Montreat Conference Center Archives

Welcoming the stranger

Posted May 25th, 2022

As part of his sabbatical from Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Columbia, South Carolina, a few years ago, the Rev. Brad Smith brought his wife, Nancy, and their three young adult children to Taiwan to experience the richness of both Taiwan’s culture and church life.

Montreat Conference Center announces summer worship series lineup

Posted May 23rd, 2022

One of the highlights of Montreat Conference Center’s year-round programs is the 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.

Using our setbacks as steppingstones

Posted May 19th, 2022

The Rev. Dr. Jerry Cannon used his prodigious and engaging hermeneutical skills Wednesday to cap a NEXT Church National Gathering that has taken a deep look at rest and restoration.

‘I feel like I really need a Jubilee and I’m guessing some of you do too’

Posted May 19th, 2022

After two days speaking about rest and restoration with the NEXT Church National Gathering, Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes on Wednesday shifted to one of God’s commands that’s likely never been followed: holding a Jubilee year every 50th year as spelled out in Leviticus 25:8-13 and 39-41.

Self care as holy restoration

Posted May 18th, 2022

Self care is “all the rage these days,” NEXT Church keynoter Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes said Tuesday during her second of three talks. It’s a “commodified topic,” but it’s not well understood. Walker-Barnes, Professor of Practical Theology and Pastoral Counseling at Columbia Theological Seminary, laid out six claims on the topic to help bring understanding to those attending NEXT Church’s National Gathering both in person at Montreat Conference Center and online.

Rest is resistance

Posted May 17th, 2022

After obtaining a PhD and teaching for a few years, Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes decided to enroll in seminary, where her eyes were opened in an unexpected and unpleasant way.

This is how we run

Posted February 15th, 2022

With a big assist from the gifts of music leader Mark Miller, closing worship for APCE’s Circle of Faith event in Chicago ended Saturday where it had begun the Wednesday before, with Hebrews 12:1-2.

Young adults impress leaders at 2022 College Conference at Montreat

Posted January 6th, 2022

Following the just-completed 2022 College Conference at Montreat Conference Center in Montreat, North Carolina, Anisha Hackney said she learned as much, if not more, than the young adults attending her “Minding the Gap: Living and Working with Different Cultures” workshop.

In-person gathering ‘exponentially better’ than online

Posted November 15th, 2021

For many of the participants at last week’s Shaping Our Story Conference, this was their first in-person gathering since the pandemic began 20 months ago.

The Three Little Pigs and the healing of Naaman

Posted November 11th, 2021

In elementary school, Natarsha Sanders’ favorite story was The Three Little Pigs. But then she heard the story from the perspective of the Big Bad Wolf.