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 2025 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. For the Lake Junaluska Apartments, all prices include taxes and fees, but the meal package is optional.

To book Lake Junaluska lodging for the Spiritual Growth Retreat:

• Use the 800 number to call and make your retreat reservations.
• Beginning April 1, 2025, 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 Leader:

We are excited to announce that Rev. Aryn Williams-Ruebel will be our retreat leader for the 2025 Spiritual Growth Retreat. Aryn currently serves as Pastor at Cashiers United Methodist Church in the Smoky Mountain District.

More about Aryn…

Rev. Aryn Williams-Ruebel comes from a long line of faithful women.  She is the  daughter of David and Sara Williams, she grew up in East Bend, NC and attended Prospect United Methodist Church.  She started attending United Methodist Women with her mom and grandmamma as a young girl.  

Aryn attended East Carolina University where she achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Masters in Health Education.  Aryn was very active in the formation of a Young Women’s UMW Circle at Trinity, UMC in New Bern and a new UMW group at St. Luke’s UMC in Hickory.  She was also briefly the communications officer for the Catawba Valley District. After working in various careers she received the call to go into ministry in 2011 while a member at St. Luke’s UMC.  After attending a formative walk to Emmaus experience, Aryn began serving as a local pastor in 2012 in Sylva, NC while attending seminary at Candler School of Theology.  She was Ordained in 2018 and has served in the local church in Haywood and Jackson County.  She has been married to Jay Ruebel since 2015 and together they are proud to have three wonderful daughters, Gracie, Norah and Journi.  

Music Leaders:

Our music leaders for 2025 will be: Catherine Ritch and Charlie Harnish

Catherine Ritch:  Catherine Ritch, a native of Matthews, NC, is a published composer and author of inspirational fiction, non-fiction and children’s books with 27 books currently in print, and 7 others currently in process. A frequent speaker/musician in a variety of venues, she has entertained or spoken for audiences around the globe. She was selected as the International Profile of The United Methodist Church for September 2009 because of her continual work and efforts with missions for schools in areas of natural disasters.

A radio personality once said of Ritch, “Catherine’s lightning quick wit and musical talent are astonishing enough, but combined with her never ending source of positive energy, the woman is a ball of fire that’s sure to inspire.” Put Catherine on a piano, organ or keyboard and from Bach to Broadway to Boogie to the Best of Gospel, she’ll have the audience enthralled with the rhythms of life.

One of Catherine’s most fun ventures is a comedy series featuring Miz Eudora Rumph of Smackass Gap, NC, which happens to be a real place (where Methodists have The Hinton Retreat Center). Dressed as Miz Eudora, she has entertained doctors and medical personnel, ministers and bishops, teachers and various other groups with “Laughter Is the Best Medicine” through the simple mountain wit and wisdom of her Appalachian grandmother. In Catherine’s words, “People in today’s society take themselves way too seriously or get caught up in unnecessary stresses. A good dose of Miz Eudora is a cure for all that ails you, and also for that which don’t!”

Catherine has been introduced as an author, composer, comedienne, entertainer, teacher, musician, inspirational/motivational speaker, and volunteer-in-mission, but her favorite way to be acknowledged is “friend.”

Charlie Harnish:  Charlie Harnish hails from Sarasota, FL and began playing the piano around 4 years old. Although music is his primary passion, he has many other interests from watercolor painting to gourmet cooking, and he enjoys exploring it all with his partner Andy, their chihuahua (Wolfgang) and cat (Clara) in beautiful Candler, NC. Charlie has been the Director of Music for Weaverville United Methodist Church since August of 2018, and dearly enjoys directing the voice and bell choirs as well as performing thrilling piano and organ music for worship services.

Retreat Schedule: (Approximate)

Coming Soon!

• Thursday, June 12
• Friday, June 13
• Saturday, June 14

Breakout Sessions

Friday, June 13:

• 8:00am to 9:00am – Move 4 Missions Treasure Hunt with Valerie Prim. Meet outside Howell Center for a fun morning walk.
• 9:00am to 10:15am – The very popular Book Club with Jennie Greenway. During this session we will discuss the book The Lucky Ones by Linda Williams Jackson. 
• 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 4:30 or 5:00pm – Ubuntu with Kim. Come participate in Ubuntu with a local community agency in the Waynesville area. It will not be hard labor, but it will certainly be a labor of love.
• 2:30pm to 4:00pm – Labyrinth Walk – After a short video on the history of Labyrinths, we will silently transition to the Labyrinth beside the Memorial Chapel.
• 3:30pm to 4:30pm – Jazzercizing 4 Jesus – No retreat would be complete without Jazzercise 4 Jesus led by LaDonna Butts. Come enjoy, exercise in a chair while worshiping Jesus.

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

Gift cards for Brooks-Howell Home in Asheville, North Carolina.

• Bring gift cards for any amount for:
  • Lowe’s Home Improvement
  • Home Depot, or
  • Walmart

Brooks-Howell is a non-profit, charitable continuing care retirement community owned and supported by the United Women in Faith of The United Methodist Church. It was established to provide a retirement facility for deaconesses, missionaries, and others approved by United Women in Faith. Originally established to provide a retirement community for United Methodist deaconesses and missionaries, it has now evolved into a diverse community that welcomes all seniors.