Via de Cristo is the name adopted in 1986 by the National Lutheran Secretariat as the official title for the nondenominational Christian "Cursillo-like" renewal weekends and Fourth Day activities. Via de Cristo has its roots in the Roman Catholic Cursillo movement which originated in Spain in the late 1940's and was called "Cursillo de Cristiandad" or "Short Course in Christianity". It moved to America in the late 1950's. The movement began in the Lutheran Church when laymen and pastors attended the Roman Catholic Cursillo in 1971, both in Iowa and in Florida. The first Lutheran sponsored Cursillo began in Minnesota, Georgia, New York, Nebraska, South Carolina, Arizona, and Michigan. Cursillo started in the Indian River area in 1979. The name was changed to Via de Cristo in 1986.

The Indian River Via de Cristo (IRC) began in late 1979 when the Lord moved several Cursillo leaders from Miami Sonshine Cursillo into a common area in central Florida. These leaders began to form group reunions by sponsoring local men and women to weekends in Miami "Sonshine" and Boca Raton "Gold Coast". By the end of 1981 a Cursillo community had formed with regular group reunions and Ultreya activity. A Secretariat was organized and planning was underway. Jacksonville "Sonshine North" had just organized and invited a number of IRC members to be on their teams.

With a solid community backed by grouping and Ultreyas we began to plan for our first weekend, scheduled for October 1982. Miami "Sonshine" agreed to sponsor us with a loan of $1,000.00 (palanca) and six experienced men and women team members. "Gold Coast: and "Sonshine North" also provided experienced team members and palanca. We have had four weekends per year since those number one weekends in 1982. In October 1998 we just completed Women's #33 and have had over 1900 Christians attend a weekend.

In addition, we have sponsored a Teens Encounter Christ (TEC) community which has outreached to the Orlando area. New Smyrna Beach "Lighthouse" was organized with their first weekend in 1991 sponsored by IRC. We have also been working with leaders in Okeechobee, Florida and Fort Meade, Florida for possible future expansion.

We are a member of the Florida Via de Cristo coalition of secretariats which includes the seven active Florida units (The Magnificent Seven) that sponsor over 30 weekends per years.

Written by Historian, Greg Steele
Updated 1999