JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 NEWSLETTER A New Year - New Start           Christmas Work   Boxes of unopened Christmas cards rest...

      June 2025 NEWSLETTER A loving update on our DS, Mark Ralls:   Many of you have asked about how Mark is doing and we are happy to report ...

      MAY 2025 NEWSLETTER April showers bring May flowers   ANNOUNCEMENTS Dear friends and colleagues of the Blue Ridge District, It is with ...

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 cohort of Connect Church, a program of Faith in Rural Communities at the NC Rural Center. Connect Church is a one-year learning cohort aimed at helping churches renew their faithful witness and connect with opportunities to improve the health and prosperity of their communities. A small group of people from each accepted church will work with an experienced coach to have a better understanding of their church's assets and how to use them for the benefit of their community. Upon completion of the program, churches may apply for a grant of up to $10,000 to launch a new or expanded missional engagement project. This is a $25,000 value offered to you for free thanks to generous funding from The Duke Endowment and Lilly Endowment. Visit www.ncruralcenter.org/connect-church/ for more information and to apply. The deadline to apply is August 30, 2025.

The Friends of the Lake 5K Road Race and Walk will take place at Lake Junaluska on Saturday, Aug. 30, and those who register by Aug. 14 will enjoy discounted registration and are guaranteed to receive a “Love the Lake” T-shirt.

Wild Goose Festival is coming soon. It is a transformational community grounded in faith-inspired social justice. Wherever we come together – at our nationwide festival in North Carolina, we learn and grow by co-creating art, music, story, theater, and spectacle, engaging in a wide variety of robust, courageous conversations with each other and with thought leaders and artists from other communities. Its almost here, August 28-31.