Last month, we welcomed the NC School of Earth & Soul for a series of events focused on Celtic wisdom and the teachings of John Philip Newell. The weather was beautiful and provided the perfect space for participants to reconnect with the earth and their Creator. Plus, our first ever Ceilidh dance was a huge success! Thank you to all who participated. If you are interested in attending this event in 2024, registration will open on Monday, November 6, 2023. Learn more about The School of Earth & Soul here.

Do you know someone who might be interested in working at Montreat next summer? Applications for our 2024 Summer Staff will open on Friday, November 17. The Summer Staff experience allows young adults to gain practical work experience while making friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Learn more about the program or learn what you need to start preparing your application on our website.

Mark you calendars! It's time to start making plans for Fall Craft Week 2024! Registration for this event will open to the public on Friday, November 17. The retreat is always a favorite among attendees, and classes fill up quickly, so make sure to sign up early to find a spot in your favorite class.

Similarly, we have another opportunity to experience new activities and the spiritual renewal they offer during Discovering Renewal (April 1-5, 2024). This event (scheduled conveniently right after Easter) challenges us to balance work and rest in a way that allows us to thrive spiritually and physically. Find out more or sign up for email alerts here.

Will you be joining us for College Conference @ Montreat? This conference welcomes all college-aged young adults for a time of rest, reconnection, and renewal before spring semester starts. If you are trying to build a group to attend, we have a new collection of resources available to help you share information about the conference. Find them online or register now by clicking here.

The theme for 2024's Worship & Music Conference is Lead us Homeward! Throughout the week, the concept of home will be unsettled, uprooted, planted, explored, glimpsed, and activated. Housing registration is currently open on our website, and conference registration will open on the Presbyterian Association of Musicians website on December 5, 2023. Learn more.

It won't be long before the Advent season is upon us! This year, Montreat will once again offer a special Christmas collection with holiday activities for the whole family. If you would like to receive this year's collection via email, click here to join our mailing list.

Make a visit to Moore Center! The Huckleberry is open Tues.-Thur. 8:00 am-3:00 pm, Fri.-Sat. 8:00 am-6:00 pm, and is closed Sun.-Mon. Please note that The Huck will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, and for an extended Christmas holiday between December 12-23 and will reopen on Tuesday, December 26. View the menu here. Meanwhile, The Montreat Store is open Mon.-Sat. 10:00 am-5:00 pm. Have a question about purchasing an item? Call the store at 828.669.5298.

The Manna Retreat

January 26-28, 2024

The Manna Retreat: A gathering for young adults is returning in 2024! Created in response to the limited opportunities for young adults in the mainline church, this retreat invites people in their "defining decade" (think 22-32ish) to find spiritual nourishment that might be absent from their lives otherwise.

Participants will spend three days forming new friendships and deepening their faith through a variety of worship opportunities. If your congregation has a young adult ministry, consider sharing this opportunity with them!

Upcoming Event Calendar

Thanksgiving at Montreat | November 21-25, 2023

College Conference @ Montreat | January 2-5, 2024

The Manna Retreat | January 26-28, 2024

Discovering Renewal | April 1-5, 2024

Arts, Recreation, and Worship | May 6-11, 2024

Montreat Youth Conference | June 2-August 3, 2024

Worship & Music (Week 1) | June 16-21, 2024

Worship & Music (Week 2) | June 23-28, 2024

Middle School Conference | July 17-21, 2024

Women's Connection | August 9-11, 2024

Autumn School of Earth & Soul | October 23-25, 2024

In this season of thanksgiving, we want to take a moment to share our gratitude for the many ways God continues to bless us:

For lazy summer strolls around Lake Susan.

For songs lifted in praise in Anderson Auditorium.

For the energy, laughter, and excitement found during games and activities around campus.

For the trickle of Flat Creek as it meanders down the mountain.

For the natural beauty of the Montreat Wilderness.

For new friendships formed and old ones reinvigorated.

For conversations shared, ideas challenged, and knowledge expanded.

Dear Lord, for each of these things, we give you all thanks and glory.

Donors to the Montreat Fund bridge the gap between Montreat's missional programming and the cost of running a year-round conference center. The Montreat Fund makes up 13% of the annual operating budget and helps pay for everything from salaries for Summer Worship staff to the woodchips in Robert Lake Park. Without the Montreat Fund, many aspects of Montreat's wide-ranging programming and recreation opportunities would not be possible. We give thanks to our hundreds of Young Patrons, Patrons, Gold Patrons, and Gateway Society members for their commitment to making the Montreat experience possible for all who venture here, seeking a closer relationship with their Creator.

What are the benefits of being a Patron? When is the Patrons Celebration in 2024? What is the Gateway Society? Will I receive early registration for Clubs and Childcare? All of these questions and more are answered on our Patrons webpage. We hope you will join the collective movement of support through an annual or monthly gift to the Montreat Fund, embracing the possibilities that Montreat offers throughout the year.

Join us on Tuesday, November 28, and celebrate Giving Tuesday by making a gift to the Montreat Fund. Giving Tuesday is an opportunity to bear witness to the thankfulness and gratitude we experience on Thanksgiving through charitable giving. Over the past 11 years, it has become the largest single-day of philanthropy in the world, unleashing radical generosity.

Gifts of all sizes make our ministry possible throughout the year, turning the good programming, recreation, and hospitality we provide into outstanding programming, recreation, and hospitality. However you choose to give this holiday season, thank you for holding Montreat in your hearts, thoughts, and prayers.