The 2006 All-Church Retreat was held at the Valley View Inn and Conference Center in Townsend, Tennessee. The retreat began on Friday, April 28, and concluded with worship on Sunday, April 30, at the Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove.
Participants were treated to fun activities, fellowship, and informational sessions. Renowned storyteller Dwight McCarter, a retired park ranger who is frequently called the "Crocodile Dundee of the Smokies," entertained us, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park ranger's presentation on preserving the mountains' natural resources enlightened and encouraged us as environmental stewards. Children age 5 through high school attended Camp Wesley Woods on Saturday morning for stream ecology, a waterfall hike, or a climbing tower.
The 2007 All-Church Retreat was held the weekend of April 20-22. The retreat, which is beoming a Westminster tradition, was again held in Townsend, Tennessee, on the "peaceful side of the Smokies." The Valley View Inn and Conference Center will serve as retreat headquarters. As usual, there was a wide variety of activities planned around the theme "An Attitude of Gratitude."
New this year was Bryan Field McFarland from Greensboro, North Carolina, who lead us Friday night in music and a devotional using our theme "An Attitude of Gratitude." He also sang on Saturday morning before our own Rev. Dr. Buran Phillips' devotional. After the devotional, we heard Dr. William Newton from Maryville College talk about our topic of "Gratitude." There were all kinds of afternoon activities that ranged from golfing, hiking, and shopping to napping! The youth went to Wesley Woods on Saturday morning. Back by popular demand for Saturday night was Tim Klein, who was our caller for square dancing. We concluded our retreat on Sunday morning with worship at the Primitive Baptist Church in Cades Cove.
Updated 8-20-2008