Cursillo (pronounced ‘cur-SEE-yo’) is a Spanish word meaning “short course.”

The purpose

Cursillo is a spiritual renewal movement that calls participants to intensify their commitment to God. Its goal is to renew and invigorate the faith of participants, inspiring and equipping them to reform their environments after the Kingdom of God.

Presbyterian Cursillo is for Presbyterians who are tired of being the “frozen chosen” and want to fire up their faith and deepen their relationship with their Lord. It is not a conversion experience. It helps committed Christians better understand the Father’s love for them and His will for their lives (1 John 3:1).

The procedure

Dr. Fred L. Keith, who wrote the Presbyterian Cursillo manual, said the objective is to help believers "make every relationship, every situation, every experience an occasion for the manifestation of God's Kingdom according to the example of Jesus Christ."

We do that through a weekend spiritual retreat that is lay-led and includes:

• A short course about what we believe and why
• Music, fun and laughter
• Fellowship with new friends
• Talks from laity and clergy on what it means to be a Christian
• Breakout-group discussions about the joys and challenges of living out our faith
• Worship, meditation and prayer
• “…psalms and hymns and spiritual songs … singing and making melody to the Lord…” (Ephesians 5:19)

The retreat is a long weekend, usually 5 p.m. Thursday to 5 p.m. Sunday, that expresses and celebrates Christ’s love for you.

The product

Cursillo participants come away from their retreat awed by God’s love and overflowing with the Holy Spirit. Following the retreat, members meet in small groups on a regular basis to sustain and support one another in their Christian walks.

Cursillo graduates are educated, enabled, and empowered to be active participants in the lives of their local congregations.

More about Cursillo

The history of Cursillo

Frequently Asked Questions about Cursillo

Testimonials from Cursillo graduates