Shrine Mont Retreat

Sign up for the Shrine Mont Retreat 2026. There are flyers in Deese Hall.

What’s the Shrine Mont Retreat like?

“The time to be with fellow church members just relaxing and getting to know them better in such a beautiful place was so life giving and FUN!! Shrine Mont is such a beautiful place!”—Ann M.

“Go to the end of the road and disconnect from the chaos of the world as we have come to know it!

Pray, eat (superb home-cooked meals), rest, read, bask in the beauty of spring’s awakening blossoms, hike, reconnect with friends in unexpected moments and depart feeling rejuvenated having made new friends! Disconnect-Reconnect- Connect”—Elaine K.

“I feel so grateful for this opportunity to spend a getaway weekend at lovely Shrine Mont and getting to know some Buck Mountain folks better. The retreat was spiritually, emotionally, and intellectually nourishing and inspiring. Thank you for organizing this retreat and helping everyone feel welcome, oriented to Shrine Mont, and appreciated.”—Deborah L.

“As a recent arrival at BMEC, I was nervous about going on the retreat at Shrine Mont. I thought, “I don’t know these people. What if they make me play ice breaker games so dumb that a first grader would roll their eyes? What poor soul will get stuck listening to my snoring all night?”

I dragged my feet until the last minute when a certain group leader bugged me to flip or fly. God said,“Get your behind on up there and see what I’ll do.” Okay, okay, I’m going. No need to drag the Big Man into it.

The weekend was nothing like what I had feared. Everyone went out of their way to make me feel welcome. But when my social anxiety kicked in, no one gave me flak about sitting by myself on the front porch of the cabin or wandering alone to the outdoor labyrinth for a walking meditation. Afterward, I made new friends over card games until bedtime.

Shrine Mont was the perfect place for a physical, mental, and spiritual reset. The mountains are beautiful with hiking trails, a pond for fishing, and a playground for the short people. I was in the ladies’ cabin with a small but private bedroom and bathroom to myself. There was a refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave in the cabin, so I could keep snacks and drinks handy.

In true foodie fashion, I was anxious about the meals provided. No frozen mass-produced food was in sight. Every meal was homemade cooking served family style in the dining room. The serving dishes were quickly refilled whenever they got low. Every meal was an all-you-can-eat feast.

Sunday morning brought a worship service in the outdoor shrine. I kept thinking that if God made man in His own image, maybe He made earth in heaven’s image. Nature’s beauty around us and God’s whisper in the breeze brought a new dimension to the service.

The showstopper was Sunday dinner after church. When I saw the meal laid out for us, tears came to my eyes. The table was an exact replica of the Sunday dinners my Nanny cooked when I was a child.

From the hand-fried chicken to the butterbeans to the watermelon rind pickles, I was at Nanny’s house. There were homemade fluffy biscuits and a big bowl of gravy. I skipped the salad and went full-on heart attack special. It was glorious. If I could have slipped another biscuit into my pocket and poured gravy over it, I would have.

I came home refreshed in my faith and connected with new friends. Such a beautiful setting with two nights’ lodging and six all-you-can-eat meals for under $200. That’s what I call a steal! So when the retreat rolls around again next spring, I’ll be there. I hope you won’t be a wimp and skip it – I almost did, and I’m so glad I didn’t.”—Gail W.

Please join us at Shrine Mont this year!
Contact Leslie Richard, Ben Walter, or Margaret Walter for more details