Friends, Fellowship and Ringing...

At Lutheridge+Lutherock our Handbell Weekends are very popular. We have scheduled two sessions for February, 2010! You may want to think about joining us one of the following weekends. The Handbell Workshop is held Friday–Sunday, on the weekends of February 19-21 or February 26-28.

This enriching Handbell Event allows individual ringers or entire bell choirs to gain new skills for their music ministry back home. Each weekend features in-depth instruction, fellowship, worship, and performance with an advanced and intermediate track. Choirs will leave with polished pieces that can be used for each of the seasons of the church year.

Cost per Person for 2010 includes lodging, Friday dinner through Sunday lunch, instrument insurance, and other program costs.
Kohnjoy Inn: $229.00 per person (NO SINGLE ROOMS IN KOHNJOY)
Thornburg/Bacot/Carla/H&H/Lakeside Village: $199.00 per person
Day Rate: $155.00 per person (includes all meals)

Signing up for our 2010 “Handbell Weekend” couldn’t be easier.
Log onto our website and register online, you can also
phone us for more info 828.684.2361.
A few things to remember: If registering a choir, please remember EACH participant coming from a different household must complete a registration form.
All registrations are date stamped and are processed in the
ORDER in which they are received.

A few details…
February 19-21, 2010:
Intermediate Track: Michael Joy
Advanced Track: Timothy Waugh

February 26-28, 2010:
Intermediate Track: Sandra Eithun
Advanced Track: Cathy Moklebust

What folks are saying about our “Handbell Workshops”.
"The weekend provided us the opportunity to ring quality music under a terrific clinician."
"Lutheridge itself is greatly loved and appreciated... It is a wonderful, relaxing, spiritual place to be."
"It was wonderful. I had no responsibilities except to show up and enjoy!"
"We were able to grow and build community as fellow church members and a bell choir."
Don’t wait these popular weekends fill up fast. We look forward to seeing you.

The Holidays, The Biltmore & You...

At Lutheridge+Lutherock we have many traditions. One of our very favorites is our "Biltmore Excursions" during the month of December. Mmmmm, yes it is not only fun, it is an adventure in Beauty, History and Architecture. Leave the world behind for just a little while and become guests of Lutheridge and the Vanderbilts. Imagine the Biltmore Estate all "Done-Up" for the holidays. Trees, Decorations, Music and the holiday glow of thousands of twinkle lights. Oh yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. It is a feast for the eyes.

So here is the deal, you arrive on a on Friday evening after dinner. Enjoy a quiet evening with hot chocolate around the fireplace.
After breakfast on Saturday, travel to the Biltmore Estate on your own, or with new friends from Lutheridge, to tour the house. Visit the winery, farmhouse, and many other features of the 8,000 acre estate. Have lunch on your own at the Bistro or Deerpark Restaurant. Save some time for Christmas shopping in Downtown Asheville and the Grove Arcade.
Return to Lutheridge for dinner. We will have a fire going for you to roast marshmallows and reflect on your day. A storyteller will tell some stories and we will sing some songs together.

Sunday includes breakfast at Lutheridge, optional worship at Lutheran Church of the Nativity in Arden, and time to relax at Lutheridge or go back to Asheville for more Christmas shopping before returning home.

NEW FOR 2009! The Biltmore Estate has opened four new rooms; these rooms have been closed to visitors for nearly 100 years! One of the newly-renovated rooms is the Louis the XV room where the Vanderbilt's only daughter, Cornelia, was born in 1900. It is also in this same room that Cornelia gave birth to her two sons, George Cecil in 1925 and William Cecil in 1928. The Estate also has a new audio tour that includes these new rooms.

Now is the time to register for this special holiday adventure.
December 4-6 or 11-13 (Friday-Sunday)
December 1-3 or 8-10 (Tuesday-Thursday)
We look forward to sharing this unique holiday experience with you.
Log onto our website www.llmi.org or
give us a call at 1.828.684.2361
We look forward to hearing from you.

The Buzz...
"Cool crisp weather in a Christian atmosphere. I was able to enjoy a taste of the spirit of Christmas and meet friendly people from different places. It was just a relaxing experience."

"This is wonderful - An affordable, comfortable, good place to stay with great food so that we could also afford to go to the Biltmore. I really love that you opened this up to us. It could become an annual tradition!"

Ski LEAP 2010...

Winter can be a magical time of year here in the mountains of North Carolina. The skiing is great, the sunshine is bright and the pine trees add a certain grace to this very special time of year. At Lutheridge+Lutherock we have created some amazingly fun programs to embrace this very special season.

Let us do all the work of coordinating ski rentals and lift tickets and enjoy our group rate discount! We also supply group building games, an evening campfire, and youth-friendly worship. Come on Friday evening. Enjoy an early breakfast and all day Saturday on the slopes. End the day with supper, fun and worship then have a good breakfast on Sunday before traveling home. Adults must accompany and supervise youth. Groups are responsible for transportation to and from ski slopes. Lutheridge guests ski at Wolf Ridge. Guests staying at Lutherock will ski at Sugar Mountain.


So here are the details, sign-up soon as space is limited.

Lutheridge Dates: January 8-10, 22-24, 29-31, February 5-7, 12-14, and 19-21, 2010 (all Friday-Sunday); January 16-18, 2010 (MLK Weekend: Saturday-Monday)

Lutherock Dates: January 8-10, 29-31, February 5-7, 12-14, and 19-21, 2010 (all Friday-Sunday)

NEW Three-Night Option for Ski LEAPs!

Come to Lutheridge on MLK Weekend (January 16-18, 2010) or Lutherock over President's Day (February 12-14, 2010) and stay for two or THREE nights.

Because of the demand from groups to come up a night early or stay a day later, we now have the option to add an additional night to your Ski LEAP weekend for only an extra $30 per person! This rate includes the additional night lodging, an early breakfast and dinner (if applicable), and LLMI will handle all of your skiing reservations. So come to Lutheridge on Friday and ski at Wolf Ridge for two days!

Please contact Kara Ridenhour at 828-684-2361, ext. 304 or kridenhour@llmi.org for questions and information regarding Ski LEAPs.

Please contact Suzanne Delap at 828-684-2361 ext.309 or email for availability, deposit policy, and information regarding additional ski-related costs.

November Faith-Alive Retreat...

New this Fall -- Faith Alive Retreat! CHRISTIAN VOCATION: What God is calling you to do with your gifts and your life!

CHRISTIAN VOCATION
Friday - Sunday ~ NOVEMBER 13-15, 2009

Middle School and High School youth will hear that God has a plan for them ~ and learn how to listen and discern God's will for their lives. Pastors are not the only ones called by God. Martin Luther taught that ALL work is holy when done with integrity. Our goal as Christians is to discover the best way to use the gifts that God has given us to build up God's kingdom here and now. Bible study, gift inventories, creative exercises, and practice in active listening will help young people claim their unique abilities and explore ways to use them to God's glory. This retreat will REDEFINE "SUCCESS" with an emphasis on service over self, inspiring students to make a difference in the world. The teacher for this retreat is Pastor Mary Canniff-Kuhn, Lutheridge Program Director.

Pastor Tim Canniff-Kuhn, LLMI Interim Vice President, will lead a Faith Alive Retreat on CHRISTIAN VALUES the same weekend. Middle School youth will explore Jesus' values and compare them to our own. This retreat has received rave reviews from kids and adults each time it has been offered.

Faith Alive retreats also give middle school and high school youth a true camp experience including games, skits, stories, songs, campfire and creative worship. Lutheridge counselors provide supervision and add their own faithful witness and joyful attitude to the experience.

Encourage the young people in your family or congregation to become the adults God wants them to be. Let these retreats help FAITH come ALIVE in new and exciting ways.

Visit our website for more details or to register online!

You Are Never Too Old For Camp! Bring Your AARP Card...

Camp isn’t just for kids anymore. Yes, we still do plenty of child friendly ministry and programs, but our fastest growing age group is people eligible for AARP cards.
Lutherhostel, Autumn Adults, Christmas at Biltmore, Fall Color family weekends, Apple Festival, Handbell Weekends, Wild Women, Create in Me, and more are all offered at Lutheridge and Lutherock. Some of these programs, like Lutherhostel, are specifically designed for older adults while others bring all generations together.
You may remember camp as bunk beds and corn dogs. You are in for a treat at Lutheridge and Lutherock where we have comfortable, motel style rooms and a chef on site who is capable of the most demanding special menus. You will love his chicken salad!
Experiencing a retreat setting will allow you to focus on God in a way not possible in day to day life. The intentional Christian Community created will allow you to grow from the faith and experiences of others.

Pastor Mary Canniff Kuhn is a wonderful storyteller and Pastor Tim Canniff Kuhn will entertain you with songs and laughter. Both are well respected as teachers and proclaimers of the Gospel.
Log onto our website to see a list of fall, winter, and spring programs designed specifically for you.

L.E.A.P. Into An Adventure...

Summer is almost over and for some, school will be starting soon. Our summer trips are over and those lazy sunny days are quickly becoming memories. Schedules and life return to normal as Autumn settles in. Now is the time church programs, youth groups and schools start back up, you may want to consider a L.E.A.P. at Lutheridge or Lutherock as a wonderful way to kick off the New Year!

A LEAP (Lutheridge or Lutherock Environmental Adventure Program) is a customized retreat that is great for groups of all shapes and sizes. A LEAP gives you the ability to custom design an experience for your youth, family, college students, school, or any other group you can think of. LEAP is offered at both Lutheridge and Lutherock and is truly custom designed by you with the help of our staff. We have pre-planned LEAP's to help you get started in your planning, but the experience is custom-tailored just for you.

LEAP is perfect for:
•Youth Groups desiring a weekend, fall break, or spring break away
•Family/Intergenerational Groups desiring to interact with one another
•School Groups looking for time away to build relationships & experience community that can only be formed in a retreat setting
•College Clubs/Groups interested in adventure and experiences that can only be accomplished in time away
•Homeschool Groups looking for interaction, adventure, and Christian Community

A typical LEAP group arrives on Friday evening and departs after breakfast on Sunday morning. School groups often arrive during the week. Remember, the LEAP experience can be totally customized to fit your group’s needs, schedule, and interests. A group minimum of 12 is required for all LEAP weekends.




ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
(COST VARIES BY ACTIVITIES CHOSEN):
•Group Initiatives (either site) – Team-building activities perfect for team and community building
•Group Interaction Course (either site) – A series of low-ropes obstacles that are ideal for building community.
•Intermediate/Advanced Ropes Course (Lutherock) – A “step up” from the Group Interaction Course, build teamwork and community up in the trees
•Challenge Tower/Alpine II Climbing Tower (either site) – Each tower offers solo and partner climbs.
•Day Hikes (either site) – Choose a hike that is easy, moderate, or strenuous either on-site or in the local area
•Environmental Activities (either site) – Tree identification, nature walks, forest ecology, etc.
•Creek Walks (either site) – Take a hike in the water.
•Servant Project (either site) – Engage in a service project on-site or partner with a local agency
•Rock-climbing (Lutherock) – Hike and then rock-climb on Lutherock property
•Caving/Spelunking (Lutherock) – Visit Whirley’s Cave in TN to crawl through naturally made tunnels
•Rafting (either site) – Scenic on the French Broad or intense adventure on the Nolichucky
•Skiing (either site) – Ski or snowboard at nearby Wolf Ridge or Sugar Mountain
•Canoeing (Lutheridge) – Enjoy a scenic trip down the French Broad River
•NEW! Indoor Climbing Wall (Lutheridge) – Bring the experience of rock-climbing inside
•NEW! Biltmore Estate Educational Tours (Lutheridge)
•NEW! Grandfather Mountain (Lutherock) – Walk through the nature preserve with a naturalist to learn about conservation of the area and animals. Then enjoy the view from the top.

For more information about a LEAP, visit our website. In the menu on the left, click on the link that says “LEAP”. We hope to see you on the mountain soon!

Lutheranch, Count Us In!

“Count us in!”
“Thanks for inviting us to ‘sample’ Lutheranch! What a wonderful afternoon! It was just absolutely perfect – nice drive out, incredible setting and the current facilities are very nice and more than adequate for immediate use- that was a surprise…love the screened porch, dock etc. Can’t get over the 2 lakes. "
"Getting us out onto the land makes all the difference too. One can see videos, lovely brochures, but to see the scope and beauty is what it’s all about. Count us in!!!!”
A Lutheranch Guest

Congregations throughout the southeast are being counted! About three years ago, Lutheridge+Lutherock Ministries launched the Foundations for Faith Campaign: The Challenge. Part of this campaign helped with the purchasing of a little over 500 acres along the Alabama/Georgia state line. Lutheranch is LLMI’s third site for learning, renewal, and outreach to continue the mission of LLMI to provide times and places apart. In an area where the Lutheran Church is growing, Lutheranch will serve campers, congregations, and groups throughout the southeast, especially those in the Southeastern Synod. Have you seen Lutheranch? Have you heard? Have you been counted?

The Challenge campaign has reached $3.3 million in cash and pledges toward the $3.5 million campaign goal and a $4.9 million stretch goal! Many donors and campaign volunteers have accomplished this great achievement. To date 91 congregations have participated in a congregational campaign.

We are grateful to the many that have helped Lutheranch become a reality. Gifts to The Challenge campaign enabled the purchase of this land. What a blessing!

Everyone’s participation does make all the difference! Christian camping and retreating make a huge difference in the lives of young and old! Spirits are renewed through the ministries of Lutheridge, Lutherock, and Lutheranch.

For the guest who wrote to us, and for many like her, Lutheranch is a dream come true, as camping and retreating will be made available for more people young and old.

Now as we move forward, we need others to participate in this historic and exciting opportunity. Libby Bedenbaugh, congregational campaign director, is eager to work with and help remaining congregations run a successful campaign. Every congregation’s strong participation is needed if we are to reach our goal for Lutheranch.

Let us “COUNT YOU IN!” For more information about Lutheranch and the Foundations for Faith Campaign: the Challenge, please visit our website: www.lutheranch.com.