SonRise Wisconsin Via de Cristo is a Christian renewal movement affiliated with the National Lutheran Secretariat for Via de Cristo. The National Lutheran Secretariat is a confederation of independent movements from across North America. The Via de Cristo method includes individual participation in weekly Small Group reunions and coming together in larger group Ultreyas. Via de Cristo welcomes participation by Christians of all denominations. At this time we are conducting separate weekends for men and women at various locations around Wisconsin. When the demand is right we also hold a Co-Ed weekend where both men and women attend at the same time. We are currently holding two sets (men's and women's) of weekends each year, one in the spring/early summer and one in late fall.The Co-Ed weekend is usually held in June if we have one that year.
Purpose
The objective of the movement is to inspire, challenge and equip local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches and communities. Via de Cristo is based on the fundamentals of Christianity, concentrating on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. The focus is not on Via de Cristo itself, but on the local church. The primary goal of Via de Cristo is to build lay leaders in the church.
History
The movement originated as "Cursillo" in the late 1940's in the Spanish Catholic church and moved to the United States in the late 1950's. It began in the Lutheran church when lay people and clergy attended a Catholic Cursillo in 1971, both in Iowa and Florida. The first Lutheran sponsored weekends were held in 1972 in Iowa and Florida and have now been held in over 25 states and some foreign countries. Via de Cristo is the Lutheran expression of this method which is currently being used in many denominations including: Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian and Reformed churches.