MONTREAT, NC — The Mountain Retreat Association Inc. (MRA) recently honored the late Katherine (Kat) McKay Belk by officially renaming the Assembly Inn dining facility the “Katherine McKay Belk Dining Room” during a banquet in her honor on March 15, 2026. Guests included Kat’s daughter, Katie from the 5th generation, as well as great granddaughter, Addy, from the 7th generation. Many other friends, community leaders, MRA board members, and staff also shared the celebration. Throughout her life, Kat’s philanthropic gifts, leadership, and support made a significant impact on the mission of Montreat Conference Center, a ministry of the MRA. In 2014, …
Graybeard or Greybeard?
When visiting Montreat, you may notice occasional differences in how we use the word “Graybeard” or “Greybeard.” Typically, Graybeard with an “A” refers to Graybeard Trail and Graybeard Mountain, while Greybeard with an E is used when refering to Greybeard Road. So why are they different? We’ve asked ourselves that question and the research seems to indicate that these variations in spelling are not the result of two separate origins but instead reflect a gradual shift in spelling conventions over time. It appears that variations of this kind are actually quite common with locations named before standardized naming practices were …
Press Release: Montreat Conference Center Announces Opening of The Good Steward
MONTREAT, NC — In March 2025, Ten Thousand Villages closed their corporately held locations leaving their Montreat space vacant. After carefully evaluating the space throughout the summer and fall of 2025, the conference center is excited to announce The Good Steward—a new retail experience opening in June 2026. The Good Steward is an extension of The Montreat Store and a mission of Montreat Conference Center. It will offer curated goods from local and global artisans, emphasizing conscious shopping and the human stories behind each item. Its mission is to foster genuine connection while celebrating craft, art, and stewardship of our natural …
Worship & Music Conference is for Youth, Too!
When people think about Worship & Music Conference, they often picture handbells, adult choirs, and organ recitals. And while those elements are certainly an important part of the experience, there’s another part of the conference that also deserves some attention: the youth programming. Children and youth who have completed third through twelfth grade are eligible to sign up for a variety of offerings during the conference developed specifically with their age and experience in mind. When they attend, they are considered full, active participants and join the entire community in learning new skills, sharing their talents, and making new friends. In this way, Worship & Music Conference plays a crucial role in developing young leaders by providing youth with meaningful opportunities for musical growth, faith formation, and lasting community. Each day, youth participants engage in their …
Take Time for Sabbath this Spring
At Montreat, we often talk about the importance of Sabbath as a time intentionally set aside for rest, reflection, and renewal. But what does it look like to practice Sabbath in the midst of our busy lives? One way is through a Spring Sabbath Getaway at Montreat! As winter fades and new life begins to appear in the mountains, spring provides a natural opportunity to pause, breathe deeply, and reconnect with God, creation, and ourselves. Keeping reading to see how you can take advantage of this special Montreat offering! We’ve talked before about how our culture often rewards constant activity. …
Discover “Horizon Gazing” at Women’s Connection 2026
Anticipation is building for this year’s Women’s Connection conference, and we couldn’t be more excited about what lies ahead. Women from across the country are already making plans to gather in Montreat for a time of worship, learning, and meaningful connection. With an inspiring theme and a remarkable group of leaders joining us on stage, Women’s Connection 2026 promises to be a space for reflection, renewal, and shared hope. Today, we’re delighted to share more about this year’s theme and introduce the rest of our conference leaders. Horizon Gazing: Hope in the Here and Now During this year’s Women’s Connection …
Announcing the Newly Renamed Katherine McKay Belk Dining Room
Though Pete Peery, my predecessor as Montreat Conference Center’s president, lives right down the street, we don’t see each other often enough, and when we do, we often talk about everything but the job. Recently, however, we have enjoyed reminiscing over one Montreat topic: the significance of the Assembly Inn renovation, which took place during Pete’s tenure and was completed in time for my arrival in 2014. With the benefit of hindsight, it’s increasingly obvious that the renovation did more than restore a beloved building. It was perhaps the most important step in strengthening Montreat’s foundation and accelerating a financial recovery that had begun some ten years prior. And the most important leader in that effort, according to Pete, was Kat …
Tales from the “Off-Season”
Roughly twenty years ago, Montreat Conference Center was a non-profit heavily dependent on church-related, summer programs. Over the past two decades, as the conference center moved toward a year-round model, activities in the off-season increased. For missional reasons, this has been a positive trend. For financial reasons it has been essential, building resilience in times of disruption and a stable foundation for the present and future. We still host some 6,000 people here every summer, but the recent monthly activity reports this winter are reminder how that has changed. In March, for example, the conference center has scheduled 51 events with projected …
A Beginner’s Guide to Hiking in Montreat
At Montreat, hiking is more than a recreational activity; it is an opportunity to experience God’s presence through the beauty of creation. The Montreat Wilderness has long offered space for reflection, renewal, and reconnection through its forests, streams, and over 20 miles of hiking trails. If you’re new to the area, or new to hiking in general, you might not know where to start as you go about enjoying this resource. To that end, we have outlined a few tips and tricks below to get you started on your own journey in the Montreat Wilderness. What is the Montreat Wilderness? Over twenty years ago, Montreat Conference Center partnered with the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy to place approximately 2,460 acres …
Five Ways to Experience Sabbath this Spring
This spring we are excited to once again host personal Sabbath Getaways in Assembly Inn! This special program is available from March 20 through April 30, 2026 and allows you to enjoy everything that Montreat has to offer without the hustle and bustle of a programmed event. Often described as a “thin place,” in Montreat you’ll find a peaceful and beautiful setting where you can commune with your Creator and rest your soul. If you plan a visit, you’ll find time and space for prayer, study, and Sabbath rest, while also having opportunities to explore Western North Carolina at your …
Address Feelings of Burnout at Discovering Renewal
As we approach the season of Lent, we are invited to reflect, refocus, and prepare our hearts and minds for renewal. This period of the liturgical calendar offers us an opportunity to take stock of where we are and to consider what we need in order to move forward with intention. If you spend your time caring for others, whether through ministry, leadership, or service, it can be difficult to make space to care for yourself. That is why we created our Discovering Renewal retreat — to create intentional space for rest, reflection, and renewal. Scheduled conveniently after Easter, Discovering …
Trusting in God’s Faithfulness
Greetings from Montreat! As we begin 2026 and approach midwinter, this is to share news on several fronts. First, I want to call your attention to Montreat Conference Center’s newly published 2025 Annual Report, now available on our website. The report offers a thoughtful review of a year marked by significant transition, deepened mission, and renewed engagement across the many generations who participate here. Within its (virtual) pages you will find stories of faithful programs and tangible progress in service to the vision that guides our work. We are grateful for the many ways that you – not only participants, but donors, staff, volunteers, and partners – made …
Plan Your Next Outdoor Getaway
Calling all camping enthusiasts! Reservations are currently open for the 2026 season at the Montreat Family Campground. Located just around the corner from the Graybeard Trailhead, this beloved campground offers a welcoming and peaceful setting for visitors of all ages. We offer 29 sites which are available from May through October and are best suited for tents or small pop-up campers. Consider this an invitation to start planning your next outdoor getaway, and see for yourself how the Montreat Family Campground provides a unique blend of natural beauty, peaceful community, and outdoor recreation that keeps guests returning year after year. …
Everything You Need to Know about Being a Small Group Leader
Do you want to have an impact on the lives of today’s youth and have a little fun at the same time? Small Group Leaders (SGLs) are a very special group of volunteers that help facilitate faithful conversation and community growth at Montreat Youth Conference and Middle School Conference. Because Small Groups are so integral to the Montreat experience, this opportunity might seem a little intimidating. But rest assured, being a Small Group Leader is not only a lot easier than it looks; it is also an extremely rewarding, life-giving experience. Keep reading to see how easy it is to get involved and to find out how …
The Creative Side of Spirituality
Often, when we think about spirituality, we picture solitary, reflective practices. But that is far from the only way that we can engage spiritually with our faith! Time spent in corporate worship is a spiritual exercise. Creative pursuits, such as painting, singing, or dancing, can be outward expressions of our spirituality. Even time spent in community with other believers can nurture the spiritual aspects of our faith. While many of Montreat’s conferences and events include time for these activities, one event that does so particularly well is the Arts, Recreation, and Worship Conference (ARW) hosted in partnership with Re:create. This …
In Case You Missed It: A Recap of Fall 2025
Greetings from Montreat! We ended 2025 in a flurry of movement and did our best to keep you all up to date. Wise perhaps to begin with an “in case you missed it” update on happenings during the last quarter of the year before casting our attention to the new year. ICYMI Updates Lilly Endowment Grant Awarded: In early October, we received the exciting news that Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded the Montreat Conference Center a second grant of nearly $1 million to continue and expand our Thriving Congregations initiative for another five years. Over the first five years of the program, 30 congregations have taken part in the program, and participants are reporting reengaged congregations, revitalized mission initiatives, and in some cases, growth in membership and …
Caring for the Montreat Wilderness
As we near the end of the year, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to talk about and demonstrate how Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations. One area of our ministry which receives significant support from these gifts is the Montreat Wilderness, a space comprised of nearly 2,500 acres of pristine wilderness in the Blue Ridge Mountains which is home to Montreat’s many trails. Both the Montreat Fund and Montreat’s Wilderness Operations and Maintenance Fund help to protect and sustain this land, providing staffing, tools, and supplies used for its upkeep and general maintenance. By making a gift in support of the Montreat Wilderness, you help to ensure that these spaces can …
Has Your Congregation Considered Becoming a Church Patron?
As we near the end of the year, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to talk about and demonstrate how Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations. When a congregation decides to make a gift of $500 or more to the Montreat Fund annually, we honor their commitment to our mission by recognizing them as a Church Patron. This special giving tier unites churches as they help to ensure that Montreat remains a place of spiritual transformation and renewal for generations to come. So, why do churches become Church Patrons? At its heart, this partnership reflects …
The Impact of Summer Staff
As we near the end of the year, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to talk about and demonstrate how Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations. Many of Montreat’s programs are able to thrive thanks to the contributions of these donors. Montreat’s Summer Staff program is one such example which is directly supported by gifts to the Montreat Fund. Each year, Montreat hires over 100 college-aged young adults to help keep things running smoothly during the conference center’s busiest months. The Montreat Fund helps to provide them …
Press Release: An Update on the New Lodge Project
Last month, a unanimous ruling from the North Carolina Court of Appeals reversed a trial court decision that set aside a Special Use Permit for the Mountain Retreat Association (MRA, dba Montreat Conference Center). The Court of Appeals ruling restored the Special Use Permit that the Town of Montreat had granted the conference center to build a new lodge on its campus. You can read the court’s 48-page ruling here. On Wednesday, we were notified that the neighbors opposing our project have filed a petition to the North Carolina Supreme Court for discretionary review of the Court of Appeals decision. The petition …
Supporting the Future of the Church
As we near the end of the year, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to talk about and demonstrate how Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations. A vibrant culture of philanthropy has sustained Montreat and supported its ministry for over a century and continues to aid in our ability to provide programming and other resources to thousands of people each year. Specifically, donations to the Montreat Fund and other endowments allow us to welcome inspirational speakers and provide scholarships for those with financial need. In these ways …
What is a Montreat Patron?
As the end of the year approaches, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to highlight the various ways that Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations thanks to a vibrant culture of philanthropy. Regardless of how you engage with Montreat, you have likely experienced the direct impact of these gifts, as roughly 13% of the conference center’s annual budget is comprised of individual donations to our annual unrestricted fund, The Montreat Fund, which supports a variety of programs and scholarships and helps to maintain various facilities throughout our …
MRA Board of Directors: Meeting Summary for Fall 2025
An update and overview of the spring board meeting of the Mountain Retreat Association (MRA, d.b.a. Montreat Conference Center), held in November 2024.
Press Release: Mountain Retreat Association Announces New Vice President of Development
MONTREAT, NC — The Mountain Retreat Association, Inc. (MRA) is excited to announce the Rev. Dr. Marti Reed Hazelrigg as its next vice president of development. “Marti brings exactly the kind of energy and enthusiasm that Montreat needs in this moment,” says MRA President Richard DuBose. “Her deep love for Montreat and the church, her proven leadership experience, and her engaging presence make her an ideal fit for this role and a tremendous addition to our senior leadership team. We are thrilled to welcome Marti as our new vice president of development.” As a member of the senior leadership team, Marti …
Practicing Gratitude in the Montreat Wilderness
In the quiet stillness of the Montreat Wilderness, we often find that it is easier to listen for God’s small, still voice — a voice that calls us, guides us, and nurtures us — and give thanks. There, nestled among the trees, we are invited to step away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and take time to pause, reflecting on the many ways that God is at work in our lives. As Thanksgiving celebrations linger and we enter the season of Advent, we wanted to share a few ways that you can practice gratitude while enjoying Montreat’s …