Programs

Would you like to lead a retreat or a workshop at the Valle Crucis Conference Center? Send a note to Margaret Love at director@vcconferences.org. We'll be looking for your thoughts on group size, number of days (one-day retreat, multi-day, etc.), number of meals, etc. plus a short description of your program idea.

Keep checking back to this page! We update with new programs every so often. If you want to be in the know about programs through our Very Occasional And Completely Unspammy Email Newsletter, you can sign up for that here. 

2026 Programs At A Glance

Our VIP workshop and programming leader is Katerina Whitley, a wonderful author and facilitator.
 
Writing is often a lonely pursuit. You may find that it's much easier to write in the company of like-minded people and with the guidance of a professional who loves to encourage others in the craft of writing. Women Writers 2026 Workshops invite women of all backgrounds to step away from daily noise and into a quiet mountain setting. You’ll write, listen, and share in a small, supportive circle. Join this group of women writers to capture memories, define thoughts, express emotions, and bring order out of chaos. New writers are most welcome!
 
There are quarterly 3-day and 1-day options available throughout the year, with lodging and meals included. Commuter and one-day rates are also available.
 
All lodging will be in the Mission House, and the programming will take place in Crab Orchard Hall. Registration links are below in the list of programs at a glance.
 
 

 

 

Women Writers 1-Day Winter Workshop

RESCHEDULED TO FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13
Crab Orchard Hall
$65 program; $55 optional lodging

Lent & the Gift of Imagination 
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Johnson Hall First Floor
$65 program

Women Writers Full March Workshop
March 19-21, 2026
Crab Orchard Hall
$290 full program w/ lodging & meals; $190 commuter rate

Soul Sauntering: A Celtic Retreat
RESCHEDULED TO MARCH 22-27
$748 full program; double room and commuter rates available

Women Writers March 1-Day Workshop
March 26, 2026
Crab Orchard Hall
$65 program; $55 optional lodging

Evergreen: The Spirituality of Aging
Friday, March 27, 2026
The Rev. Rebecca Husband Maynard
Johnson Hall First Floor
$65 program; $55 optional lodging

Women Writers Full June Workshop
June 11-13, 2026
Crab Orchard Hall
$290 full program w/ lodging & meals; $190 commuter rate

Women Writers June 1-Day Workshop
June 18, 2026
Crab Orchard Hall
$65 program; $55 optional lodging

Women Writers Full September Workshop
September 10-12, 2026
Crab Orchard Hall
$290 full program w/ lodging & meals; $190 commuter rate

Women Writers September 1-Day Workshop
September 17, 2026
Crab Orchard Hall
$65 program; $55 optional lodging

Lent & the Gift of Imagination

Saturday, March 14, 2026, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Katerina Whitley
$65 program

 
Come join us for an experience that will give new meaning to the sacred and challenging season of Lent. This Lenten Retreat will have a different focus than others you may have attended.
 
We will spend our time considering how the gift of Imagination can help us read the Bible with intelligence and a renewed understanding. We will learn about how the prophets imagined God’s purpose for God’s creation.
 
Enter more fully into the stories and emotions of the Passion with master teacher Katerina Whitley. The program will be in the beautiful, light-filled Johnson Hall, with lunch provided. $65 covers an amazing facilitator, lunch, snacks, and program materials.
 

Register here for the Lent retreat.

Soul Sauntering art by Sarah TesterSoul Sauntering: A Celtic Retreat
Sunday-Friday, March 22-27, 2026
The Rev. Karla Woggon
$748 full program

A sacred retreat to explore the liminal, threshold, in-between spaces and places in your life.

Honor the Celtic feast of Imbolc, marking the midpoint between winter and spring, and St. Brigid, the saint of liminal threshold places.  Reflect on transitional moments through various spiritual practices, including contemplative walking in nature, group and individual reflection, dream work, reflection on the sacred stories of our lives, and creative expression. Nature will serve as our Spiritual Director, guiding us into deeper awareness and connection.  The retreat offers a sacred space to honor transition, discover new insights, and embrace the grace found in the in-between moments of life. Come and find your place in the sacred flow of nature and spirit.

Karla WoggonFacilitated by The Rev. Karla Woggon, a retired Episcopal Priest and seasoned spiritual director, dream worker, pilgrimage leader, and lover of stories. 

Lodging will be in the Inn and retreat will be in Johnson Hall. There are single and double occupancy as well as commuter pricing options available. 

Register here for the Soul Sauntering retreat.

 

Evergreen title bannerEvergreen: The Spirituality of Aging
Friday, March 27, 2026
9:30 AM – 3:00 PM

You’re invited to a contemplative retreat exploring the sacred dimensions of growing older. Through guided reflection, spiritual practices, and small groups, participants discover how aging can be a time of deepening wisdom, renewed purpose, and spiritual flourishing. Like the evergreen that remains vital through all seasons, we explore how to cultivate resilience, find meaning in life's transitions, and embrace the gifts that come with accumulated years. This gathering offers space to honor both the challenges and possibilities of aging, drawing on contemplative traditions and the lived wisdom of the group to illuminate the spiritual journey of our later chapters.

Rebecca Husband MaynardRebecca Husband Maynard is an ordained Baptist minister with a Master of Divinity from Palmer Theological Seminary and a Certificate in Spiritual Formation from Columbia Theological Seminary. After serving in congregational ministry, she founded Stacking Stones, an ecumenical ministry that offers retreats, spiritual formation events, labyrinth experiences, spiritual direction for individuals and groups, and pulpit supply. As a certified Labyrinth Facilitator and member of Spiritual Directors International, Rebecca is passionate about creating sacred spaces for spiritual growth and contemplation. She lives in Thurmond, North Carolina with her husband, Mark. Together they have four married children and two grandchildren.

Register for Evergreen: The Spirituality of Aging here.