Western North Carolina is a magical place of high mountain peaks and deep, hidden valleys filled with rushing rivers and streams full of trout and cascading waterfalls. The Blue Ridge Parkway travels through the area. Great portions of the landscape are within protected government lands in the form of national forests, state and local parks, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Youth retreats are a very important activity that offers unique and exciting ministry opportunities for youth and adults alike. Youth can experience the wonders of God’s creation and develop closer relationships with God and their peers. They can escape the stresses of everyday life and immerse themselves in activities tailored specifically for their age group.
As summer approaches and the youth are anticipating summer break, many youth programs are looking at opportunities for youth retreats. Youth retreats can be a life-changing experience for youth and is a very important highlight of any youth ministry organization; however, for a retreat to be effective and successful, pre-planning is a must.
Retreats are a very important tool utilized by a variety of organizations with a multitude of objectives. They can be scheduled annual events such as corporate retreats, summer camps, or church leadership retreats. They can also be spontaneous scheduled events to assist with a pastor or church leader burnout, for example.