United Women in Faith - Western North Carolina Conference

Health Safety Measures

The health and safety of our members and attendees is a top priority for United Women in Faith. We all want to meet in person, and experience the special gift of sharing time together for our retreat. To do that, we will continue to lean into doing no harm, and making efforts to keep everyone safe. With that in mind, the following health safety measures will be in place for our retreat. You will be asked to confirm that you will follow our health safety measures:

• Mask wearing will be by personal choice for participants while inside buildings.
• Participants agree that they will stay home if they have any symptoms of illness, have tested positive, or have a known recent exposure.

Thank you for your understanding and help as we work to provide the safest possible environment for all in-person attendees at the 2026 Spiritual Growth Retreat.

Lake Junaluska Housing Reservations:

Reservations for housing at Lake Junaluska must be made separately from our retreat registration. Important note: The prices for The Terrace and Lambuth Inn that you will get on a phone call reservation DO INCLUDE the room rates, the required five meal package, plus taxes and fees.

To book Lake Junaluska lodging for the Spiritual Growth Retreat:

• Use the 800 number to call and make your retreat reservations.
• Beginning April 1, 2026, call the Lake Junaluska reservations department at 1-800-222-4930. Then the Reservations Department, and the next available agent will be glad to assist you. Tell the agent that you are making reservations for the Western North Carolina Conference United Women in Faith Spiritual Growth Retreat. The Lake Junaluska reservations team is on duty from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
• Housing Rate Information:
  
  
• Housing in Lake facilities may fill up quickly, so make your reservations early. We encourage you if at all possible to stay on the grounds to help support the facilities at Lake Junaluska. If the Lake facilities are full, there are lots of motels near the Assembly grounds, visit the Haywood County Chamber of Commerce or the Maggie Valley Area Visitors Bureau for more information on available accommodations

Retreat Leaders:

We are excited to announce that Rev. Dr. Lucy Robbins will be our retreat leader for the 2026 Spiritual Growth Retreat. Lucy currently serves as Biltmore Village Cooperative Parish Director (Biltmore – Wellspring) (Asheville) in the Blue Ridge District.

More about Lucy…coming soon.

We are excited to announce that Rev. Holly McKim will be our Mission Session Speaker for the 2026 Spiritual Growth Retreat. Holly currently serves as the pastor of Spruce Pine UMC in the Blue Ridge District.

More about Holly…coming soon.

Music Leaders:

Our music leaders for 2026 will be: Tracey Owens and Howard Smith

Retreat Schedule:

• Thursday, June 11

2pm – 6:45pm  Retreat Check-In for registered attendees, Harrell Center, Lower Level.

5:30pm – 7:30pm  Dinner, Terrace Hotel Dining Room

6:45pm  Gathering Music, Harrell Center Auditorium

7:00pm  Session One, Harrell Center Auditorium

• Friday, June 12

7:30am – 9am  Breakfast, Terrace Hotel Dining Room

8:15am – 9am  Retreat Check-In for registered attendees, Harrell Center, Lower Level.

8:00am to 8:45am – Move 4 Missions Walk or Rock with Valerie Prim & Kim Eller.

9:00am to 10:00am – The very popular Book Club with Jennie Greenway.

10:15am  Gathering Music, Harrell Center Auditorium

10:30am  Session Two, Harrell Center Auditorium

Noon – 1:30pm  Lunch, Terrace Hotel Dining Room

1:30pm to 2:30pm – United Women in Faith Choir – Do you love singing? Make a joyful noise with your United Women in Faith sisters.

2:30pm to 4:30pm – Ubuntu with Kim. Come participate in an Ubuntu project at Lake Junaluska. It will not be hard labor, but it will certainly be a labor of love.

2:00pm to 2:30pm – Learning Origami with Cindy Carter

2:30pm to 3:30pm – Creation Care with Celeste Wall and Julie Ogletree

3:30pm to 4:30pm – Soul Care with Rhita Newcomb

5:30pm – 7:30pm  Dinner, Terrace Hotel Dining Room

6:45pm  Gathering Music, Harrell Center Auditorium

7:00pm  Session Three, Harrell Center Auditorium

After Session Three: Kranking It Up with Kim, Harrell Center Auditorium

• Saturday, June 13

7:30am – 9am  Breakfast, Terrace Hotel Dining Room

10:15am  Gathering Music, Harrell Center Auditorium

10:30am  Session Four, Harrell Center Auditorium

Breakout Sessions

Friday, June 13:

• 8:00am to 8:45am – Move 4 Missions Walk or Rock with Valerie Prim & Kim Eller. 
• 9:00am to 10:00am – The very popular Book Club with Jennie Greenway. For our Book Talk this year we will be focusing on the award winning book, Red, White and Whole by Rajani LaRocca. This book follows the story of Reha, an Indian-American girl who feels caught between two worlds. Throughout the book she struggles with her identity as she navigates her mother’s illness. 
• 1:30pm to 2:30pm – United Women in Faith Choir – Do you love singing? Make a joyful noise with your United Women in Faith sisters.
• 2:00pm to 2:30pm – Learning Origami with Cindy Carter
• 2:30pm to 4:30pm – Ubuntu with Kim Eller. Come participate in an Ubuntu project at Lake Junaluska. It will not be hard labor, but it will certainly be a labor of love.
• 2:30pm to 3:30pm – Creation Care with Celeste Wall and Julie Ogletree
• 3:30pm to 4:30pm – Soul Care with Rhita Newcomb

Retreat Love Offering
A Gift to Undesignated Mission Giving

You may make your Love Offering gift in two ways this year:

Mail it directly to:

Bess Redmond, Conference Treasurer
19 Wright’s Cove Trail
Fairview, NC 28730

Please make checks payable to:  Treasurer, WNCC UMW

Or, make your gift online today using the Donate link below:

• Click here to DONATE to the Retreat Love Offering
• We use Stripe as our secure online payment processor. You may use any of several credit/debit cards to make your gift.
• You will receive a email receipt confirming your gift to the Conference Love Offering.

We invite you to give generously!

Giving is a way for United Women in Faith / United Methodist Women to give expression to their faith. 

Giving is a privilege – a gift of God’s grace. …from United Methodist Women in Mission

Hands On Mission Opportunity

UMCOR/CWS Menstrual Hygiene Kits – UMCOR Menstrual Hygiene Kits provide essential feminine hygiene products to individuals in the U.S. and globally who lack access to them due to disasters, poverty, or displacement. These kits promote dignity, health, and education by preventing infections, fostering confidence, and allowing girls to attend school during their periods.

Menstrual Hygiene Kit Value: $24.00 per kit

Menstrual Hygiene Kit Materials – Click here to download PDF of full instructions

• One one-gallon size re-sealable bag
• Two 2oz bottle hand sanitizer
• Three 4-gallon bathroom trash bags
• One travel pack of wet ones
• 10 Tampons (5 regular and 5 super absorbency)
  • Unscented
• 10 Sanitary Napkins
  • Unscented
  • Long super ultra-thin
• Bath-size soap (3 oz. bar or larger)
  • No Ivory or Jergen’s soap
  • Do not remove from packaging.
• One pack of flushable wipes (42 count)
  • Unscented
• Six laundry detergent sheets
  • Laundry detergent sheets should be placed inside of a small plastic storage bag prior to being added to the kit.

Assembly Instructions

• Start with a one-gallon resealable bag.
• Place one pack of the flushable wipes and wet ones in the bag.
• Place three 4-gallon bathroom trash bags and the 10 sanitary napkins in the bag.
• Then, add the smaller items in the plastic bag, remove air, and seal.

Important Notes

• All items must be new.
• Do not wash any of the items as they will no longer be considered new.
• Do not include any personal notes, money, or additional materials in the kits.
• Contents of kits or the containers of kits should not be imprinted with cartoon characters, advertisements, religious, patriotic, military or camouflage symbols.

Packing Instructions

• Please send a single check to the Sager Brown Depot or the affiliate warehouse that will receive your donation of menstrual hygiene kits.
• The check amount should cover the total number of kits times $2.00 for the cost of shipping.
• Do not place check inside the box of menstrual hygiene kits. Please mail under a separate cover. On the memo line, indicate that the funds are a donation to cover costs associated with relief supply kits.Last updated January 2026