The 2024 MRA Community Survey Is Here 06/28/2024
Richard DuBose, president of Montreat Conference Center, writes a weekly message to Montreat. An excerpt of this weeks message is below. To read his full message, click the "Read More" button below the excerpt.
As I wrote a couple of weeks ago, Montreat Conference Center is in a season of strategic planning. Launched last year, the MRA Board has already devoted significant time to the process during each of its last two meetings, and members of our full-time staff are engaged, as well. Input from the broad spectrum of our constituency has come from beyond these two groups through interviews and focus groups. We’ve gathered information that is helping to identify trends, preferences, needs, and opportunities. Sorting through the input has sometimes validated our assumptions and sometimes contradicted them, sometimes affirmed our thinking and
. . .
This Sunday in Montreat
We are delighted to continue our Summer Worship Series in which leading preachers from across the country join with visual artists, musicians, and volunteers in a service of worship open to the surrounding community. All are welcome and all are invited.
All summer worship services take place in Anderson Auditorium at 10:30 am.
Preaching Sunday, June 30, 2024
Rev. Dr. David Renwick has been an ordained Presbyterian Minister for 40 years, serving diverse congregations in Newfoundland, Canada; San Antonio, TX; Lexington, KY; and Spartanburg, SC. Dr. Renwick is a graduate of the University of St. Andrew’s in Scotland, where he studied applied mathematics. He received his MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and his PhD from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. His sermon this week pulls from Luke 3:21-22; 4:1-13, and is titled "ID Theft Protection."
Weekly Rundown |
|
| Sunday, June 30 | |
| 10:30 am | Summer Worship Service with Rev. Dr. David A. Renwick, Anderson Auditorium |
| 11:45 am | Sunday Buffet, Galax Dining Room |
| 7:00 pm |
Hymn Sing, |
| Tuesday, July 2 | |
| 9:00 am | Public Hike (full day), More information below |
| 7:00 pm |
Arts, Music, and Theology Lecture, |
| Wednesday, July 3 | |
| 4:00 pm | Summer Staff Reunion, The Railyard |
| Thursday, July 4 | |
| All Day | All Fourth of July events can be found at montreat.org/foj |
| Friday, July 5 | |
|
7:00 pm |
Big Circle Mountain Dance, Patricia Cornwell Tennis Courts |
| Sunday, July 7 |
|
| 10:30 am | Summer Worship Service with Rev. Jason R. Ferris, Anderson Auditorium |
| 11:45 am | Sunday Buffet, Galax Dining Room |
| 7:00 pm |
Hymn Sing, |
Community Announcements
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Stay Up to Date
Montreat has an app! Use it to keep up to date with conferences and events, maps, and more. To download the app, download “Yapp” in the Google Play or Apple Store. Enter the Yapp ID “MONTREAT.” Enjoy!
This Summer in Montreat
This Summer in Montreat (TSIM) is a publication of Montreat Conference Center gathering all of the hours, contact details, and opportunities for guest in the summer months.
Wilderness Hiking Program
The Ranger staff will offer public hikes during the summer conference season. All hikes are free and open to the public. You must be 13 or older to attend a hike without an adult guardian. Hikes will leave at 9:00 am, unless otherwise, noted from the Montreat Nature Center, located at 301 Lookout Road. All hikes this summer are subject to change based on weather.
Tuesday, July 2
Full Day – Annual Perimeter Hike
Long and strenuous hike; some moderate sections | 16.0 miles total | expect to return after 5:00 pm.
Crafts and Pottery
The Currie Craft Center and Sally Jones Pottery are a collaborative ministry of Montreat Conference Center. Craft and pottery classes are open to people 12 years and older. Class offerings vary from week to week. In addition to classes, we offer independent wheel throwing and handbuilding.
Sign up for classes begins online each Friday morning at 9:00 am. The class registration link will be at the top of the Crafts & Pottery page. If you need further assistance, please email montreatpottery@gmail.com.
|
Pottery Hours (Upstairs) |
|
|---|---|
| Monday |
9:00 am-12:00 pm |
| Tuesday |
9:00 am-12:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 9:00 am-12:00 pm |
| Thursday | Closed for Holiday |
| Friday | 8:30-10:30 am for Glazing |
| Saturday | 10:00 am -1:00 pm Pottery Pickup |
|
Craft Hours (Downstairs) |
|
| Monday–Wednesday | 2:00-5:00 pm |
Class Offerings the Week of July 4
The week of July 4, classes will be held on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and glazing will be Friday from 8:30–10:30 am. Pick up will be Saturday 10:00 am–1:00 pm.
Presbyterian Heritage Center
318 Georgia Terrace. 828.669.6556. Free admission.
This center offers multiple museum displays, special events, art galleries, and a reference library. Free WiFi and air-conditioning. Summer exhibits include: Missions in a Changing World; Minting a Tradition: Communion Tokens; Trains, Timber & Tourists: The Story of the Mt. Mitchell Railroad; Early Montreat; Chronicle, Culture & Context: Archaeology & the Old Testament; Who Are Presbyterians?; Montreat Scottish Society, and much more!
| Heritage Center Hours | |
|---|---|
| Tuesday–Friday* | 10:00 am-4:00 pm |
| Saturday | 12:00-4:00 pm |
| Sunday–Monday | closed |
| Free Admittance | |
Pool Announcements
| Pool Hours | |
|---|---|
| Open Daily | 1:00 - 6:00 pm |
Please note that deck chairs at the pool are limited. You are encouraged to bring your own portable/folding chairs when visiting the Montreat Pool.
Clubs Crafts Request
Tennis & Pickleball
Tennis and Pickleball Courts are available to the public on Monday - Friday 10:00 am-2:00 pm and 3:00-6:00 pm, $3/person/hour.
Pickleball players gather in particular on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10:15 am-12:30 pm, $3/session.
Beginning at 2:00 pm on July 4 only, the tennis courts will be open to the public, free of charge.
Montreat Adult Summer Club
Please join us at the annual Montreat Adult Summer Club Picnic on Wednesday, August 2, at 6:00 pm in Gaither Fellowship Hall. Please bring your favorite covered dish to add to the fun and wonderful food. Enjoy seeing old Montreat friends and meeting new ones! Walter Somerville will entertain us with lighthearted stories and interesting facts about our beloved Guinea fowl. Everyone is welcome! Bring your guests and friends!
Arts, Music, and Theology
Arts, Music, and Theology is a mission and ministry of Montreat Conference Center. Its purpose is to provide the community with educational nourishment via various lectures and lecturers during our summer season. Themes of the lectures span disciplines.
“Seamus Heaney: Making Hope and History Rhyme”
by Christopher Griffin
- Date: Tuesday, July 2
- Time: 7:00-8:15 pm
- Place: Convocation Hall
Big Circle Mountain Dance
This week, we will have two Big Circle Mountain Dances on Thursday, July 4, and Friday, July 5, which will take place on the Patricia Cornwell Tennis Courts.
- Date: Thursday, July 4
- Time: 7:00-10:00 pm
- Place: Patricia Cornwell Tennis Courts
- Date: Friday, July 5
- Time: 7:00-10:00 pm
- Place: Patricia Cornwell Tennis Courts
Big circle mountain dancing is a special Montreat tradition! It's a fun-filled night of dances called by the Bannerman family and music from the Stoney Creek Boys. All are welcome, and admission is free.
The Huckleberry
Known to many Montreat visitors as “The Huck,” our recently renovated café is located on the third floor of Moore Center and serves breakfast, coffee, ice cream, hamburgers, and other quick eats. With great views of the Lake Susan dam both inside the café or from a rocking chair on the porch, The Huckleberry is a great place to relax and reconnect with friends.
| Huckleberry Summer Hours | June 3–August 3 | |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 8:00 am-9:00 pm |
| Saturday | 8:00 am-3:00 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Second Loaf
Second Loaf continues its long history of collecting food donations for the food insecure in our community beginning Saturday, June 8, and ending Saturday, August 3 (except July 6), in the parking lot area in front of Black Mountain Presbyterian Church. Second Loaf can only take unopened shelf-ready foods. Frozen, fresh, and prepared foods cannot be accepted. We are grateful for the generous response of groups who drop off their "second loaves" on their way home!
| Second Loaf Hours | |
|---|---|
| Saturdays | 7:00-11:00 am |
Interested in renting your home to Youth Groups in 2025?
Each year we have youth groups looking for suitable housing for their Montreat Youth Conference experience and we are beginning to update our Private Housing List. Are you interested in renting your house to youth groups in 2025? If so, please fill out the form below, even if you are on our current list. This will allow us to have the most up-to-date information for our list.
If you have questions, please email us at privatehousing@montreat.org.
The Montreat Store
The Montreat Store is an awesome mix of boutique, gift shop, and general store. From snacks to t-shirts to toiletries to books to pottery, The Montreat Store has it all!
| The Montreat Store Hours | |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday* | 10:00 am-6:00 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am-5:00 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
*Please note that the Montreat Store is open from 9 am - 5 pm on Thursday, July 4.
Contact: 828.669.5298
Located: 2nd floor, Moore Center
Ten Thousand Villages
Ten Thousand Villages is a global maker‑to‑market movement that breaks the cycle of generational poverty and ignites social change in the developing world.
| Ten Thousand Villages Hours | |
|---|---|
| Monday–Wednesday | 10:00 am-5:00 pm |
| Thursday–Saturday | 10:00 am-6:00 pm |
| Sunday | 9:00 am-4:00 pm |
Contact: 828.669.1406
Located: 3rd floor, Moore Center
Galax Sunday Buffet
The Galax Dining room is open for Sunday lunch beginning at 11:45 am, June 2–August 4. Non-refundable tickets may be purchased at the Assembly Inn front desk and used on any Sunday. You can call the front desk at 828.669.2911 for more information or to purchase tickets.
| Adults | Ages 5–11 | Under 5 |
| $17.00 | $8.50 | FREE |
The menu for Sunday, June 30 is:
Southern Fried Chicken
Broiled Whitefish with Lemon and Dill
Mashed Potatoes
Creole Black-eyed Peas with Tomatoes
Steamed Vegetable Medley
Rolls and Butter
Fruit
Salad Bar
Assorted Desserts
Development Summer Events
To support these activities and all aspects of Montreat's ministry visit montreat.org/support.
Welcome Center at the Gatehouse
The Montreat Gate House will be open June 3–August 2. Those interested in volunteering at the Welcome Center should contact Martha Todd Sloan, director of donor engagement at marthas@montreat.org or 828.419.9883.
| Gatehouse Welcome Center Hours | |
|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 10:00 am-4:00 pm |
Support Montreat
From Big Circle Mountain Dances and energizers to rock hopping and hiking, gifts to the Montreat Fund support the summer memories we hold most dear here in Montreat!
Hymn Sings
It’s time for singing on Sunday nights at Montreat! Each Sunday evening from June 2 through August 4, you are invited to come to the Assembly Inn Lobby at 7:00 pm, our usual place, to gather.*
You will enjoy an hour of singing or listening to your favorite hymns, learn some new hymns, and learn a little about some of the hymns we sing on Sunday mornings. Come!
*Please note: Our July 14 Hymn Sing will be take place in the Presbyterian Heritage Center.
| Hymn Sing Lineup | |
|---|---|
| June 30 | Susan Strickland |
| July 7 | Aaron Price |
| July 14* | Eric Wall |
| July 21 | Ted Stewart |
| July 28 | Eunice Wonderly Stackhouse |
| Aug 4 | Vivian Hare |