As we near the end of the year, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to talk about and demonstrate how Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations. One area of our ministry which receives significant support from these gifts is the Montreat Wilderness, a space comprised of nearly 2,500 acres of pristine wilderness in the Blue Ridge Mountains which is home to Montreat’s many trails. Both the Montreat Fund and Montreat’s Wilderness Operations and Maintenance Fund help to protect and sustain this land, providing staffing, tools, and supplies used for its upkeep and general maintenance. By making a gift in support of the Montreat Wilderness, you help to ensure that these spaces can …
Has Your Congregation Considered Becoming a Church Patron?
As we near the end of the year, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to talk about and demonstrate how Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations. When a congregation decides to make a gift of $500 or more to the Montreat Fund annually, we honor their commitment to our mission by recognizing them as a Church Patron. This special giving tier unites churches as they help to ensure that Montreat remains a place of spiritual transformation and renewal for generations to come. So, why do churches become Church Patrons? At its heart, this partnership reflects …
The Impact of Summer Staff
As we near the end of the year, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to talk about and demonstrate how Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations. Many of Montreat’s programs are able to thrive thanks to the contributions of these donors. Montreat’s Summer Staff program is one such example which is directly supported by gifts to the Montreat Fund. Each year, Montreat hires over 100 college-aged young adults to help keep things running smoothly during the conference center’s busiest months. The Montreat Fund helps to provide them …
What is a Montreat Patron?
As the end of the year approaches, we are taking some time in each of our newsletters to highlight the various ways that Montreat Conference Center’s ministry is supported by gifts from individuals, families, churches, and other organizations thanks to a vibrant culture of philanthropy. Regardless of how you engage with Montreat, you have likely experienced the direct impact of these gifts, as roughly 13% of the conference center’s annual budget is comprised of individual donations to our annual unrestricted fund, The Montreat Fund, which supports a variety of programs and scholarships and helps to maintain various facilities throughout our …
Erdelyi Family’s Montreat Story
The First Visit The Erdelyi family first discovered Montreat when Mike volunteered to join his church’s youth director, Michelle Thomas-Bush of Riverside Presbyterian Church – Jacksonville, FL, at the 2000 Montreat Youth Conference. It was the Sunday after leaving his job at UPS to be a stay-at-home parent, allowing Susan to focus on her role as the City Attorney for Jacksonville Beach. So, he packed their two girls, Alexis (8) and Laura (6), into the car and headed to the mountains. Their first impression was of both excitement and welcome. As they pulled up to the Currie Craft Center, the first person they saw was Ann Laird Jones, their church’s former interim youth minister. She joyfully shouted, “Welcome, Erdelyis!” From that moment on, they were “totally in heaven.” The girls felt like rock stars playing on stage in Anderson Auditorium, and they loved their time in clubs. Mike was really impressed with how well the …