Groups find common ground on holy ground. That’s why religious retreats are wonderful places to meet.
Retreat centers let attendees enjoy both the stillness of the natural world and the comforts of community. They combine simplistic accommodations with wholesome activities, often combined with a heaping helping of outdoor recreation to refresh and reinvigorate attendees. And while religious retreats often cater to specific events, such as church retreats, youth camps and nonprofit meetings, some are open to multi-faith or even nonreligious meetings and events.
Here are five religious retreats across the country for planners to consider for their next event.
Mount Olivet Conference And Retreat Center
Farmington, Minnesota
Just outside of the bustling Twin Cities, Mount Olivet Conference and Retreat Center hosted its first retreats in 1977. Set on 151 acres, the retreat’s natural surroundings include marshland, a lake, a forest and prairielands and create a serene setting for groups to gather.
“A lot of people choose us because we are outside of the Twin Cities and within a reasonable driving distance,” said Jeremy Bork, director of programming and communications at the retreat center. “It’s the best of both worlds where once you’re here you do really feel connected to nature and disconnected from the chaos and busyness of city life.”
The campus consists of three buildings. The Youngdahl Lodge is home to its main meeting rooms, which can accommodate between 50 and 75 attendees, as well as the dining room, which can seat 130. The chapel offers the largest event space, seating up to 200, and features three walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. A broad range of A/V equipment is provided. The third building contains the lodging, including hotel rooms and dormitory rooms. Up to 100 guests can be accommodated for overnight stays.
Meals are served either buffet-style or plated, and the center’s chefs are experts at accommodating a range of dietary restrictions. Ingredients are frequently sourced from the center’s garden in summer. The wide range of on-site amenities is also appealing for groups, from five miles of hiking trails to lawn games to an indoor pool, hot tub and sauna. Pricing is all-inclusive.
Wheat State Retreat Center
Augusta, Kansas
For religious groups and organizations planning their meeting in the heart of the country, Wheat State Retreat Center ticks a lot of boxes. The Christian Retreats Network retreat center is in Augusta, Kansas, not far from Wichita.
The retreat’s largest meeting space is its Tabernacle, an auditorium that can seat up to 750 and comes equipped with a stage, lighting and A/V. It also has wall dividers that can create up to six breakout spaces. Northside Hall is a newly renovated space that can accommodate up to 100. The east half of the dining room can also be converted to a meeting room for 100; and an additional room overlooking the dining area seats 50. In addition to open field space for outdoor games, an open-air pavilion and a courtyard with picnic table are great places for groups to gather outdoors.
“Our biggest selling point is that the campus has a lot to offer,” said Ashley Haschemeyer, marketing manager at Christian Retreats Network. “People also like the Christian atmosphere and the way we bundle our packages, because there’s no hidden costs. The on-site team here serves our guests well at a high-level.”
Retreat packages are per person and include lodging, meeting, dining and basic recreation. Lodging at the retreat is dormitory style with cabins for leaders or speakers, and the indoor meeting spaces come with basic A/V, including televisions. Dining is buffet style and can be adjusted to satisfy many different groups, from youth camps to adult groups.
Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center
North Andover, Massachusetts
In northern Massachusetts, on the shores of Lake Cochichewick, the Rolling Ridge Retreat and Conference Center spans 38 acres. A 40-room, 1920s Georgian mansion and its surrounding estate, including gorgeous grounds with lake views and a formal garden, give groups a beautiful backdrop for a meeting, conference or company retreat. The retreat center’s core practices and values of contemplative spirituality and inclusivity create a reflective and peaceful atmosphere for attendees, while its hospitality and convenient meeting packages make it a great choice for planners looking in the Boston area.
Rolling Ridge’s meeting facilities include Tyson Hall, which can be found in the main house and can seat up to 60 theater-style, and the Moses Meeting Room, which also seats 60 and can be found in the Carriage House across from the mansion. A picnic space is available for outdoor meetings for up to 300 attendees, while several of the property’s smaller rooms, such as the library, Oval Room and board room, are great for breakout sessions.
Meeting packages can include features like pastry and hot beverage service, as well as a scratch-made meals prepared with ingredients from the retreat’s garden. Wellness experiences are available to be added on for the group. After the meeting, groups can wander the grounds, including the gardens, courtyard, walking trails and outdoor labyrinths to soak up the surrounding New England scenery.
Fort Mountain Retreat and Conference Center
Chatsworth, Georgia
In the mountainous region of northern Georgia, Fort Mountain Retreat and Conference Center is an easily accessible getaway and gathering place for Christian youth and adults to come together. While the center is owned by Global Youth Ministry and is excellent for youth retreats, it’s also a great place for women and men’s retreats, marriage and pre-marital retreats, training retreats or other events hosted by Christian organizations.
Within the retreat’s conference center in the upper part of the campus, the largest space is an auditorium that can hold 350 people. It features a stage and tech support. Meeting rooms within the conference center and lodge are great for breakout sessions for between 10 and 100 people. The lower part of the campus, known as the Institute Campus, features an auditorium for up to 125 and several smaller venues for between 15 and 30 people. Basic A/V is available, along with tech support upon request.
The retreat center offers lodging, ranging from cabins to dorms, for up to 400 overnight guests. Its recreational activities offer plenty of outdoor fun for attendees, from hiking to paintball to white-water rafting. There’s also an indoor pool and a gymnasium.
globalyouthministry.org/fort-mountain-retreat
Christian Renewal Center
Silverton, Oregon
Just 10 minutes away from one of Oregon’s most renowned natural attractions, Silver Falls State Park, Christian Renewal Center (CRC) is a humble haven for events, conferences and retreats. The campus is set on 40 acres of hilly forest land and comprises several chapels, cabins and lodges. Christian Renewal Center has been offering a place for Christian groups, families and individuals to escape the pressures of everyday life and devote time to prayer for 53 years.
“CRC was founded by my grandfather Allan Hansen, a pastor,” said Peter Hansen, the retreat center’s director of operations. “He realized there would be more personal transformation in folks’ lives if they got away from the distractions of life, and he felt led to organize and build a retreat center. We’re dedicated to serving the body of Christ and loving his people.”
CRC’s primary meeting space is the Rotunda, a round room with views on all sides of the surrounding forest. It can seat up to 100 attendees and features a television and whiteboard. The Main Lodge, the largest sleeping lodge, is also home to the dining room, which can accommodate 80. The Lamppost Coffee Shop can serve as a small meeting room for up to 20 attendees during nonbusiness hours. The Prayer Chapel is available for groups as large as 40. Groups can rent out certain lodges with the use of the Prayer Chapel and Rotunda.
CRC is renowned for its food, which is served buffet-style and is frequently scratch-made. Other property amenities include an archery course and walking trails.
