

John’s son wasn’t a woodworker, but he was a faithful son.

So with John providing the guidance, and his son doing the work, the cross was built. During the construction of the cross with his father, the son came to know not only how to build a cross… but also the true and life-changing meaning behind the cross!

His life was never the same…and neither have the lives of hundreds of pilgrims who have carried that cross ever since!

It was on the first weekend, at the women’s closing that the first utterance of the now famous Schuuuuuuuuuylkill Haven was first shouted by an enthusiastic Shirley Yenilitus…and that those new “spiritual spectacles” were first donned by our present Community SD Ed Tucker.

The Steering Committee transformed itself into a new Board of Directors in 1995, with responsibilities enthusiastically accepted to grow the community through weekends and especially through Fourth Day training, gatherings and small groups.

Outreach groups, headed by Wally Boswell, visited churches and made contacts to spread the word about Emmaus. Small groups were formed and later given a boost by Joe Trovato. The community was nurtured with the telephone ministry of Frank Horn, a man who could barely speak due to a tracheotomy, but spoke volumes to hundreds of pilgrims with his love of Christ. Many prayer warriors undergirded all these efforts with prayer.

The Roman Catholic Spanish Cursillo community faithfully provided living palanca every Saturday evening through the 7th weekend. They’d burst through the doors—guitars strumming to their wonderful Latino beat—as pilgrims struggled to learn De Colores in Spanish…and showed everyone how it’s really done! Before they left, they’d sing some more Spanish songs. Then, we’d all sing Amazing Grace together as they departed into the night.

 “Palanca” is the Cursillo term for agape, but in many ways is much richer. Like agape, it is an act of Christian love. But more than that, palanca, means “lever.” And so acts of sacrificial palanca would, like a lever, be offered by our brothers and sisters others to lift up each pilgrim closer to God. We particularly remember Angel Vasquez, who made his weekend in the early 1960s, and his great love of Christ.

So many team members and pilgrims gave of themselves in so many ways for one reason: to extend this gift of Emmaus—to change lives, and communities and churches and workplaces for Christ…to produce good fruit!

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Mountain Top Chrysalis formed

At a Board meeting at Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church in the spring of 1996, a new chapter in Mountain Top history was about to be written—the addition of Chrysalis to the Mountain Top Community. Our mission: to further extend the message of God’s love and grace to high school teenagers.

A steering committee, co-chaired by Ed Unangst and Ron McClincey, first met May 18, 1996 at Wesley UMC, Bethlehem. (Do you see a pattern here?!) Committees were enthusiastically formed and members began their work, aiming for July 1997 for the first set of Flights.

By August, the Steering Committee had their first Chrysalis Training Session with Nashville representative Gretchen Wilson. And by September, the site of Muhlenberg College was chosen and the team formation began.

Just as with the Walk to Emmaus, the community prayerfully answered the call for help. Chrysalis banners—Faith Hope and Love—were created. An extraordinary mime communion cross was crafted by Ruth Groves. A Chrysalis banner was given by Barry Homer of the Crossroads community. A rugged cross was made for the nail service. Two beautiful butterfly altar crosses with various types/shades of wood were handcrafted.  A mime communion box appeared out of nowhere…and a hand-carved nativity scene was later added. The blessings overflowed!

One of the amazing things about the first weekend was that the teams were comprised of butterflies and pilgrims from five different communities—Mountain Top…Harrisburg…Crossroads of EPC…Delmarva…and Southern New England! 

Blessings continued to overflow as 44 caterpillars attended the first set of weekends, coming from Mountain Top, Crossroads, and Southern New Jersey. The New Jersey participants later helped to give birth to the Chrysalis community of Southern Jersey. 

The Chrysalis Steering Committee continued through the 2^nd flight in August, 1998. On February 19, 1999, the Mountain Top Chrysalis Board of Directors held the first official Board meeting electing Karen McClincey as Lay Director.

            The Chrysalis youth have added such a vibrant dimension to the Mountain Top community! In recent years, youths have provided the Saturday “entertainment” for Emmaus weekends with their unbridled enthusiasm and joy of the Lord. They’ve led community Gatherings. New “Chrysalis songs” have enlivened a new community songbook introduced in 2004. Their spirit has touched many hearts through the years!   

We’ve seen wonderful fruit through Chrysalis, too. Many have spoken of becoming true friends—not superficial friends— for Christ's sake. One girl shared in a witness talk that because of the love she felt on the weekend, she was able to avoid and overcome her suicidal tendencies. Another girl witnessed to the fact that experiencing God's fatherly love on the weekend helped her be more of a Godly daughter and begin the healing between her and her dad. A boy expressed that it was his meeting Jesus face to face on his flight which led him to pursue full-time ministry.

The fruit of Chrysalis has been and is good!

As with Emmaus, the Chrysalis community is not just a vehicle for weekends alone. Nurturing and small groups are essential. One way Chrysalis is helping support its youth is with a Good Shepherding Program (started after the 7th Flight) where the youth of the Chrysalis Board strive to make monthly contact with each of the new butterflies. 

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Partnership in ministry

In 1998, after holding weekends in Pocono Plateau and Pine Brook Retreat Center, Emmaus weekends moved to Bowman Park Campground for weekends #7-14.

Bowman Park offered the community an opportunity to “partner” in ministry with the campground. In exchange for low rates for using the camp, Community members, led by Bob Schwoyer, installed heating in the dormitories, which benefited both the camp and the community. The community also pitched in and helped ready the camp for summer “business” each spring. It was at Bowman Park that an Emmaus weekend kitchen crew began—including the famous Emmaus oatmeal we remembered from old E. PA days!—under the leadership of Tom Seyfried. That tradition of servanthood now continues at Kirby House.

In recent years, under the leadership of Doug O’Connell, the community was incorporated as a non-profit organization. Later, weekends were moved back to Kirby House—the place where Walk to Emmaus in Eastern Pennsylvania was planted and bloomed to touch the lives of thousands of men and women in both Crossroads and Mountain Top communities. We come full circle!

Through all the weekends, flights, gatherings, small groups, board meetings, team meetings, one thing has been remarkable: How God has brought together men and women of widely different backgrounds and denominations and worked marvelously through them to share His love and grace.

So many Mountain Toppers have offered themselves as “living sacrifices” so that others can come to know the depth and breadth of God’s love, with the prayer that lives would be changed. We are deeply appreciative for all who have served the Lord in many different capacities through the Mountain Top community.

Our community—embracing both the Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis—is made up of United Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Moravians, UCCers, Roman Catholics, and several independent churches.

Today, we gather to celebrate and marvel at what God has done. We remember beloved servants with whom we worked side by side, and who are now cheering us on from heaven: Rev. Charlie Evans, John and Helen Garihan, Frank and Angie Horn, Rick Gorby, Paul Mondello, George and Arlene Tucker, Rev. Rob Furler, Rosemarie Capra and others.

And yes, with great anticipation, we look forward to what God will continue to do through His faithful servants as we continue the vision to expanding the opportunities by which people in eastern Pennsylvania can experience Christ through the Walk to Emmaus and Chrysalis, to the Glory of God!

—Roger Amerman, Community Historian

Walk to Emmaus Weekend Lay Directors

Pocono Plateau

1. Spring 1995             Michael Grube  Miki Howell    

2. Fall, 1995                 Tom Seyfried                Bev Westwood

3. Spring 1996             Gary Jerebek                Pam Stauffer

Pine Brook Retreat Center

4. Fall, 1996                 Virgil DeGarmo            Sue Unangst

5. Spring, 1997            Ed Unangst                   Dawn Seyfried

6. Fall, 1997                 Bob Schwoyer             Conni Schwoyer

Bowman Park Campground

7. Spring, 1998            Joe Trovato                  Jeanne Schwoyer

8. Fall, 1998                 Craig Klevenhagen       Kate Grube

9. Spring 1999             Billy Stroup                  Roni DeGarmo

10. Fall, 1999               Ron Klevenhagen         Liz Romig

11. Spring 2000           Tom Firth                     Renee Klevenhagen

12. Fall, 2000               Rick Carfagna              Eleanor Klevenhagen

13. Spring, 2001          Charlie Silliman             Kristin Stuby

14. Fall, 2001               Roger Galliford Sheryl Deal

St. Francis Retreat Center

15. Fall, 2002               Doug O’Connell           Janice Carfagna

Pocono Plateau

16. Fall, 2003               Ron Anthony                Susan Galliford

Kirby House

17. Fall, 2004               Rick Schwoyer Karen McClincey

18. Fall, 2005               Wally Frisch                 Marcia Zackavich

Mountain Top Steering Committee 1994-1995

Roger Amerman, Chairman, Janet Amerman, Rev. Russ Wentling, Karen and Ron McClincey, Michael and Kate Grube, Paul & Lisa Duffy, Wally Boswell, Tom Seyfried, Beverly & Wilbur Westwood, Carol and Manny Cerqueria, Janice Carfagna, Virgil & Roni DeGarmo and others who, with God’s strength and wisdom, prayed and labored our community into existence!

Mountain Top Emmaus Community Lay Directors

Roger Amerman 1995-1999

Bob Basile 1999

Ron Klevenhagen 2000

Tom Seyfried 2001

Roger Galliford 2002

Doug O’Connell 2003

Karen Stonesifer 2004-2005

Mountain Top Emmaus Community Spiritual Directors

Rev. Russ Wentling 1995-1998

Rev. Ed Tucker 1999

Rev. Al Smith 2000

Rev. Jon Kline, 2000-2001

Rev. Judy Kehler 2001-2002

Rev. Ed Tucker 2003-2005

Chrysalis Weekend Lay Directors

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Muhlenberg College

1. July, 1997                Ed Unangst                   Susan Unangst

St. Francis Retreat Center (boys) Mary Immaculate (girls)

2. August, 1998            Doug Russell                Jenn Hackett

St. Francis Retreat Center

3. July, 1999                No boys weekend        Jane Zotter

4. February, 2000        Manny Cerqueira          Carol Cerqueira

5. March, 2001            Roger Amerman           Shellie Russell

6. March, 2002            Tom Ebersole               Marcia Zackavitch

7. March, 2003            Darrel Deal                   Karen McClincey

Kirby House

8. May, 2004               Doug Niebell                Karen Stonesifer 

9. April, 2005               Todd Glassmire            Tanya Follweiler          

Mountain Top Chrysalis Steering Committee 1996-1999

Ron & Karen McClincey, Rev. Judy Kehler, Rev. Rob Furler, Ed, Sue & Kelly Unangst, Dawn & Ed Fisher, Jenn Hackett Stumer, Rick Schwoyer, Barry Homer, Jane Zotter, Charlie & Irene Penwell, Renee & Craig Klevenhagen, Kirstin Ramsey and Al Barnes.

Mountain Top Chrysalis Community Lay Directors

1999-2000       Karen McClincey

2001-2002       Ruth Groves

2002-2004       Jenn (Hackett) Stumer

Mountain Top Chrysalis Community Spiritual Directors

Rev. Les Groves 1999-2002

Rev. Ron McClincey 2003-2005

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