The summer has arrived! Once again, representing months of preparation by staff and volunteers both here and afar, a promising season is coming into view, filled with opportunities for fellowship and renewal, recreation, worship, and creative expression — and more.
As we prepare for the season ahead, there is much to note:
- The conference schedule remains strong, with a familiar slate of six youth conferences, two Worship and Music Conferences (thanks, PAM!), a middle school conference in Maryville, Tennessee, and a group of Passport Kids in July, all packed around the usual opportunities for worship, recreation, and the arts.
- Newly refreshed facilities will welcome dancers and Clubbies, recreation programs will move from an energetic beginning to the joyful bustle of July, and August will bring a meaningful Women’s Connection conference to Anderson Auditorium.
- In late May, The Montreat Store launched a new initiative: The Good Steward, a missional retail experience located in the space formerly occupied by Ten Thousand Villages. Staff have created a welcoming environment that reflects Montreat’s enduring values of hospitality, sustainability, and thoughtful stewardship. More than a store, The Good Steward is a gathering place that celebrates Montreat’s heritage while serving residents and visitors with care. We hope you will stop by!
- After five decades of faithful service, Ann Laird Jones retired as Arts Ministry Director this past winter and will now serve as potter emerita at Sally Jones Pottery. While this means that she will be an occasional presence rather than a constant, Ann leaves an extraordinary legacy at the Currie Craft Center with her work and in the generations of artists, volunteers, and leaders who will carry this ministry forward. Plans are underway to celebrate Ann’s extraordinary contributions, but there is no need to wait – if you see her, please thank her personally.
As we’ve noted in the past, summer in Montreat means a town transformed. Staff, residents, volunteers, and town staff all rise to meet the surging activity that comes each June. It feels familiar, and yet each year we begin anew, mindful that Montreat’s greatest strengths have never been its buildings, programs, or traditions, but the people who gather here. May we approach this summer with gratitude for those who came before us, joy in the work before us now, and confidence that God will continue to use Montreat to do a new thing – so that experiences here can lead us to ripple outward and shape the world beyond the Montreat Gate. Let’s get started!
Richard DuBose
President, Montreat Conference Center