Picture this: You are in a new chapter of your life. Friends are getting married, having kids, and starting their careers. It seems like everyone else has it all together. But what if you don’t? What if you don’t know what you want to do, where you belong, or what’s next?
That’s where The Manna Retreat comes in. This weekend retreat seeks to provide community and spiritual nourishment for young adults age 22 to 32(ish) who are navigating their “defining decade.”
Below, you will find more information about our 2027 retreat. Whether for yourself, a friend, or a loved one, we encourage you to keep reading to find out more!
Who Can Attend?
As mentioned above, our focus for this event is specifically young adults. Participants should be 22 or older and younger than 35. Church groups, individuals, couples, and friends are all welcome to attend! However, we kindly ask that college students interested in attending consider our college conference instead.
Tending the Wild
The theme for this year’s event is “Tending the Wild: Cultivating Beloved Community in a Landscaped World.” During previous gatherings of The Manna Retreat, we’ve talked about being lost in the wilderness. But what if the wilderness isn’t a place apart from the garden, but the garden’s truest form? This January, we’ll explore together how belonging is grown through deep listening, honest seeking, and the practice of offering our whole selves to one another. We’ll tackle these ideas and more during daily worship and small group sessions.
Opportunities to Connect
The Manna Retreat also offers a space to reconnect with old friends or make new ones! We frequently hear that maintaining relationships as an adult is challenging, so this is one way that Montreat hopes to help. Over the course of the weekend, participants can engage in interest-based workshops, mixers, and group activities. You can expect things like trivia, craft projects, or even building a version of the Montreat Gate out of cake! We find that these activities, while introducing an element of fun, allow participants to share details about their lives, talk through various challenges they are facing, and get support from their peers.
Worried About Cost? We Can Help
We strive to make the Montreat experience available to everyone regardless of your financial situation. If cost is a concern, financial assistance may be available for individuals based on need. In most cases, scholarships cover the cost of the conference fee, but additional funding may be available for pastors, church professionals, or seminarians. Click here learn more or apply.
Registration is Open
You don’t have to have your life figured out to find a place where you belong. The Manna Retreat is an invitation to step away from the pressure to have all the answers, make space for honest questions, and experience the joy of gathering with a community of peers. Whether you’re feeling rooted, restless, hopeful, uncertain, or somewhere in between, there is room for you at the table. Join us next January as we tend the wild together, cultivate beloved community, and remember that none of us are meant to navigate life alone.
Photos provided courtesy of Murtagh Masterpieces. This article was originally published in the October 2026 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.