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 week-long retreat, which is held in early May, provides opportunities for both church professionals and lay leaders to explore creative forms of church ministry. What they learn during the event can be used to spiritually enrich both their own lives and the lives of their congregation once they return home.
Ways to Enhance Your Worship
While attending ARW, participants have the opportunity to witness and participate in worship services that incorporate new ideas and creative liturgical elements. If you are interested in learning more about this topic specifically, the worship leader for this conference, Rev. CeCe Armstrong, will be teaching a class on liturgical art during the event. Class participants will use writing, visual arts, and performance arts to glorify God and build community in various worship settings. It is sure to be a rich, informative experience for those looking to introduce creative worship elements to their own services!
Ways to Engage Your Congregation
As the name of this conference suggests, recreational activities can also play an important role in the spiritual engagement of your congregation. Elements of fun allow your members to form stronger relationships with one another that, in turn, allow for deeper, more authentic discussions about faith. During the conference, participants will take part in and learn to lead various recreational activities and group-building exercises which can be used to encourage church members to participate in and build community within congregations. While these skills are especially helpful if you are a youth leader or are working to engage young people at your church, having a little fun can be a helpful ice breaker for faith communities of all ages.
Ways to Enrich Your Own Spiritual Life
ARW is also a great place to focus on your own personal spiritual life! You can take time during the conference to explore ideas and practices that you are passionate about and expand your network of friends and colleagues. This conference provides plenty of time to connect with other leaders, receive support, and hear how others are re-imagining ministry in their own contexts. In these ways and more, ARW allows you to emerge renewed, ready to take on new or unexpected elements of church ministry.
If you are interested in attending the conference, don’t wait to sign up! Conference registration rates increase on January 16, 2026. We encourage you to visit Re:create’s website to learn more about the event or register. For those concerned about cost, limited scholarships may be available. For over 70 years, ARW has been committed to joy, creativity, learning, and faithful play. We hope that you will take this opportunity to join its community of leaders committed to nurturing imagination and inspiring joyful ministry.
This article was originally published in the January edition of Montreat Conference Center’s email newsletter Cultivating Curiosity which highlights for spiritual growth at Montreat. Sign up to receive Cultivating Curiosity directly in your inbox by clicking here.