Serving a small-membership church is a special type of calling. Pastors of small churches often wear many hats as they preach, teach, care for their congregations, and engage their communities. One day may involve leading worship, the next visiting members in the hospital, organizing outreach events, or managing the practical needs of church life. While these responsibilities can present challenges, they also create opportunities for deep relationships, meaningful ministry, and lasting impact.
You Can Find a Work Life Balance
Are you feeling unfulfilled, burned out, or unsupported in your current calling? Whether you spend your days caring for others, serving your community, leading a congregation, or simply keeping up with the demands of everyday life, it can be difficult to find time to care for yourself. And while hard work is good, if you constantly overextend yourself and don’t take time for rest, everyone suffers. If you’re lacking the energy and support to fully engage with life, consider this your wake-up call. It’s time to get back to the best version of yourself, connect with a new community, and …
Building Community Through Youth Retreats
Friendships aren’t built overnight. It takes time, shared experiences, and moments of intentional conversation to form those bonds. When youth groups are only able to spend a few hours together each week, it can feel like it’s taking forever for your group to become close. However, we find that spending an extended period of time together during a conference or retreat can supercharge the bonds of friendship among your group, allowing members to discover what it’s like to truly belong to a community of faith. Below, we’ve collected a few of our favorite tips and tricks for engaging young people …
The Spiritual Impact of Recreation
We often associate spirituality with worship, prayer, and other quieter aspects of faith. While these practices are essential to a faithful life, at Montreat we believe that recreation also plays an important role in spiritual growth. That’s why our youth and young adult programs include many different types of recreational activities as a way to build community, strengthen participants’ relationships with God, and deepen their understanding of the world around them. Building Community Through Play Montreat has a long history of engaging youth and young adults through recreation that is fun, challenging, and community focused. We believe that if you can play …
Announcing our 2027 Montreat Youth Conference and Middle School Conference Themes
While it may seem like the summer just ended, here at Montreat, we are already hard at work preparing for next year’s Montreat Youth Conference. In fact, registration for thThe wait is finally over! Today we are excited to announce the conference themes for our upcoming youth and middle school conferences. As our two signature events for youth, the themes for these conferences are often highly anticipated. Keep reading to see what’s in store for 2027! However, before we jump right in, we would like to share a little bit about the theme selection process. People often incorrectly assume that …
Start 2027 Off Right with College Conference @ Montreat
For many, the beginning of the year is a time to reset and refocus. We set new goals, begin new habits, and strive to become the best versions of ourselves each January. And college students are no different! Except, they start off the year with new classes, a new semester, and perhaps even graduation looming right around the corner. This makes taking an opportunity to pause and reconnect with your values an essential part of the collegiate experience. That’s why we host College Conference @ Montreat between January 2–5 each year. During this three-day event, young adults between the ages …
Still Figuring Life Out? There’s a Place for You at The Manna Retreat
Serving a small-membership church is a special type of calling. Pastors of small churches often wear many hats as they preach, teach, care for their congregations, and engage their communities. One day may involve leading worship, the next visiting members in the hospital, organizing outreach events, or managing the practical needs of church life. While these responsibilities can present challenges, they also create opportunities for deep relationships, meaningful ministry, and lasting impact.
Love the Montreat Wilderness? Here’s a Way to Support It
People come from near and far to enjoy the Montreat Wilderness. Some are here for a conference or retreat, some are visiting the area and looking for a beautiful hike, and many live in the community and head to the trails for exercise and renewal. However you find your way here, the Montreat Wilderness has a way of enchanting you. Its rugged beauty and unique ecology spark a lot of curiosity, and we get plenty of questions about this part of our ministry. For us, helping people experience that sense of wonder is part of our mission. The wilderness offers …
Registration for Montreat Youth Conference Opens Soon!
While it may seem like the summer just ended, here at Montreat, we are already hard at work preparing for next year’s Montreat Youth Conference. In fact, registration for the 2027 conference will open on October 1. That’s just a few weeks away! To help you prepare, we’ve gathered a few helpful tips and tricks below. We hope you’ll take them into consideration as you start planning for next summer! Start Thinking About Housing One of the most important parts of the registration process is reserving your housing. Conference center housing fills quickly, so groups are encouraged to begin discussing …
Empowering Small Church Leaders During the Wee Kirk Conference
Serving a small-membership church is a special type of calling. Pastors of small churches often wear many hats as they preach, teach, care for their congregations, and engage their communities. One day may involve leading worship, the next visiting members in the hospital, organizing outreach events, or managing the practical needs of church life. While these responsibilities can present challenges, they also create opportunities for deep relationships, meaningful ministry, and lasting impact.
Finding Wild Hope Through Creativity, Community, and Play
Next spring, Montreat Conference Center will once again welcome pastors, church professionals, and lay leaders to the annual Arts, Recreation, and Worship Conference (ARW), hosted in partnership with Re:create. This event is a week-long opportunity to explore creative avenues for ministry as attendees participate in whole group worship, recreation events, and educational classes. Specifically, using the theme of Wild Hope, the 2027 conference will encourage participants to rediscover and reimagine their ministries, making room for hope that emerges from small, unexpected places. In a season when ministry can feel uncertain, exhausting, and full of change, hope may not always look …
You’ll Love Fall in the Mountains, Too!
As summer fades and the mountains begin to transform with the colors of autumn, we find that fall in Montreat offers a beautiful invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and make space for renewal. Our culture often rewards constant activity. Between work, family commitments, and everyday responsibilities, it can be difficult to step away long enough to truly rest. But by taking a break from our usual routines, even for a few days, we can create room to listen more closely for God’s presence and return to our lives with renewed clarity and purpose. Montreat’s Fall Sabbath Getaways offer a …
Thank You for a Wonderful Summer!
Montreat Youth Conference has officially concluded for the 2026 summer season. As we look back on this year’s event, we are filled with gratitude for everyone — attendees, volunteers, and staff members alike — who helped make it such an unforgettable experience. We would like to take some time today to say thanks and to provide you with an update about next year’s conference! First, for each conferee who showed up ready and willing to participate, we are immensely grateful! Your energy, laughter, creativity, and courage brought each conference to life. We hope that by participating in worship, connecting with friends, and exploring God’s …
What Are We Searching For? Finding Healing and Home with Earth & Soul
A few years ago, during the 2022 John Philip Newell book signing at Montreat, a Celtic violinist and bagpiper began to play. Before long, people were dancing. What started as a simple line for signed books became something communal and embodied. I watched a room full of people remember that spiritual life can live in music, movement, laughter, and community. I have carried that memory with me, and it returns now as Montreat prepares to welcome John Philip Newell and Cami Twilling for The Great Search 1, the first retreat in a three‑part journey of Earth & Soul practice. You …
Experience the Beauty of Fall at the Montreat Family Campground
As summer begins to wind down, we are already dreaming of fall in the mountains! And with its crisp mornings, vibrant fall foliage, and the soothing sounds of Flat Creek, there’s no better place to experience the peaceful beauty of fall than the Montreat Family Campground. If you’d like to start planning a visit, we are currently accepting reservations for our 2026 season. Located just around the corner from the Graybeard Trailhead, the Montreat Family Campground features 29 campsites available from May through the end of October. Campsites are best suited for tents and small pop-up campers, providing a simple and comfortable way to immerse yourself in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Each site has a picnic table, fire pit, …
You Can Have an Impact on Future Events
Every summer, thousands of young people travel to Montreat, NC and Maryville, TN to experience worship, recreation, music, and meaningful connection during Montreat Youth Conference and Montreat Middle School Conference. What many participants don’t know is that these events have been years in the making, directed by passionate groups of volunteers serving on conference Planning Teams. Montreat Youth Conference and Montreat Middle School Conference would not be possible without them! Planning Teams are made up of youth and adults who work together to shape nearly every aspect of the conference including selecting the theme and designing worship services, recreation events, keynote experiences, and small group activities. Organized approximately two years before each conference takes place, Planning Team members collaborate through virtual …
Celebrating the Strength of Small Churches
Serving a small-membership church is a special type of calling. Pastors working with these congregations often wear many hats as they preach, teach, care for their congregations, and engage their communities. One day may involve leading worship, the next visiting members in the hospital, organizing outreach events, or managing the practical needs of church life. While these responsibilities can present challenges, they also create opportunities for deep relationships, meaningful ministry, and lasting impact. With the right encouragement and support, ministry in a small church can be incredibly rewarding. That’s the heart behind the Wee Kirk Conference at Montreat Conference Center. …
Tips for Bear Safety
In recent years, we have noticed a significant increase in bear activity as visitors and guests arrive in Montreat for the summer. As such, we wanted to provide a few tips to help ensure a safe Montreat experience for both our human and ursine friends. Here are a few things to consider if you encounter a bear while exploring Montreat this summer: Do Not Approach a Bear Black bears are seldom aggressive; however, if they feel threatened, they may take action to defend themselves or their cubs. Black bears may huff, stomp, stand on their hind legs, or even bluff …
Fall Craft Week: A Retreat for Creatives
This fall, makers, artists, writers, and lifelong learners are invited to join us this September for Fall Craft Week, an all-inclusive retreat hosted by Montreat Conference Center. Scheduled for September 27–October 2, Fall Craft Week offers a unique opportunity to explore artistic endeavors, develop new skills, and enjoy meaningful fellowship set against the backdrop of autumn in the mountains. It’s an event you won’t want to miss! Each year, Fall Craft Week welcomes participants of all skill levels to learn from instructors in a supportive and encouraging environment. Whether you are a seasoned artist looking to refine your practice or a beginner eager to try something new, this event provides a chance to step away …
Reconnect With Your Calling at Come to the Mountains
Youth ministry is deeply rewarding work, but it also comes with unique challenges. Whether you serve as a volunteer leader, a church staff member, or an ordained minister, creating space for your own growth and renewal is essential for building a healthy and sustainable ministry. That’s why youth workers from across the country are invited to gather at Montreat Conference Center for the second annual Come to the Mountains event, taking place October 5–8, 2026. Hosted in partnership with the Presbyterian Youth Workers Association (PYWA), this special gathering is designed to encourage, equip, and inspire those who serve young people …
Youth Conferences as a Tool for Spiritual Development
For many young people, spiritual growth doesn’t happen by accident; it must be developed through meaningful experiences, thoughtful conversations, and opportunities to engage your faith in new ways. Montreat Youth Conference serves as one of those opportunities, providing a space where youth can step away from their everyday routines and focus on exploring what they believe, connecting with others, and deepening their relationship with God. Below, we’ve outlined a few of the ways that Montreat Youth Conference can have a lasting impact on the faith lives of today’s young people. Keep reading to learn more! A key part of the …
Explore the Intersection of Faith and Creativity
This summer, Montreat Conference Center invites guests to engage in meaningful exploration and dialogue through its Arts, Music, and Theology lecture series. Organized by Montreat’s arts, music, and theology cohort, this three-evening program celebrates the rich connections between creative expression, intellectual inquiry, and faith. Each event offers an opportunity to consider how diverse disciplines can deepen our understanding of the world and enrich our spiritual lives. The 2026 series will feature thoughtful discussions on topics including mathematics, worship liturgy, and psychology. Drawing from their personal experiences as well as their professional expertise, each lecturer will share unique insights into their field, demonstrating how art, music, …
Planning for Fall Retreats
As summer begins to fill our calendars with vacations, family gatherings, and long afternoons by the pool, planning for a fall retreat may not be top of mind. Yet, for retreat leaders preparing to gather in Montreat later this year, taking advantage of the summer as a time to organize your event and stay ahead of important deadlines can help your group avoid unnecessary stress and unexpected costs, ultimately, leading to a smooth and successful event once you arrive. Below, we’ve put together a few things to keep in mind this summer if you are a group leader hoping to host an event this fall. We hope you find it helpful! …
Take a Hike! Montreat Conference Center’s 2026 Public Hiking Schedule
Each summer, Montreat Conference Center’s wilderness rangers offer a variety of free guided hikes for the public. Hikes are typically offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays and range in difficulty and length, covering all sorts of terrain throughout the Montreat Wilderness and offering something for everyone to enjoy. If you are interested in exploring God’s creation this summer, this is a great opportunity to do so! Keep reading to learn more about this offering and see our recommendations for enjoying Montreat’s trails. Our Public Hikes are divided into half-day and full-day outings. Half-day hikes depart from the Montreat Nature Center (located at 301 Lookout Rd.) at 9:00 am and are designed to return in …
Take a Class at the Currie Craft Center and Sally Jones Pottery this Summer
Montreat Conference Center is excited to share that the Currie Craft Center and Sally Jones Pottery will be offering a variety of classes, demonstrations, and workshops this summer for adults interested in learning more about the arts. Classes are offered weekly Monday through Wednesday, with a mix of one-day and two-day courses, many of which result in a completed project (with the exception of pottery glazing). Thursdays are reserved exclusively for glazing. This summer, offerings will include projects focusing on ceramics, glass, painting, drawing, sewing and textile arts, photography, and writing. Classes will begin on Monday, June 8, 2026, and continue through August 7. Class offerings change weekly, but a preview of available classes can …