Time on the Mountain

And he said Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord (1 Kings 19:11).

The Morning Star Woman’s Retreat was held at Cragmont on April 22–24, 2022. A variety of churches were represented including Daniel’s Chapel, Tee’s Chapel, Rock Springs, Robert’s Grove, Bethel, Glad Tidings P.H. Church, Pikeville Pentecostal FWB Church, Westmoreland P.H. Church, Union Grove, Encounter 61 @ Emerald Isle, Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church, and Goldsboro. The theme for the weekend was: “The Living Word: Still Powerful, Still Relevant.”

An outstanding retreat was planned, organized, and directed by co-directors, Kathy Hayes and Anita Jones and acting registrar, Sande Brown. Music was led by husband and wife team, Willie and Dana Sawrey who provided a beautiful variety of Christian music throughout the weekend. Everyone who attended enjoyed a time of relaxation and renewal through God’s word which was provided by guest speaker, Donna Paulsen who is an instructor at East Tennessee State University. Donna kicked off Session One of the retreat on Friday night with her personal testimony entitled, “God’s Story, My Story: Kindling for Our Fire.” She continued on Saturday morning with the weekend’s theme with Session Two, “The Power of the Word: A Surprisingly Effective Shelter” and Session Three, “The Relevance of the Word: A Deeply Satisfying Ration.”

After Session Three, the ladies were treated to lunch in the dining hall and then had free time in the afternoon to relax and enjoy themselves as they chose. On Saturday night after dinner, Matthew Daughtry-Grubbs, the Director of Cragmont, presented updates on Cragmont. These included future plans for additional hammocks, a climbing tower, a slide, and a zipline and activity area to be added to the campus for all ages to enjoy. Matthew gladly reported that Cragmont is currently debt-free since the final payment has been made on the Watson House. In addition, he invited everyone to come to Cragmont on May 14, 2022, for Spring Service Saturday. This is intended to be a day of work to help spruce up the grounds and get ready for summer camp while enjoying a weekend at Cragmont. Following these updates, Matthew wrapped up the evening with a devotion from Acts 26.

Finally, a delicious breakfast was served on Sunday morning by Cragmont’s staff, and the weekend was closed out by Donna with the message, “The Living Word: Our Ultimate Adventure Guide.” It was truly a weekend of God’s blessings filled with Christian fun, fellowship, and time on the mountain.

Submitted by Jennifer Tompkins, member of Robert’s Grove OFWB Church