Date

Event

April 28-30

Senior Friends Conference, Higgins Lodge: Sponsored by the Senior Friends Advisory Council, this annual conference, offers fun, fellowship and education for Senior Friends of the Southern Province.

Fee: $100 Bishop Wing / $120 Salem Wing

May 18

Spring 2nd Sunday Suppers, Higgins Lodge: Fun for individuals

& groups of all types & ages. Unique programs each month. Check our website for details. Come in the afternoon to hike, drive the parkway, canoe, or relax on the deck and patio. Call (888) 831-5922 for reservations. Dinner 5 pm at Higgins Lodge:

Fee: $10 adults / $5 kids 6-12

May 3

Spring Volunteer Work Days: Individuals, groups, and families are encouraged to participate in our monthly workdays. Join others to have fun and fellowship while completing a variety of projects needed to open summer camp and in other areas of the mountain. Call the Laurel Ridge office to set up your projects.

June 7-8

A Spiritual Retreat, Higgins Lodge:What does it mean to experience God in our lives? As people of faith, when we pray to the God of our understanding, we may conceive of that communication as a one-way conversation. This retreat will encourage participants to open themselves to a divine truth—that God is engaged with us in a two-way communion. Each moment of our lives, God expresses his loving and longing for us. Insights of spiritual healers, both ancient and modern, will provide participants the opportunity to open themselves to the deep mystery of God which uniquely enfolds and embraces us. The facilitator will assist participants in exploring their personal experience with God using a variety of methods such as presentation, discussion, prayer and meditation, visualization, creativity, and writing. Participants will also enjoy personal time for reflection.

Program begins at 10:00 am on Saturday and concludes at 11:00 am on Sunday.

Facilitator: Pierrette Stukes, PhD, is a group facilitator and spiritual director. She is the President of Heart Directions, Inc., an organization dedicated to helping others discover that inner healing opens an interior holy space in which God not only meets us but also by which our lives and relationships can be transformed. For more information or to register, contact pstukes@skybest.com or 336-982-2402. Please register as soon as possible, but no later than April 23, as overnight space is limited. Limited scholarship funds are available.

Fees: Workshop Fee - $125.00 pp plus one of the following:
Single room, linens, 3 meals - $113.00 / Double room, linens,
3 meals - $80.00 / Commuter rate, 3 meals - $23.50

June 14

Laurel Ridge Homecoming: Help us celebrate the opening of summer camp for the season. This open house will also give you a chance to visit the new Salem Wing of Higgins Lodge. Games, crafts, fun and lunch planned for the entire family. Check our website for more information.

July 11-13

Lay Seminary, Higgins Lodge:  Sponsored by Board of Christian Education.
Topic: "The Essentials and the Gospels: Excavating Gospel Stories for the Essentials of our Day" Moravians talk about what is essential. Our culture sends its own messages about that too. In our Summer '08 session of Lay Seminary we will dig into several gospel stories to explore together what was essential for believers of the first century and what is essential for us today. Bring your Bible for a weekend set aside for a deeper understanding of the Gospel and the core elements of our lives as Moravians. Leaders: The Rev. Frank Crouch, PhD., Dean, Moravian Theological Seminary and Dr. Audrey West, Associate Professor of New Testament., Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago.

Fee: $135/double occupancy

July 18-20

Gemeinschaft Leadership Retreat, Higgins Lodge: Sponsored by Board of Christian Education. Call Rev Judy Knopf at 336-722-8126 for more information.

September 6
October 4
November 8

Fall Volunteer Work Days: Individuals, groups, and families are encouraged to participate in our monthly workdays. Join others to have fun and fellowship while completing a variety of projects needed to shut down summer camp and winterize the mountain. Call the Laurel Ridge office to set up your projects.

September 13

Fall Festival, Laurel Ridge: A day on the mountain for family, friends and groups of all ages to enjoy music, games & sports, facepainting, children’s crafts, nature hikes, canoeing, fishing and good food. Full day of activities.

Fee: $7 each or $25/family

Bring a picnic or we offer lunch for $5/person.

September 14
October 12
November 16

Fall 2nd Sunday Suppers: See Spring 2nd Sunday Suppers for details.

Spiritual Retreat, Higgins Lodge: Is there a connection between our individual personality type and the way that we each meet God in prayer and meditation? All spiritual traditions teach a variety of methods of prayer and meditation that enable us to experience the presence of God. This retreat builds on these methods and assists you in becoming aware of your unique path to and with God. The work of Marc Gafni, the author of Soul Prints, together with the insights of Carl Jung regarding personality types, will be used by the facilitator to provide you the opportunity to explore, widen, and deepen your ways of praying with God. The facilitator will also use a variety of methods such as presentation, discussion, prayer and meditation, visualization, creativity, and writing. You will also enjoy personal time for reflection. Please join us for a weekend of meditative exploration of your unique prayer life. This retreat is for women only.

Please register as soon as possible, but no later than August 9, as overnight space is limited. Scholarships are available for the retreat fee only.

Time: Program begins at 10:00 am on Saturday and concludes at 11:00 am on Sunday.

Fee: Workshop Fee - $125.00 pp plus one of the following:
Single room, with private bath, linens, 3 meals - $113.00
Double room, with private bath, linens, 3 meals - $80.00
Commuter rate includes 3 meals - $23.50

For more information about this program, or to register, please contact Dr. Pierrette R. Stukes at pstukes@skybest.com or 336-982-2402.

Pierrette R. Stukes, PhD, is a spiritual director and group facilitator. She is the founder of Heart Directions, Inc.

Heart Directions, Inc. is a ministry of compassionate service. Our programs are grounded in the philosophy of spiritual hospitality which is a way of being present with you in an atmosphere of mutual respect and holy reverence so that both you and the facilitator may listen for the Spirit at the center of your life. We are post-denominational in emphasis. Our programs integrate various spiritual traditions to honor and to enable an experience of God that transcends cultural representations.

Heart Directions, Inc. does not offer therapy, counseling, or advice; nor are its programs academic in nature. Instead, its facilitator creates a sacred space in which individuals may explore for themselves the spiritual integration of the psyche, the soul, the mind, the heart, and the body.

October 5-10

Fall Volunteer Work Week: Enjoy good fellowship, free lodging and meals during Spring and Fall WorkWeeks. Bring your group, your family or just yourself for the week or for one or more days. We promise to have projects for all skill levels and interests. Call the Laurel Ridge Office to schedule your stay.

October 10-12

Women’s Gathering: This annual retreat has become a favorite of women who enjoy a true “retreat” experience. You can expect to share laughter, meaningful studies, creativity, rest, music and worship. Utilizing both large and small group discussion as well as plenty of individual time for reflection, this is a deeply meaningful and rejuvenating weekend! Sign up early. Bring your friends, your Mom, or any woman you know who needs a little encouragement.

Fee: $135/dbl occupancy

November 7-9

College Age Retreat, Tise Building: College-Age Retreat provides the opportunity for spiritual growth in a retreat setting with college-age adults under the guidance of a retreat leader.  There is always plenty of time to relax at Laurel Ridge. The coordinator is Rev. Brad Bennett, Director of Youth and College Ministries. Call (336) 722-8126 or email bbennett@mcsp.org for more information.

Fee: $55.00 per person

December 13-14

Moravian Mountain Christmas: Laurel Ridge is the place to begin your Christmas season. Enjoy crisp mountain air, the smell of fresh baked cookies, lovely Christmas music and sing-a-longs, crafts, hayrides and meals shared around the table with friends. Come just for the day on Saturday, spend a night or the weekend. No registration is needed for Saturday activities.

Meal tickets are available: $6 lunch and $8 supper.

Reservations for Friday and/or Saturday night are required. A variety of accommodations are available so call for rates.