Montreat Conference Center is pleased to bring you This Week in Montreat, our summer publication which provides weekly updates and information about activities in the Montreat valley. This week, we are talking about the ways Summer Staff make a difference in our community, creative ways to document your summer, and our first barn dance of the season. Find these, along with other important announcements, using the link below. Read This Week’s Edition Sign Up for the Email Version
The Impact of Summer Staff
Welcoming summer staff each year signifies for many “the real beginning” to the summer season. That’s because it is hard – perhaps even impossible – to articulate the full impact of the summer staff tradition on Montreat summers – both on those who participate and on Montreat itself. Among the many portals into the Montreat community, few have endured longer or been more influential than the work and legacy of our summer staff. Last year in this space, I sounded a note of caution as we entered the season projecting lower levels of staffing than we’d previously experienced. In the …
How to Document Your Summer in Montreat
This week, our Marketing Assistant, Kayden Foyles, began shadowing and working with summer staff from other departments to get an idea of how their work supports the Montreat experience. To help her communicate and share what she is experiencing, Kayden has been trained to collect information using a variety of creative writing techniques. Today, I would like to share a few of the strategies that she is utilizing in case you are interested in using them to document your own Montreat experience this summer. Keeping a Visual Journal The first tool that Kayden is using is a visual journal. Here, …
This Week in Montreat – May 30, 2025
Montreat Conference Center is pleased to bring you our first issue of This Week in Montreat, our summer publication which provides weekly updates and information about activities in the Montreat valley. This week, we are talking about ongoing restoration in our community following Hurricane Helene, a new column written by the summer marketing assistant, and tips for staying “bearwise” this summer. Find these, along with other important announcements, by clicking the link below.
Sharing Stories from a Place Set Apart
It’s a bright, clear day as I walk out of The Huckleberry holding a cup of ice cream one afternoon in late May. I hear the leaves rustling in nearby trees and see ripples on the surface of Lake Susan as a light breeze blows past. As I walk by, a pair of summer staff who have just arrived comment on how good the lake looks while, just ahead of me, three young children follow their mother around the lake. They run and laugh, overjoyed that school is out and summer is here at last. I’m sure that for many …
A Season of Restoration and Rejoicing
The time is at hand to welcome another vibrant summer in Montreat, to greet returning friends and new faces alike to sacred spaces here in the valley for a time of renewal, connection, and joy in our beloved mountains. This summer’s schedule is familiar with six Youth Conferences, Presbyterian Association of Musicians’ two Worship and Music Conferences, the Fourth of July Week, and nine weeks of recreation programs, all framed by ten worship services between May and August. Registrations indicate a similar number of participants of all ages are readying for the multitude of opportunities for worship and learning, exercise …
Sowing Seed of Understanding
Being Renewed for Ministry in a Changing Global World Written by John McCall, PC(USA) Mission Worker in Taiwan, September 2024 I have served in Taiwan as a Presbyterian Mission Coworker for 27 years. Prior to serving in Taiwan, I was pastor of the Black Mountain Presbyterian Church just outside the gates of Montreat. Almost all of the Presbyterian pastors in Taiwan live in the church building. They are expected to be on call 24 hours a day and church members often stop by the pastor’s residence to ask questions or just chat. In the busy life of serving and also …
Hurricane Helene in Review
In the days leading up to Hurricane Helene’s arrival, Montreat experienced heavy rainfall from an unrelated storm system. Knowing that even more rain was on the way, Town of Montreat Public Works staff and Montreat Conference Center Maintenance staff worked to keep storm drains clear, in hopes that this would keep potential flooding under control. An emergency release valve was also opened on the Lake Susan Dam – preemptively lowering the water level by 17 inches. By Thursday evening, Lake Susan was already nearing capacity. Programs that were taking place the week of September 22-28 were shortened due to weather …
Montreat Community Update – 05/07/2025
Greetings from Montreat! Here’s an update on the latest at the conference center. Included below is news on our campus recovery and preparations for the summer season as well as a summary of our ongoing plans for the lodge project and property development. Preparing for Summer I’m pleased to report continuing progress as the weather warms. When our maintenance team began its work in October, repairs to each facility were scheduled to align with the timing of anticipated need. Reopening on January 2 was the first goal we set for ourselves, and so Assembly Inn and other winterized facilities became …
Montreat Community Update – 3/28/2025
Greetings from Montreat! I have several updates for you as March comes to a close, including the latest in our hurricane recovery efforts, a brief review of our just completed board meeting, and a report on the recent demolition of Galax, Chestnut Lodge, and Lord Apartments. Repair and Restoration Lake Susan is a lake again. Flat Creek began filling the restored basin on Friday, March 7, following the completion of repairs to the stone wall below the Belk Center at Left Bank. As the lake level rose slowly, crews used the temporary shutdown of Flat Creek to restore rock to …
MRA Board of Directors: Meeting Summary for Spring 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.
Montreat Community Update – 3/11/2025
This week, a construction crew is completing the demolition of three lodges – Lord Apartments, Chestnut Lodge, and Galax Lodge – that have been vacant since 2022. As I’ve stated in this space before, the MRA Board of Directors reviewed a report last fall on the three lodges and authorized staff to move forward with demolition. Among the reasons for this decision, several board members expressed concerns about the structures’ ongoing deterioration and potential hazards. Our top priority remains providing a safe, welcoming, and well-maintained environment for all visitors and program participants. The board’s decision reflects our responsibility to uphold …
Montreat Community Update – 2/21/2025
Friends, Greetings from Montreat amid a cold and somewhat snowy February. Winter’s reputation as an “off-season” continues to be refuted by our activities here. Updates below include the latest on the Lake Susan restoration, plans for demolition of three outdated lodges, some sad news about a valued ministry partner in Montreat, and a report on our ongoing work in our Thriving Congregations initiative. Construction Updates Last week, the first significant rains since Hurricane Helene gave passersby a glimpse of a renewed Lake Susan, complete with waterfall. Alas, it was a false start, as work continues on the hardscape around the …
Montreat Community Update – 1/31/2025
I hope this message finds you well and encouraged as we step into a new year together. Today, I’m excited to share several updates about our community. Observing both progress and the responses to recent challenges, I am confident that Montreat continues to move forward with a spirit of perseverance and care. Rebuilding Continues Repair efforts are progressing steadily, even while some projects remain at an early stage. Thanks to the hard work of our maintenance team, the Town of Montreat’s Public Works Department, and construction teams, Montreaters continue to see tangible progress toward the restoration that awaits in the …
Montreat Status Update 12/13/2024
Greetings! Here’s a mid-December update on news and progress taking place in Montreat. Exciting Progress on the Renovation of Lake Susan in Montreat The renovation of Lake Susan is nearing a major milestone: the refilling of the lake, which should begin by the end of the calendar year. Over the past several weeks, some 22,000 cubic yards of sediment have been removed, more than three times the pre-hurricane estimate. Carried downstream by Flat Creek over twenty years (or, during the hurricane, over a few hours), the sediment had reduced the lake’s depth and compromised its beauty and functionality. The restored …
MRA Board of Directors: Meeting Summary for Fall 2024
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.
Montreat Status Update 11/15/2024
Greetings from Montreat! Seven weeks since Hurricane Helene, we continue to have much of interest to report. On Progress Signs of slow-but-steady progress continue to define our days in Montreat: The upcoming board meeting represents a small but important benchmark in our efforts to return to normal programming. Accompanying that preparation is a shift in the focus of our relief efforts, from simply housing first responders and storing supplies to longer-term service. The initial draft of our focus includes three points: 1) supporting continuing recovery efforts in Montreat, 2) supporting recovery efforts in the Swannanoa Valley, and 3) offering Montreat’s …
Montreat Status Update 11/1/2024
Greetings from Montreat! The one-month anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s visit to Montreat passed this week and we continue to experience good news in our ongoing efforts to return to normal programming here at the Montreat Conference Center. As stated in our last communication, we are looking forward to hosting our annual College Conference @ Montreat during the first week of January as scheduled. In addition, though the Assembly Inn is not ready to receive guest groups, our staff is preparing to host our traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the community in the Galax Dining Room. Progress toward normalcy continues to be …
Press Release: Renovation of Lake Susan Begins
On October 31, 2024, the Mountain Retreat Association (MRA) dba Montreat Conference Center began a project to restore and revitalize the much beloved Lake Susan on its campus in Montreat. The lake and accompanying dam have long served as an important stormwater reservoir and flood control device. During Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, significant amounts of sediment and debris were captured in Lake Susan, only increasing the importance of the previously scheduled dredging. Equipment staging and site preparations began on October 30, 2024. Parking on Assembly Drive above the lake will be closed until project completion, scheduled for the end …
Hurricane Update 10/18/2024
Greetings! It’s been an eventful week in Montreat. This update will focus primarily on events unfolding here at Montreat Conference Center, with some additional community news posted below. First, this is the first storm update written from our offices here at Freeland Hall. Power, water, and internet access returned to the building this week. Every step forward boosts our productivity and – perhaps more importantly – our spirits as we continue our drive to return to normal programming. Speaking of… In previous public communications over the past few weeks, I have referred to “reopening” as our primary goal but have …
Hurricane Update 10/11/2024
Greetings from Montreat! As we approach the two-week mark since Helene passed through Western North Carolina, I share further updates from our perch here at Assembly Inn. We continue to seek ways to support the community. The Cajun Navy 2016 remains on our campus at their temporary command center on Collegiate Circle. In addition, the conference center made further commitments this week to support ongoing recovery efforts in the Swannanoa Valley. We are providing storage space for Black Mountain Presbyterian Church for donated supplies they have received and other needs. We are housing a small team of law enforcement sent …
Hurricane Update 10/7/2024
Greetings from Montreat! Here is an update on activities taking place here over the past few days: On Friday, shortly after noon, power was restored to Assembly Inn, well in advance of estimates, and water was restored soon after. In addition, some homes had one or both restored as Duke Power and Town of Montreat personnel continued to work. Late in the week, Montreat’s Post Office was closed temporarily, with mail being routed to the Post Office in Ridgecrest. In the meantime, mail intended for Montreat may continue to use the usual addresses. (For Montreaters: I have been told that …
Hurricane Update 10/3/2024
Greetings from Montreat! This is to give you an assessment of the situation here on a busy Thursday afternoon. First, the Town of Montreat continues to make remarkable progress on the repair of roads and bridges that were compromised by water and treefall in last week’s storm. Their Public Works team has made a priority of restoring vehicular access, and as a result, most of Montreat’s residents have been able to evacuate safely to neighboring locations with power and water. Restoring power and water remain priorities here, too, but it is too early to predict how long that will take. …
Hurricane Update 10/1/2024
Greetings from Montreat! Nearly 48 hours after our last report, we bring news that progress continues on recovery efforts in Montreat. Town staff and recovery teams are working diligently to address roads and other infrastructure challenges. The Town hosted a town meeting at the conference center yesterday with representatives from the Town, conference center, Montreat College, and the community. Attendees received an update on the work that Barry Creasman, public works director for the Town of Montreat, and the entire Montreat Public Works department are doing work to restore roads, power, and water. Further, Montreat institutions and residents are supporting …
Hurricane Update 9/29/2024
As we learn and know more about the status of Montreat – town, college, and conference center – we are continually grateful for all those who love this place. We give thanks for all those working tirelessly in the aftermath of this catastrophic event. For your support and prayers, thank you. Please continue to keep Montreat, the remainder of Western NC and all those dealing with the effects of this storm in your prayers. Amidst all that we are dealing with, we realize we also have much to be grateful for. Those walking around Montreat today will quickly realize that …