About ORBEC
The Oconee River Basin Walk to Emmaus Community (ORBEC) is a community of Christians throughout Baldwin, Greene, Morgan and Putnam Counties in Georgia who have experienced The Walk to Emmaus and are committed to continuing the journey together.
Your Local Walk to Emmaus Community
The Walk to Emmaus is an international spiritual renewal ministry carried out through local Emmaus communities like ORBEC. These communities organize Walks and provide opportunities for participants to remain connected and continue growing in faith long after their three-day experience. ORBEC facilitates Walks in our area and provides an ongoing community where those who have experienced Emmaus can continue growing, serving, and sharing the experience with others.
ORBEC's goals are to help members:
Engage in the Fourth Day
Encouraging continued spiritual growth and Christian community.
In Emmaus, the Fourth Day is referred to as the days, months, and years following your Walk. Fourth Day opportunities help members build relationships, encourage one another, and continue putting their faith into action. ORBEC helps support that ongoing journey through:
- Community Gatherings for worship, fellowship, and encouragement
- Reunion Groups that provide Christian friendship and accountability
- Sponsorship of new pilgrims who are ready to experience the Walk
- Service opportunities that make future Walks and other community activities possible
Equip More Disciples
Sharing the Emmaus experience with others.
ORBEC helps extend the impact of Emmaus by equipping members to serve others and invite new pilgrims into the experience. Through sponsorship, prayer, service on future Walks, and other volunteer opportunities, members help make each new Walk possible.
In turn, new pilgrims are encouraged and equipped to grow as disciples, serve others, and eventually help extend the experience to others.
Strengthen Local Churches
Sending renewed disciples back into their congregations.
The Walk to Emmaus is not a church and is never intended to replace one. One of its central purposes is to strengthen local churches by strengthening the Christians who serve within them.
ORBEC encourages participants to return to their home churches renewed in their faith and better equipped to worship, serve, lead, and share the love of Christ. As individuals grow as disciples, their congregations and communities are strengthened as well.
News, updates, and opportunities to connect with ORBEC are communicated with members via an email newsletter and other email updates. If you need to be added to the email list, please email Steve May.
2026 ORBEC Board Representatives
- Jan Mullis, Community Lay Director
- Hugh Hendricksen, Spiritual Director
- Arlene Zobel, Treasurer
- Janell Ward, Secretary
- Frank Botdorf, Outreach/Sponsorship
- Bob Scott, Reunion
- Tim Howington, Gatherings
- Kay Thompson, Registration
- Don Krup, Facilities
- Lynn Killman, Team Selection
- Steve May, Newsletter
- David Burbach, Music
- Cindy Nunn, Literature
- Linda Jones, Kitchen
- Dale Ward, Chapel
- Dan Harwell, Chapel
- Vicki Lynn, Agape
