December 17, 2017

                                                                            
  
The Board of Directors wishes you and yours a blessed Christmas, filled with the spirit of the season. In the coming year, may you be peaceful and well, and may your journey bring you to Naramata Centre to relax and renew in this sacred place!

Come To The Centre This Winter
Photo: Glen Timbers











If you are looking for a peaceful retreat from everyday winter, come to the Centre! We offer you quiet surroundings to sink into and relax. Whether you're a writer, an artist, a minister or anyone else looking for tranquil, uninterrupted space to contemplate, create, read or write, this is the place for you!
 
Two types of self-contained accommodations are available: East Court for stays up to 30 days and Orchard Court for up to seven days for small groups. Check the   Naramata Centre website  for details. While you are here, you are welcome to join the local Centre community in activities such as Sacred Pause, yoga, Reiki, spiritual direction and more.
 
Email: [email protected] for further information or to register. 

Summer Planning
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Our Board program team members are heads down, laptops up, as they create the plan for next summer. They are currently communicating with program leaders to finalize details for each week. Stay tuned for more information in January and registration in February 2018. 

We will be implementing a more intuitive online registration system next year, in addition to the ability to register by phone.

Seeking New Members For The Board Of Directors
Photo: Jenne Newman
As some members will leave the Board of Directors in June, we are seeking new members who bring the same energy, passion and commitment to seeing Naramata Centre thrive and be there in the future.
 
Please consider applying if you love the Centre and have skills and experience in business, communications and social media, marketing, fund development, volunteer management or programming for participants.
 
The Centre is entering an exciting new phase of work to create a sustainable future. We are hiring a full-time managing director and moving forward with selling and developing some of the land. We will make improvements to the remaining property and fund-raise to accomplish our goals.  At the same time, we are expanding and improving what  we offer at the Centre.
 
If you are interested in joining our dynamic board,  we invite  you to download and complete an application and email it to: [email protected].

70th Anniversary
In 2018, Naramata Centre will celebrate 70 years as a place of learning, sharing, contemplation, personal growth and spiritual renewal.  This is cause for celebration and celebrate we will!
 
Our 70th Anniversary Committee is looking at ways to reflect on and celebrate the past and envision the future of the Centre. Watch for details about special events at the annual general meeting in June, as well as activities to provide fun and flavor to the summer weeks .
 
If you have an interest in contributing to the committee's work, they welcome your involvement. Please contact Committee Chair Jane Sanden at  [email protected] for more information.
 
70th Anniversary Reunions in 2018
Reunion of 1978-79 Winter Session

We have two long weekends, June 29-July 2 and August 31-Sept 3, designated for Winter Session and Summer Staff reunion groups. You can also book a week-long reunion during the spring, summer or fall, if that suits your group. Watch for more information in the new year and start planning your reunion today!
 
Last summer the 1978-79 Winter Session group organized and held a reunion at the Centre in July, with great joy expressed by participants. Old friends became new again, and years melted away as this delightful reunion unfolded.
 
For others hoping to get together with their summer staff cohorts or winter session gang, there is now a template  for planning and executing such events. You can tailor it to your liking, but it will give you a place to start and provide tips along the way. Read more here and get started today -- finding people and deciding on a weekend or week takes time! Questions about planning your reunion may be emailed to: [email protected] and we will forward them to the Committee.

Gratitude
BC Conference:  The Board is very grateful for the ongoing support of BC Conference. The Centre is alive today because of this support and we are very appreciative!

Naramata Centre Donors: As 2017 draws to a close, we extend sincere thanks to our monthly, annual and occasional donors. The Board is grateful for your financial support of the Centre.

Many people make donations near the end of the year. If you are looking to donate some funds before the year-end, consider supporting Naramata Centre this year. We will happily apply them to our Christmas "to do" list (ongoing operations and maintenance) and send you a tax receipt. You can call the Centre at 1-250-496-5751 or donate online here. Online donations receive an immediate tax receipt; phone donations receive receipts in February.

Naramata Centre Staff, Volunteers, P rogram Leaders, Community Hosts, Campground Hosts,  Participants, Congregational Contacts: 
  • We sincerely thank our staff members for everything each of you contributed to make 2017 a success!
  • We thank each of our volunteers for your help, whether you served at our Hearts and Hands events, while you were staying at the Centre, the clean-up after our spring flooding, or in on-going service in the office, around the site, helping with publications, and all the other myriad ways volunteers help the Centre through the year. Thank you for your support - we couldn't operate without you!
  • Program Leaders, Community Hosts, Campground Hosts: Thank you all for making our 2017 spring, summer and fall program seasons a great success!
  • Participants: Thanks to everyone who came to the Centre this year for programs or simply to stay and participate in community. You are the reason we exist!
  • Congregational Contacts: We extend our sincere appreciation to you for sharing Centre information with your home churches and communities!
In This Issue
Volunteering
Naramata Centre Ambassadors
Thanks to all who have offered to keep their congregations up to date on what is happening at the Centre. If you would like share Centre  news with your church, please email:
Donate

Want to support the ongoing work of the Naramata Centre Society? Donations are always appreciated, and donors will receive a tax receipt at the end of the year. 

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Keep In Touch
Membership
Membership in the Naramata Centre Society is a way to show your support for the work of the Board, stay informed, and have voting privileges at the Society's annual meeting. Sign up today!
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The Naramata Centre Society |   [email protected]
PO Box 68  Naramata, V0H 1N0
250-496-5751