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| Pete Peery |
It is winter in Montreat. A mild one so far. But still winter. The trees are bare; the ridge lines visible. The muted grays and browns of bark and leaves and low-hanging mist abound. Yet under those leaves, in the vast wilderness surrounding us, much is going on. New life is perking. Incubation is happening.
That is true right now, as well, in the life of Montreat Conference Center. In this subdued season, young people are not walking three abreast down the middle of the road or jamming the walkway over the dam. Anderson Auditorium is quiet. The tennis courts are vacant. The pottery wheels are still. Yet, things are happening — in incubation. Let me name a few of them:
After going through a painful re-sizing of our retail operations, a new store is emerging. Under Kim Hayes’ oversight, Jaan Ferree and Jane Bannerman are hard at work crafting a very promising store that will occupy renovated space on the middle floor of Moore Center. As this store develops, a team of volunteers, along with our business consultant, will be sharing insight on the shape of the store and the selections available there for purchase.
Lynn Gilliland is preparing for her new calling as MRA’s next Vice President for Development. Lynn begins her work on February 10. Through April, she will work alongside Bill Straughan in leadership of our development work. Starting in May, Bill will stay with us, but serving as the major consultant in our Building on the Tradition Campaign. Lynn, who already knows us well, is already striving to know us even more fully. Her diligence, skill, imagination, and love bear great promise for the growth of financial support for Montreat Conference Center.
In a related arena, the Building on the Tradition Campaign is entering a new phase. After giving a year of able and committed leadership to the Campaign, as he promised to do, Gilmour Lake is stepping back from the helm. Succeeding him is Bill Scheu, who has picked up the reins with vigor. The Campaign’s focus is being targeted in the next six months on securing pledges to get the renovations of the Assembly Inn on track. In addition, the Campaign is broadening its invitation for support beyond our closest and most faithful donors with a renewed outreach to congregations, seeking commitments from them to the Campaign.
Plans are being finalized for a major review of our Youth Conferencing model to ensure that this premier program of Montreat Conference Center remains of the highest quality in service to the church. A major consultation in this review process will occur in Atlanta in March.
The Master Planning Team for our adult conferences just concluded its winter meeting. Convening in the Belk Center at Left Bank, Skyping in a member not able to travel to the meeting, the team was empowered by the Spirit to truly think outside the box. As a result, very substantial conferences for church leaders and for lay people in the church are already on the “boards” for 2013 and even beyond for 2014.
Things do appear quiet and still here in Montreat. But a lot is incubating. Pray for the budding of what is happening to break forth into a wondrous, life-giving spring, not just for our conference center, but for the whole church of Jesus Christ.
Grace and peace, Pete Peery
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